INF30029 - IT Project Management: Role of Communication - Review

This literature review explores the critical role of communication in managing information technology projects. It emphasizes the importance of effective communication for problem-solving, information dissemination, managing change, and bridging language gaps between stakeholders. The review discusses how communication can be managed through planning, clear visibility, stakeholder engagement, and risk management. It also identifies key communication approaches, tools, and skills needed to keep project teams engaged and informed, such as open-door policies, two-way feedback, and clearly defined roles. The review concludes by highlighting the importance of communication training and the use of online tools to enhance team performance and project success. This assignment was contributed by a student and is available on Desklib.

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What is the role of communication in managing projects? How can communications be
managed? What communication approaches/tools/ skills are needed to effectively keep a project
team engaged and informed.
Introduction
Effective communication depends on the verbal and non-verbal body expressions which
are interpreted to mean a message or information that can consume much time to be relayed by
just talking. Communication is a skill that is acquired through learning, continuous practice and
healthy relationship with the environment and people. For project management to succeed, good
communication should be practiced. At the management position, information needs to be passed
diagonally, horizontally or downwards to reach people and events for proper plan execution. The
following circumstances proves that communication is an essential element for project
management to run effectively.
 When discussing problems that arise during or before project implementation. With
regards to project problems, communication may come in various forms, the staff can
discuss the issues through infographics, pie charts, linear graph among others to interpret
the causes of the problem.
 When relaying information. The project manager has to regularly access the information
during the development of the project. The information should cut across the system for
all the stakeholders to access the project objectives, customer needs, risks, plan and time
constraints (Muller, 2017, p49). The adherence to the consistency of both the formal and
informal communication usage will help in passing the details of the progress of the
project.

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 When there is a change in the situation. Most of the projects are fluid and hence the
project manager should prepare for the challenges that will be faced during the entire
process of project implementation (Morrison, et.al, 2019, p97). Thus, communication
needs to be put in place from the onset of the project. This will contain the types of
communication required during the briefing meetings, the frequency of the
communication needed and the receivers of the message. Hence can help in normalizing
the situation and create a conducive working environment for the whole concerned
participants in the project development.
 When receiving information. For a project manager to receive and pass information, he
must keep in touch with the field officers who will be sending the details the team leaders
and the manager. Thereby, inviting feedbacks that can help to improvise the project.
 When bridging the language gap between the partakers of the project and the community.
The language gap in the project management lies in the distance that hinders the
understanding of the significance of the business. Delivering an unclear message comes
with the challenge of misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the information. To be
able to communicate effectively means that one can talk well in a loud and clear manner
and as well can listen to others. The manager of the project needs to have these skills so
that he can lead the team with a clear conscience.
These roles should be embraced in the project management plan in order to achieve the
target and objectives of the project. The manager of the project has to ensure that the lines
and channels of communication are opened and managed properly. The use of various
communication skills in a public address, gestures and facial expressions which can help the
managers of the project to coordinate the operation of the activities and attain the project set

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goals (Aga, Noorderhaven, and Vallejo, 2016, pp806-818). Without taking care of the
communication, there will be confusion in the project management, misunderstandings and
unhealthy disagreements that can lead to a fall in the project goals. Communication connects
people, companies, directors, employees and communicates to members together. Every
good outcome made from the project will be as a result of the manager employing the
professionalism in the communication skills and good relation relationship with the
members.
How to manage communication in project management.
The management of communication in any particular project entails keeping others in the
position. Through a communication planning process that entails the various types of
information that will be delivered, those to receive it, timing of its distribution as well as
release and the format of communicating the information, there will be proper management
of communication in the project management (de Carvalho, Patah, and de Souza Bido, 2015,
pp1509-1522). Most of the work of a project manager is usually spent on communication,
thus it is critical for an effective passage of the right information to every particular
individual usually at the right time.
For a successful project to be accomplished, there has to be a communication plan as well
as a strategy that is crucial for the greater project visibility. Therefore, to manage
communication in the project management, the following activities must be accomplished as
indicated below;
Provision of real and clear visibility to portfolio and sponsors with the project portfolio KPIs

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Informing every particular stakeholder concerning the project plan, review, scope as well
as the approvals
Obtaining support from the senior management in case of any particular issue that may
arise
Highlighting particular risks and issues relating to the project
Informing the team members about any particular change in the schedule of the project
A proper communication plan is usually critical. The initial step towards defining of the
communication plan is to find out the kind of communication to convey to the stakeholders
based on their needs in order to make better decisions (Ramazani, and Jergeas, 2015, pp41-
52). The above-mentioned process is often referred to as the communications requirement
analysis. In order to, therefore, manage communication in the project management, there has
to be proper communication with all the stakeholders.
Adequate information must be provided to all the stakeholders to ensure that they are
much more informed about the project to make the right decision. In the plan, the types of
communication are also included, and this will typically help in the proper communication,
Usually, the types of communication are based on several factors such as duration of the
project, timing of the project, experience of the staff with the particular communication
technology, project environment and timing of information to be conveyed to the individuals
concerned with the particular project.

