Communicating with Project Members and Stakeholders

Communication within a project is essential to its success. Good communication skills allows for active cooperation among many people in various levels of an organization (Kraut, Fish, Root, & Chalfonte, 2002). From the initial contact with the client, through the development of the project, and concluding with the post launch follow up, it is essential that those involved in or affected by the project have a means of communicating in both formal and informal ways. Within an instructional design project, it is the project manager who is responsible for establishing the expectations and methods of communication among those involved in the project (Portny, 2008).

Messages conveyed in writing, such as emails, have advantages and disadvantages. The written words can be read and reread, allowing the person receiving the message to review it as needed to assure understanding (Ferraro & Palmer, n.d.). The disadvantages include having no way to assure that the message was read, or that the message was received and interpreted as intended. Without the support of the tone and gesture of the author, the message may be misunderstood or even be considered offensive.

Communicating with voice mail, provides the benefit of hearing the sender’s voice and allowing some interpretation of the message based on the tone, inflections, and pacing of the sender’s message (Ferraro & Palmer, n.d.). The use of email allows those working at a distance from each other, to convey brief messages in order to maintain the productivity level of the project (Kraut, et.al, 2002). Although voicemail is somewhat more able to convey the verbal cues of the sender, it is still lacking in many other aspects of face-to-face communication.

Speaking with others face-to-face allows the interaction to be either formal or informal. Brief casual interactions are often used to communicate the needs of one team member to another. The benefits of being able to see those you are attempting to communicate with include being able to observe their emotion and response to your words, and giving you the time to adjust your tone, or words to better convey the desired message (Ferraro & Palmer, n.d.).

Utilizing the desktop audio-visual communication systems allows team members to have access to the informal approach of face-to-face encounters even though they may not work in proximity to each other (Kraut, et.al, 2002). The ability to communicate in an informal manner allows members of a project team to get to know and like each other (Kraut, et.al, 2002).

Communication within a project may require formal or informal means for distributing and acquiring information. Managing communications properly will promote productivity and success of the project.



References:

Ferraro, V., & Palmer, K. C. (n.d.). Differences between oral and written communication. South Hadley, MA: Mount Holyoake College. Retrieved September 25, 2011, from http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/speech/differences.htm

Kraut, R. E., Fish, R. S., Root, R. W., & Chalfonte, B. L. (2002). Informal communications in organizations: Forms, function, and technology. Morristown, NJ: Bellcore. Retrieved September 25, 2011

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.