Describe the importance of project communications, and the essential factors to be considered when creating a project communications plan

Answer 1

Key concepts to be covered in the response could include, but are not limited to:

Projects have many challenges, including the need to communicate with people from various locations, functional areas, companies and cultures. The communications plan should be used to establish and manage expectations from all stakeholders, and to ensure that project work is complete properly and on time.

Purpose: The first factor that the team should consider is the purpose for each communication. Purposes might include: outgoing communications to set and manage stakeholders' expectations, incoming information from stakeholders such as requirements or authorizations, or planning the management and escalation of issues that cannot be handled by the project manager.

Structures: Existing organizational communications structures should be used if available. Following a pre-existing structure should enable stakeholders to understand the communication more easily.

Methods: Projects may use a combination of "pull" ,"push" or interactive methods of communication depending on the type of communication that is appropriate.

Timing: Three levels of timing should be considered in the communication plan: the project life cycle stages, the organizational structure that might include regularly scheduled meetings, and an as-needed basis for other project issues.