New York University Project Management Techniques Communication Essay Response Please respond with summary and observations of the following PMI article on

New York University Project Management Techniques Communication Essay Response Please respond with summary and observations of the following PMI article on best practices on Communications CONFERENCE PAPER 3 October 2002
Seminars & Symposium
Tarne, Bob | Ellingsworth, Dave
How to cite this article:
Tarne, B. & Ellingsworth, D. (2002). Ten barriers to communications. Paper presented at Project
Management Institute Annual Seminars & Symposium, San Antonio, TX. Newtown Square, PA: Project
Management Institute.
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The authors of this paper have worked in the telecommunications field for a combined total of 34 years
and have seen the evolution of communications technology. They recall the days when a 2400-baud
modem connection was fast and snail mail was the only possibility. Why then, with the explosion of new
communications technologies in the past decade, do we still have problems communicating? In this
paper, we begin by taking a look at the top 10 communications barriers as seen by project managers in
the telecommunications industry, then go on to answer the question of how to best deliver the intended
message to an audience.
Each technological advance has brought additions to our vocabulary; indeed, the telecommunications
industry has its own very unique language. When this language isn’t understood, communication’s
effectiveness diminishes. Communicators need to use words correctly, clarify assumptions, and
understand the audience to whom they are delivering their message.. Within telecommunications,
acronyms can exacerbate this barrier. AnThe effective project manager needs to be aware of how
language can act as a barrier to communications. Within telecommunications, acronyms can exacerbate
this language barrier.
Some common-sense communications techniques, when ignored, can also become barriers. Body
language sends a very strong message that may contradict the spoken word. Rumors can have a
significant impact on any organization, especially a project team. The project manager needs to be aware
of these issues when communicating with the project team.
Advances in communications technologies can become either enablers or barriers to effective
communications. There are many tools at our disposal: email, conference bridges, and web-based sites
to name just a few. As project managers, we must consider how to best use each of these in our project.
When properly used, these tools can be great assets to a project manager.
Choosing the right (or is it correct?) words. In telecommunications, as with other industries, there is
a unique language. A lottery, for example, is not an opportunity to win money. Even in
telecommunications, the term “hotline” can have different meanings. It can mean a phone that dials only
one number. In wireless, it means directing a wireless phone to a prearranged number (usually
customer service when the account is overdue). ManyOther words have unique meanings; if one of the
parties in a conversation doesn’t understand the intended meaning, the intended message will not be
delivered.
As a project team, we may have team members who come from outside the industry and may not be
familiar with the unique language, slang, phrases, and acronyms. Five years ago I began working for a
wireless carrier. I had experience in the technology, but not in the industry. In the first few months of
work, I often had to ask for clarification of terms. NOT IF SHOULD PHRASE IN 1st PERSON (I)?
The board of directors for the Information Technology and Telecommunications Specific Interest Group
(IT&T SIG) has members from the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, South America, and Europe. Even though
we conduct our board activities in English, there are times when clarification is necessary. For example,
in New Zealand, they describe a customer or member of a group as a “punter.” The first time I saw this
phrase used in an email, I asked for clarification because I thought the phrase had something to do with
rugby or football.! AGAIN 1st person???
One solution a project manager might employ is the use of a dictionary containing project specific
words. The dictionary can be included in the project plan or other project documentation. If using a
web-based project tool, the dictionary can be posted there.
Recently, one of my project managers was delivering a project overview to a number of stakeholders.
This project contained some new terms with which the audience was not familiar. Early in his
presentation, the project manager defined all the terms he thought would be new to the audience.
Because the audience had copies of the slides, they had ready access to the definitions.
Clarifying Assumptions. Always communicate initial assumptions about the situation, skill levels, and
environment. For example, is are IT and IS the same technical field or skill? An IT professional might not
think so, but many believe that both terms refer to software development. When discussing the IT
profession, effective communications requires that you clarify that you are referring to the
Infrastructure Technology (IT), such as routers, hubs, or switches, that make communications possible,
not Information Technology (IT), which refers more to the application or software components of
technology.
Initial assumptions are influenced by an individual’s personal history. For example, cultural background,
language, educational background, experience, position or level, department, company politics,
words/acronyms used, project background or knowledge and biases all influence assumptions. The
Project Manager (PM) is rarely able to hand pick the team; getting background information and feedback
from respected sources about each core team member as well as supplemental or interfacing team
members is an important step in determining the variety and mix of the team. This will assist in defining
the communications media types, frequency of use for each type, and how items are handled within
each.
We all know the old adage “You Know What Happens When You Assume!” We also know not to make
assumptions without communicating that assumptions have been made, but it happens in every project.
Everyone also knows not to say, “I assumed,” so you get comments like “I thought,” “my understanding
was” or the direct approach of arguing the point of understanding or interpretation. Assumptions will
never be eliminated, but mitigation of assumptions is necessary. There must be something in place to
keep assumptions from having an adverse impact on the project. Effective communications requires the
project manager to state the mission or key objects, milestones or crucial deadlines and provide clear a
concise list of terms and stated assumptions, with the understanding that additions are warranted and
even expected. Team members come and go throughout the life cycle of a project; when a project
manager incorporates assumption mitigation for new members, the impact of new members bringing
assumptions that might derail—or add nonproductive time—to the bottom line is minimized.
