MIS 4310 Ch 10

Using the formula for calculating the number of communication channels, how many channels would two people require? 2 3 4 1

1 Two people will have one communication channel.

Using the formula for calculating the number of communication channels, how many channels would five people require? 14 11 10 9

10 Five people will have ten communication channels.

A team has 10 communication channels between its various members. Using the formula for calculating the number of communication channels, it can be deduced that the team has _____ members. 2 5 3 10

5 If a team has 10 communication channels between its various members, it can be deduced that the team has five members by using the formula for calculating communication channels.

T/F? Communication becomes simpler when you increase the number of team members.

False An important aspect of communications is the number of people involved in a project. As the number increases, the complexity of communication increases because there are more channels or pathways through which people can communicate. Communication becomes more complex as you increase team size.

T/F? Geographic location and cultural background have no impact on communications.

False Geographic location and cultural background affect the complexity of project communications. If project stakeholders are in different countries, it is often difficult or impossible to schedule times for two-way communication during normal working hours.

T/F? Minutes must be a comprehensive report of the meeting that was scheduled.

False Minutes should be short and focus on the crucial decisions and action items from the meeting.

T/F? The communications management plan varies with the needs of the project.

True Because communication is so important on projects, every project should include a communications management plan—a document that guides project communications. The communications management plan varies with the needs of the project.

T/F? A facilitator can help the team solve any communication problems.

True It is often beneficial to have a facilitator from outside the project team assess how well communications are working. A facilitator can also help the team solve any communication problems.

T/F? Adding more people to a project that is falling behind schedule often causes more setbacks because of the increased complexity of communications.

True Many top managers think they can just add more people to a project that is falling behind schedule. Unfortunately, this approach often causes more setbacks because of the increased complexity of communications.

T/F? Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand.

True One of the guidelines for conducting meetings is to determine if a meeting can be avoided. Do not have a meeting if there is a better way of achieving the objective at hand.

Many experts agree that the greatest threat to the success of any project, especially information technology projects, is a failure to _____.

communicate

According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., a(n) _____ is a medium that is "excellent" for encouraging creative thinking. e-mail phone call meeting website

e-mail According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., an e-mail is a medium that is "excellent" for encouraging creative thinking.

According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., what is the most appropriate medium for addressing negative behavior? voice mail e-mail website meeting

meeting According to the guidelines provided by Practical Communications, Inc., a meeting is the most appropriate medium for addressing negative behavior.

The outputs of the _____ process are communications management plan and project documents updates.

planning communications management

Which method of communication is likely to be most effective for conveying sensitive or important information? telephone conversations reading reports from other team members e-mails short face-to-face meetings

short face-to-face meetings Short face-to-face meetings are often more effective than electronic communications, particularly for sensitive information.

As a manager, you want to praise a team member, Phil, for doing a good job on a particular project. However, you know he tends to be an introvert. Which communication method would Phil be most comfortable with? Have top management and the other teams in the company award Phil. Announce Phil's accomplishment on the company Web site. Call Phil in for a private meeting to appreciate his work. Call a team meeting to praise Phil for his work on the project.

Call Phil in for a private meeting to appreciate his work. People have different personality traits that often affect their communication preferences. For example, if you want to praise a project team member for doing a good job, most introverts would be more comfortable receiving that praise in private, while most extroverts would like everyone to hear about their good work.

T/F? Project managers must assess the needs of the organization, the project, and individuals in determining which communication medium to use, and when.

True Project managers must assess the needs of the organization, the project, and individuals in determining which communication medium to use, and when. They must also be aware of new technologies that can enhance communications and collaboration.

Which document addresses where the project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and cost goals? technical reports progress reports lessons-learned reports status reports

status reports Status reports address where the project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and cost goals.

Which document describes where the project stands at a specific point in time? forecasts status reports progress reports lessons-learned reports

status reports Status reports describe where the project stands at a specific point in time.

According to research by Albert Mehrabian, which is NOT a way that information is communicated through face-to-face interaction? spoken content body language written content tone of voice

written content Research has indicated that in a face-to-face interaction, communication takes place through body language, how the words are said, and the actual spoken content.