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Communication approaches/tools/ skills that are needed to effectively keep a project team
engaged and informed
To make a team to communicate better, then as a manager, you should help them
bond and bounce off ideas on each other. This should be aimed at saving time and create
a more efficient workplace (Baumann, et.al, 2016, pp243-251). The following are some
of the ways in which a project manager can employ communication techniques to
enhance coordination for team players to achieve their desires. Joining separate parts
through communication. Teams within the project work together on tasks with the aim of
using different strengths within individual components. If there is poor communication
between teams can be compared with an engine with broken parts.
So, communication should at least bring together the parts in order for the whole
parts to realize a set objective. By implementing the suggested approaches, the entire
project will at the end attain the purpose. Proper use of methods of communication. The
fact is, communication is way beyond just face-to-face talking though important it is. But
there are so many communication skills that can be used as well. Communication has
played a huge part in communication toolbox (Hornstein, 2015, pp292-298). This can
save time when used in the right manner and can help team members to work faster. the
manager can use the following approaches:
 Using the open-door policy. This is done to so as to avoid creating the secret
atmospheres among the members as they are closed outside the main office.
By leaving the office doors open and encouraging an open plan environment,
that alone clarifies the fact that everyone within the plan should work the

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same. all personal barriers and secrets will be revealed and hence this will
encourage honesty and togetherness.
 Encouraging two-way feedback. When members of the team ask a question,
as a manager, you need to think critically before responding to the concerns
raised by the members. You should provide detailed and constructive
feedback hence increasing the team communications. The feedback you give
should be more of coaching to a team member than to create boundaries. If
possible, then any verbal feedback should be supported with a written record.
 State clear roles and responsibilities to every member. This is done to avoid
any problems during project implementation. If team members if not sure of
their duties, they are likely to flounder and fail to complete the task at the
expected standards. When the roles are clear, then communication is made
easier.
Conclusion
Training in communication techniques. To some extent, communication training has been
overlooked by those seniors in position, yet allowing for this training helps to generally improve
the performance of the team members. These training are majorly focused on the software rather
than interpersonal communication dynamics. Software training is offered online which are aimed
to improve the message or speech delivering the ability that is full of persuasion and content.
Finally, the project manager can use online tools instead of physical meetings. This helps to
serve with the projects that are spread across the country who might find it hard to travel to the
main office for meetings. They can be taught how to do video conferencing and other online
meeting techniques. Online helps to save a lot of time that would otherwise be lost when

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physically searching for them. The software should be developed that can allow all the members
of the team to access the information more and easily.
References
Aga, D.A., Noorderhaven, N. and Vallejo, B., 2016. Transformational leadership and project
success: The mediating role of team-building. International Journal of Project
Management, 34(5), pp.806-818.

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Baumann, T., Mantay, K., Swanger, A., Saganski, G. and Stepke, S., 2016. Education and
innovation management: a contradiction? How to manage educational projects if innovation is
crucial for success and innovation management is mostly unknown. Procedia-Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 226, pp.243-251.
Binder, J., 2016. Global project management: communication, collaboration and management
across borders. Routledge.
de Carvalho, M.M., Patah, L.A. and de Souza Bido, D., 2015. Project management and its effects
on project success: Cross-country and cross-industry comparisons. International Journal of
Project Management, 33(7), pp.1509-1522.
Heldman, K., 2018. Project management jumpstart. John Wiley & Sons.
Hornstein, H.A., 2015. The integration of project management and organizational change
management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), pp.291-
298.
Lee, L., Reinicke, B., Sarkar, R., and Anderson, R., 2015. Learning through interactions:
improving project management through communities of practice. Project Management
Journal, 46(1), pp.40-52.
Muller, R., 2017. Project governance. Routledge.
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2017. Human resource management:
Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

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Ramazani, J. and Jergeas, G., 2015. Project managers and the journey from good to great: The
benefits of investment in project management training and education. International Journal of
Project Management, 33(1), pp.41-52.
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Heldman, K., 2018. PMP: project management professional exam study guide. John Wiley &
Sons.
Arnold, E.C., and Boggs, K.U., 2019. Interpersonal Relationships E-Book: Professional
Communication Skills for Nurses. Saunders.
Morrison, G.R., Ross, S.J., Morrison, J.R. and Kalman, H.K., 2019. Designing effective
instruction. Wiley.
Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.