Reference no: EM132312425 , Length: word count : 2500

Assignment

Identify, analyse and document information requirements, with input from stakeholders, as the basis for communication planning   

Activity 1   

What communications planning is required for project stakeholders? How is this usually recorded?

Activity 2

What is the likely effect on a project if there is inadequate communication planning?   

Develop, within delegated authority, an agreed communication management plan to support achievement of project objectives   

Activity 3

What would you include in a communications plan? Who would normally approve it?   

Establish and maintain a designated project-management information system to ensure quality, validity, timeliness and integrity of information and communication   

Activity 4

Research and describe one commercially available software Project Management Information   

Manage generation, gathering, storage, retrieval, analysis and dissemination of information by project staff and stakeholders   

Activity 5

Describe how social media can contribute to project communication.

Activity 6

Select one tool available for information distribution.    Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using the tool.

Implement, modify, monitor and control designated information-validation processes to optimise quality and accuracy of data   

Activity 7   

Identify the different sorts of information management systems used by individuals, by organisations and by different projects. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each one?

Activity 8

At what stages of a project are validation and verification implemented? Describe how and why.   

Implement and maintain appropriate communication networks   

Activity 9

Meetings have a multitude of purposes. Each purpose requires different agendas, participants and will have different expected outcomes unique to its purpose. Each meeting type requires a different style ranging from consensus building to problem solving.

In addition, remember the importance of “soft skills” such as listening, conflict resolution, negotiating, obtaining buy-ins, heading off issues with pre-meeting triage meetings, engaging reluctant participants and a myriad of “people skills.” If you want to improve on these skills, seek out coaching and training from mentors and successful peers. How could you approach your peers for coaching?
   
Identify and resolve communication and information-management system issues   

Finalise and archive records according to agreed project information ownership and control requirements   

Activity 10

Case study

Planning for the Good Business Partners: China and Australia conference is well underway. Project staff in Sydney and Perth are generating a great deal of information on the content and format of the conference, topics and possible speakers, venue options, likely participants, funding support and sponsorship for the conference, accommodation for participants, budget and possible cost to participants, registration methods and software, interpreting options and services, and recreational activities during the conference. Michael Webber and Fai Wang have also contributed information and suggestions, and have sent papers and articles prepared by some of the suggested speakers.

As agreed, this information is being stored electronically in folders on the project’s Internet-access database. Articles and papers are being scanned and included. All stakeholders have access to the database and can provide suggestions and feedback through a comments site.

Some have authority to enter and change data.

The project minutes, progress reports, time lines and other project business documentation are kept in a separate folder on the database.
Charmaine Xu manages these processes carefully by regularly checking the contents of each folder and talking with staff and other stakeholders. Information in folders is sorted by project team members, who prioritise information and make recommendations to Charmaine. She then further refines this through consultation in preparation for decision-making at steering committee meetings.

1. Meredith de Jong is nervous about all of the planning data and project records being held electronically ‘out there somewhere’. Assume you are Charmaine. Prepare a brief response to Meredith where you explain why you have selected the Internet-access database, why it is safe, and what precautions you are taking to safeguard the information.

2. Briefly outline another way of storing this information and making it accessible to the team and other stakeholders.

3. Complete a table similar to the following by listing the key points you have to remember when managing information.

Task   

Key points

Information generation and gathering

Storage

Retrieval

Analysis

Dissemination       
  
Review project outcomes to determine effectiveness of management information and communication processes and procedures   

Activity 11

A small consulting company has been contracted to project manage a large research and development project that includes contractors spread over 10 locations. The key stakeholders to the project include:

The authorising agent which is national government department

The client which is an agency acting on behalf of the department

7 main groups of consumer/industry bodies that will have a vested interest in different parts of the final product but all of whom want to be included in information about project progress.

1 What will be the main communications issues to be addressed?

Your answers should refer to the diverse locations, the need to meet government reporting requirements which could include statutory issues and the differing needs of the consumer/industry groups which may be in competition with each other.

2 What types of communication resources might be required?

Your answer should include formal reporting, need for high quality information technology and telephone linkages and for ongoing project newsletters or other forms of regular communication

3 What are the pitfalls to be aware of in communicating with stakeholders?

Your answer should include making sure reporting is timely, accurate and transparent and the communication format and content meets the needs of the group. It also important to not let just oil the squeaky wheel and to stick to the agreed procedures and protocols for
communication.

Identify and document lessons learned and recommended improvements for application in future projects   

Task  – Project Communications and Information Management

This assessment task requires you to:

• develop a communication management plan and an information system for a specific project
• implement a project information system with a systematic approach to storage, searching, retrieval and archiving of relevant information
• implement and maintain communication processes
• review project outcomes and document suggestions for improvements to managing project information and communication for future projects.

Within your practice environment, complete each of the following parts (Note: Parts of this assessment task, such as project execution, will be simulated in your practice environment):

Part 1 - Plan information and communication processes

1. You are required to provide a communications management plan for the project – use the template below.

Communication Management Procedures:

<Insert Communication Management Procedures which may include: including standards, escalation processes, version control, process to update the Communications Management Plan, glossary, flow charts for communications, communication constraints and policies, roles and responsibilities, communication review, timelines >

Project Management information system:

<Describe a systematic approach to the storing, searching and retrieval of information relevant to the project (manual systems or computer based). This could include access authority levels, ownership considerations, privacy considerations, roles and responsibilities, version control, templates.>

Develop a communication plan using the attached template as a basis.

Part 2: Implement project information and communication processes

1. Provide an example of a project communication about the status of the project including scope, time and cost. This may be via status report, meeting (depending on your choice of meeting you can use the one from the unit Manage Meetings) or newsletter or any other appropriate communication method.

2. Describe the validation process that you used to ensure quality and accuracy of data reported.

Part 3 - Assess information and communication outcomes

1. How would you finalise and archive records? How would this reflect ownership of the information and control requirements?

2. Review your project performance in terms of information and communication management. Would your information and communication management processes and procedures be considered effective? Why/why not?

3. List all information and communication issues you may have experienced on the project (in the table below) including a recommendation for future projects.

Part 4 – Issues Log

Based on your experience, provide an Issue Log of information and communication issues – provide a resolution for these.

Write your answers on a piece of paper, clearly writing the contributors and hand this to your facilitator on completion.

Part 5 - Reviewing communications management processes

For this project, review the communication processes by responding to the following questions:

1. Who were the key stakeholders of the project?

2. What specific information needs did they have?

Your answer should include any statutory or legal requirements or competing interests.

3. What were the main communication issues addressed?

Your answers should refer to the diverse locations, the need to meet government reporting requirements which could include statutory issues and the differing needs of the consumer/industry groups which may be in competition with each other.

4. What types of communication resources were required?

Your answer should include formal reporting, need for high quality information technology and telephone linkages and for ongoing project newsletters or other forms of regular communication.

5. What pitfalls were you aware of in communicating with stakeholders?

Your answer should include making sure reporting is timely, accurate and transparent and the communication format and content meets the needs of the group. It is also important to not let just oil the squeaky wheel and to stick to the agreed procedures and protocols for communication.

Attachment:- Manage Project Information and Communication Book.rar