Ch. 10 - Project Communications Management

Important to document any changes in technical specifications that might affect ________________________.

product performance

________________ - complete set of organized project records that provide an accurate history of project

project archives

Which communication method is the following? Info is sent to recipients at their request

pull

The items discussed in a(n) _____ include reflections on whether project goals were met, whether the project was successful or not, the causes of variances on the project, the reasoning behind corrective actions chosen, the use of different project management tools and techniques, and personal words of wisdom based on team members' experiences. A. lessons-learned report B. audit report C. final project report D. design document

A. lessons-learned report

An example of push communication is ____________. A. video conferencing B. blogs C. voice mails D. meetings

C. voice mails

True or false? Good information technology project managers must have strong technical and communication skills.

True

Which of the following methods of communication is likely to be most effective for conveying sensitive or important information? A. Telephone conversations B. Reading reports from other team members C. E-mails D. Short face-to-face meetings

D. Short face-to-face meetings

According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., a(n) ____________ is the most appropriate medium for giving complex instructions. A. phone call B. Web Site C. e-mail D. meeting

D. meeting

True or false? In a project, communicating badly exponentially increases the possibility of making mistakes.

True

True or false? It is extremely important to document any changes in technical specifications that might affect product performance.

True

True or false? Most WBSs include a section for project communications to ensure that reporting key information is a project deliverable.

True

True or false? People have different personality traits that often affect their communication preference.

True

Many nontechnical professionals prefer communicate how?

2-way conversation

____________ predict future project status and progress based on past information and trends. A. Forecasts B. Status reports C. Progress reports D. Project updates

A. Forecasts

Which of the following questions is typically addressed by a project forecast? A. How much more money will be needed to complete the project? B. Are our clients satisfied with the speed and quality of work on this project? C. How comfortable are employees with the software and technology being used on the project? D. Does the quality of output match our goals?

A. How much more money will be needed to complete the project?

Which of the following is true of push communication? A. Information is sent to recipients without their request. B. This method ensures that the information is received by the recipients. C. Information is sent only to recipients who request the information. D. This method ensures that the information is understood by recipients.

A. Information is sent to recipients without their request.

Which of the following is true of a project communications plan? A. The communications plan should be part of the overall project management plan. B. The communications plan within an organization does not vary from project to project. C. The communications plan should include project forecasts and other technical information. D. The communications plan should never be part of the team contract, but should always be a separate document.

A. The communications plan should be part of the overall project management plan.

E-mail communication is most suited for: A. communicating routine information B. mediating a conflict between multiple parties. C. assessing commitment to a project. D. building consensus among disputing parties.

A. communicating routine information

Managing communications is part of the ___________ process of the project communication management. A. planning B. executing C. closing D. monitoring and controlling

B. executing

As the number of people involved in a project _____, the complexity of communications _____. A. increases, stays constant B. increases, increases C. increases, decreases D. decreases, increases

B. increases, increases

_____________ are a complete set of organized project records that provide an accurate history of the project. A. Project notes B. Project archives C. Forecasts D. Project plans

B. project archives

_________________ involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders. A. Strategic planning B. Systems management C. Planning communications D. Identifying stakeholders

C. Planning communications

__________ describe where the project stands at a specific point in time. A. Progress reports B. Lessons-learned reports C. Status reports D. Forecasts

C. Status reports

An example of a pull communication is __________. A. meetings B. video conferencing C. blogs D. voice mails

C. blogs

____________ describe what the project team has accomplished during a certain period. A. Forecasts B. Status reports C. Lessons-learned reports D. Progress reports

D. progress reports

True or false? Communication becomes simpler when you increase the number of team members.

False

True or false? Improving an organization's ability to communicate is an easy process.

False

_______________ - allows users to create, share, and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online

Google Docs

_______________ - allows users to create custom Web sites to access documents and applications stored on shared devices

SharePoint portal

True or false? Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand.

True

Info about content of essential project communications comes from where?

WBS

_______________ - Web site that allows anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify Web page content

Wiki

Project managers should know how a major problem might affect what?

bottom line of the organization

___________________ training includes role-playing activities in which participants learn concepts such as building rapport.

communication skills

What includes the following? 1. Stakeholder communications requirements 2. Info to be communicated 3. Who will receive the info and who will produce it 4. Suggested methods or technologies for conveying the info 5. Frequency of communication 6. Escalation procedures for resolving issues 7. Revision procedures for updating communications management plan Glossary of common terminology

communications management plan

What is a document that guides project communications?

communications management plan

Goal of _____________: ensure the optimal flow of info throughout the entire project life cycle

controlling communications

______________________ - monitoring and controlling communications to ensure that stakeholder communication needs are met

controlling communications

Creating some sort of communications management plan and reviewing it will stakeholders _____________________ helps prevent or reduce later communication problems.

early in a project

To make it easier to prepare project communications: project managers need to provide ____________ and ____________ for common project communications.

examples, templates

_____________ - predict future project status and progress based on past info and trends

forecasts

_______________ and ___________________ affects complexity of project communications

geographic location, cultural background

Even if people know when to use technological tools for communication, they need to know what?

how to use the tools

Important to put bad news _________________.

in context

Important to understand ____________ and _______________preferences for communications

individual, group

Which communication method is the following? 2 or more people interact to exchange info

interactive

What are the 3 broad classifications for communication methods?

interactive, push, pull

________________ - reflective statement that documents important info they have learned from working on project

lessons-learned report

Project managers should try to __________ size of teams or subteams to avoid making communications too ____________.

limit, complex

The following outputs are from what project communication management process? Project communications, project documents updates, project management plan updates, organizational process assets updates

managing communications

________________ - creating, distributing, storing, retrieving, and disposing of project communications based on communications management plan

managing communications

The following outputs are from what project communication management process? Communications management plan and project document updates

planning communications management

_______________________ - determining the info and communications needs of stakeholders

planning communications management

What are the 3 main processes of project communications management?

planning communications management, managing communications, controlling communications

Receiver of info rarely interprets it exactly as sender intended, so it's important to provide ______________ methods of communication

several

What's a good starting point for managing communications?

stakeholder communications analysis

_____________ - describe where project stands at a specific point in time; address where project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and cost goals

status reports

Reporting performance is normally provided as __________ reports _____________ reports.

status, progress

When deciding best way to create and distribute info, consider what 3 things?

use of technology, appropriate methods and media to use, performance reporting

When managing communications, project managers and teams must decide on what 2 things?

who receives particular info, best way to create and distribute the info

Communicating includes many different dimensions, such as ____________, _______________, ______________.

writing, speaking, listening

Important to include detailed technical info that affects critical performance features of ___________ or _____________ developed in a project

products, services

_____________ - describe what the project team has accomplished during a certain period

progress reports

Goal of _________________: ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination storage, and disposition of project info

project communications management

Know how problem will affect the _______________ and __________________.

project, organization

Which communication method is the following? Info is sent/pushed to recipients without their request

push

_____________ address where the project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and costs goals. A. Lesson-learned reports B. Progress reports C. Status reports D. Technical reports

C. status reports