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Project Communication: a crucial factor in the success of your project
Bringing a digital project to a successful conclusion is not an evidence. Good project management is, in this regard, one of the critical success factors, and project communication is a part of that as well. Although this is not exactly part of our core services, we are happy to share some tips and tricks for structure and approach. Because no matter how you look at it, the communication followed during the project also contributes to the success of your project..
Communicate regularly
To keep your project on track and meet deadlines, regular communication about the status of tasks, team achievements, milestones, etc., can significantly move you forward.
- “We need a weekly newsletter”
- “Internal communication will post that on the intranet.”
- “We’ll set up a Teams channel and put everything there. Everyone on the project can follow along.”
These are just a few of the potential responses when discussing the course of project communication. Each of them can be a legitimate part of project communication if they fit within the structure and culture of your organization. But project communication encompasses much more than that: a meeting request with a well-defined agenda, a recurring live meeting, etc., are also forms of communication. But what exactly do you communicate, when, to whom, and in what format?
A communication plan is worth the effort
A quick Google search or chat with GPT, and you’ll soon find some examples of possible guidelines for project communication. Which one works for you depends on the culture and structure of your organization. Therefore, it’s a good idea to align with the leaders involved in your project, HR, internal communications, etc., before starting the project. They can provide insights into what definitely works for their team or where you might encounter potential pitfalls.
In general, you can make significant progress with this communication plan:
- Identify all stakeholders (internal and external) involved in the project.
You’ll quickly be able to map out the core team members, but also consider the stakeholders throughout the project timeline. Someone involved only in the second half of the project can easily be overlooked at the start. - Set communication objectives.
What do you want to achieve with your communication for each of these stakeholders? For instance, your communication to the project team will have different goals than communication to the management team. - Determine the various communication channels you can use.
Emails, internal newsletters, meeting requests, WhatsApp, kick-offs, etc. Make clear agreements and stick to the established method so that everyone knows where to find things afterwards. Keep this in mind: not everyone needs to be informed about every detail. Also, tailor your channel to your stakeholder: for example, if a certain team holds a weekly meeting, try to regularly attend that meeting instead of organizing separate ones. - Predefine the frequency of communication.
EAnd, most importantly, stick to it. It builds trust in the project when recipients receive updates at the promised times. If the news is exceptionally delayed, make sure to notify them. - Determine who delivers the communication updates.
In practice, this is usually the project manager, but if someone else needs to provide an update, clearly state that in your communication plan.
Is this rocket science?
NNot really. But it’s a thought exercise that pays off if you’re willing to invest some time in it. It also provides you with a workable matrix that keeps you on course throughout the entire project. And hung up on the wall, it serves as a handy reminder for yourself as well.