Understanding the Audience. Many communications expert recommend communicating at an eighthgrade education level. While this may be practical for general topics, in Telecommunication’s project
management it is more important to set audience expectations up front. In a complex
telecommunications project discussion, one needs to ensure the audience has the proper background
and perspective.
Effective communicators must also understand that they own the information being exchanged, as well
as any misinterpretations by the audience. It is important to understand the audience’s receiver skills.
People are eitherare visual, autocratic or kinesthetic—the respective senses being exercised are sight,
hearing and feeling. Because of the different senses being used, buzzwords such as “Can you see where
we are going?” “Does this feel right?” or “I hear what you are saying.” can help the communicator be
better understood by the audience. If, for example, the entire team is visual, you should use the white
board more during meetings. For an autocratic audience, you could exclusively use conference calls and
they would all have a good chance of getting the same message. It is important to keep in mind that how
you communicate your message affects how the audience interprets the message you are trying to
communicate.
To some audiences, however, what to communicate is more important than how to communicate.
Management and stakeholders want summary information and items whichitems, which concern them,
such as budget, schedule, quality or scope of delivery impacts. They don’t care that you replaced X
number of sick team members with temporary resources, with no impact to the budget or schedule.
They don’t care that you implemented your contingency plan of adding specialists to provide
appropriate skills or additional resources, even though it helped the project team get through a complex
technical aspect of the project—again, without any impact to the schedule or budget or quality of the
deliverable for this phase. When communicating your message, remember the level of detail necessary;
refrain from providing unwanted or unnecessary details.
CDWAM—Clearly Define What Acronyms Mean! The telecommunications industry is wrought with
acronyms. In Newton’s Telecommunication Dictionary, the acronym SMS stands for both Short Message
Service and Service Management Software. This acronym also has been used to refer to Software
Management System, or even Shawnee Mission South, a local Kansas City area high school.
Newton’s Telecom Dictionary has over 200 acronyms that begin with the letter ‘A’! (Newton, 2000). In
written communications, a writer should define the acronym the first time it is used. In formal
documents, such as a project requirements document, all acronyms should be defined the first time they
are used; they should also be included in a comprehensive list as an index to the document.
In a recent PMI Leadership meeting, one presenter put up a slide filled with acronyms. He then
proceeded to discuss the slide, explaining each acronym. When he did that, the meaning of the slide
became clear. This speaker recognized the fact that many people in his audience would not understand
the slide without his clarification.
It becomes more complicated in verbal communications. While it is more cumbersome to stop to define
each acronym, that may be necessary. When your audience gets a glazed look in their eyes, you have
probably hit them with too many acronyms. I recently had this experience when assigned to a project to
implement Wireless Local Number Portability. I joined an existing team and found myself struggling to
understand a new set of acronyms with which the rest of the team was already become familiar.
1st person??
If the project team is using a web-based tool, another document to post there is a list of acronyms. This
would give the project team easy access when they need to find the meaning of an acronym. Some
companies take this a step farther, posting a list of companywide acronyms on their intranet. This
technique allows full access to the list, not just to project team members.
Watch Body Language. Nonverbal cues need to match the words that come out of your mouth. For
instance, you might say yes, but shake your head no, or tell someone that everything is OK, but slam
things around on your desk. Nonverbal cues impact the delivery of the message. Ensure that you
maintain eye contact with the individual or group of individuals to whom you are speaking. As has been
previously mentioned, any group is comprised of different individuals. Each individual receives
information differently; body language plays its part to impact delivery and receipt of the information.
Body language includes a wide range of actions. It can include the position you are in at the meeting
table, whether you meet individuals at the door of your office and sit at a separate table with them as
opposed to staying behind your desk. It includes using hand gestures, facial expressions, folding your
arms when listening, whether or not you maintain eye contact, trying to read email when someone is
speaking to you, or whether you answer your phone in the middle of a conversation. Understanding the
influence your body language has on the message you are sending, or the separate message it sends by
itself, can help reduce miscommunication. It is hard to convince a team member that you care about
them and their career, if you allow distractions while you are engaged in a performance, mentoring or
personal issue discussion. Attentiveness and eye contact, as well as ignoring distractions, such as emails,
phone calls, or other people’s interruptions, are key supporting body language activities for one-on-one
communication exchanges.
Avoid Spreading Rumors. With mergers a part of the environment in telecommunications, rumors
abound concerning the next possible merger. These rumors have a negative impact on the project
manager as his or her team gets distracted by the rumors and loses focus on the job.
These rumors may be about the project. Consider, for example, the impact a rumor about the project
being cancelled could have on a project team’s productivity. Members would have be nolittle motivation
to move forward with work that needs to be completed. It could, in fact, become a self-fulfilling
prophecy; team productivity drops because of the rumor, milestones are missed, missed; status reports
start showing a project in jeopardy. Ultimately the project sponsor decides to cancel the project.
As the project manager, it is our job to keep the project team motivated. When rumors arise, we need to
address them and provide the team with facts. In some instances we may not know all the facts. In those
situations, we need to provide what information we know is factual and dissuade the team from
speculating beyond that.
Be Aware of Email and the Loss of Personality. The printed word does not carry the nonverbal cues
that a spoken conversation does. While an author may be laughing as he or she composes an email, the
recipient may not see the humor and react in a manner not intended by the author. For example, when
the recipient reads the phrase “You’re bad!” they may interpret that they are not good, when in fact the
meaning is that they are not just good, they are VERY good. Especially in telecommunications, making
sure everyone is of the same understanding is essential.
Email also has a whole host of issues such as, timing, delivery, response non-delivery, attachment
problems such, version mismatches, transfer file corruptions, download speed concerns and viruses.
Understanding these unique issues and the potential for misinterpretation and/or non-timely receipt of
information is very important. One way to minimize file attachment issues is to state up front, during
project planning, what tools and versions are required, including virus protection software and create a
set of templates to be utilized throughout the life cycle of the project.
Email is good for general information and follow-up, as well as documenting decisions, answers to
questions and changes in direction, budget or project timelines. Email is also useful when providing
reminders, meeting notices with accompanying agenda, minutes from meetings, updating notices for
contact or distribution lists and notices that project documentation has been updated in a project
accessible location or shared drive/eRoom type communications vehicle. Email time stamps decisions
and provides supporting documentation for decisions and is often used to as re-communicate why path
B was taken over path A at time X in the project. This is commonly known as the project manager doing
“CYA.”
Email should not, however, be used for initial communication of any critical path impacting information
exchange, issues escalation or team member responsibility change. In general, email should not be used
for anything requiring immediate responses; an immediate response is something that cannot wait until
tomorrow or until Monday to be addressed or answered.
Some general rules for email include;
Use “To:” line when you expect responses from people. If the email is informational, include yourself in
the “To:” line, then put others in the “CC:” line. Don’t send an ESCALATE/RSVP email to an entire group.
Send it to the decision-makers.
The subject line is like an agenda for a meeting. Be clear, concise and direct.
• Use some group identifier such as PMI-ITT: to start the subject. This will allow sorting, making
response more timelytimelier.
• Use the Subject line to describe the email topic and/or attachment/format. Be specific!
• Use “RSVP” to start the subject when requesting responses that are time sensitive.
• Use “ESCALATE” to signify a critical decision is required. In the body (text area) describe the problem
or decision required, date required; suggest a day/time to have a call if necessary! An example is (PMIITT: ESCALATE 2 Track Openings or (PMI-ITT: ESCALATE PMI Europe actions/decision required).
• Use “FINAL” to start the subject when distributing an attachment or email notes, which includes the
requested feedback.
The attachment should consider the audience’s tools equipment and skill set. Compress files using tools
such as Zip for speed of transfer. Ensure the audience has the appropriate software and versions to
review the attachment. Rich Text format is a good generic format to use for Word.
When replying to RSVPs and ESCALATEs, respond to the requestor and the To: list. The requestor owns
the topic, as well as the responsibility to distribute the final version (post feedback) or decision. If
neither RSVP or ESCALATE is in the subject line or you are included as a CC only, then NO response is
necessary.
Make Communications Timely. As a project manager, we may get involved in working with our team
to resolve a critical issue, but forget to communicate a message to our sponsor about the issue. If
communications aren’t timely, they can lose their effectiveness.
The project will dictate the frequency of the communications. In some instances, communications need
to be daily. Working in the rapidly growing wireless industry, this type of project is not uncommon.
When my company was in the height of launching its network, there were daily communications
reporting new market launches. This communication was essential to coordinate the activities
surrounding the launch. The network engineers had to ensure the cell sites and switches were working.
They would hand off to the back office groups to ensure billing and provisioning wasere in order. Next,
the retail channels would ensure everything was in place to sell. Only at this point would the PR team
start the advertising for that market segment. 1stperson???
For a project like this, with as many as 10 markets at some point in the pipeline at any time, prompt
communications was essential to ensure each team knew the status of every market and which markets
require their attention.
Include the Right Audience. It is important to send the right message to the right audience at the right
time. In the example above, the message needed to be delivered in a timely manner. It would also have
been ineffective to send a message to PR with technical details that would not be understood. PR just
needed to know everything was in place for them to start their task. If there were a problem, they would
need to know how it impacts the timeline, but not necessarily the details of the problem. It is important
for a project manager to know the different audiences and how to manage the expectations of each.
There are many different audiences. It is important to understand what needs to be communicated to
whom, at what level of detail, by when and how often. Including the right audience within a specific
communication distribution or meeting, starts by building a contact list, which generally begins with a
Single Point Of Contact (SPOC) list for all of the impacted departments…
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