HKSM

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Purpose & When to Use

Manage Communication ensures timely, accurate, and useful information flows among the team, stakeholders, and leadership. It turns plans into action by delivering the right message through the right channel and confirming it was understood.

• Use throughout the project, from kickoff to closeout, whenever information must be shared, clarified, or escalated.
• Most critical during major changes, cross-functional coordination, compliance reporting, external vendor interactions, and decision points.
• Supports stakeholder engagement, risk handling, expectation management, and faster, better decisions.

Mini Flow (How It’s Done)

• Review the communication approach and stakeholder map to confirm audiences, content types, frequency, and channels.
• Gather current inputs: progress updates, forecasts, risks and issues, changes, milestones, and upcoming work.
• Select channel and format suited to the message and audience, such as meeting, dashboard, email, chat, or formal notice.
• Draft clear content with a purpose, key points, decisions needed, actions, owners, and due dates.
• Check accuracy, sensitivity, and approvals when required, including confidentiality and legal or contract needs.
• Deliver the message, facilitate the conversation, record decisions, and share minutes or summaries.
• Confirm understanding using read receipts, brief recaps, Q&A, and explicit agreement on decisions and actions.
• Store communications in the agreed repository, link to registers and logs, and maintain version control.
• Measure effectiveness with simple signals like attendance, response times, sentiment, and follow-through, then adjust the approach.
• Resolve barriers such as time zones, language, accessibility needs, and technology limits.

Quality & Acceptance Checklist

• Audience and distribution list are correct and current.
• Purpose is clear, with a concise summary and a logical structure.
• Content is accurate, current, and consistent with baseline information.
• Decisions, actions, owners, and due dates are explicit.
• Channel and format match urgency, sensitivity, and stakeholder preference.
• Confidentiality, compliance, and contractual requirements are met.
• Language is plain, free of unnecessary jargon, and culturally appropriate.
• Accessibility needs are addressed, and links or attachments open correctly.
• Receipt and understanding are confirmed when needed, not just delivery.
• Records are stored, indexed, and traceable for future reference.

Common Mistakes & Exam Traps

• Confusing plan versus manage versus monitor: planning defines rules, managing executes and facilitates messages, monitoring checks effectiveness and compliance.
• Sending the same message to everyone instead of tailoring to stakeholder needs.
• Broadcasting information without feedback loops or confirmation of understanding.
• Hiding or delaying bad news, which increases risk and erodes trust.
• Relying only on email for urgent or sensitive topics that need conversation and confirmation.
• Ignoring time zones, language, cultural cues, and accessibility considerations.
• Failing to capture and file minutes, decisions, and action items as official records.
• Confusing raw data with analyzed information; stakeholders need insight and context, not just numbers.
• Skipping approvals or confidentiality checks before sharing restricted information.

PMP Example Question

A key stakeholder complains that the weekly updates are long but still miss critical decisions. What should the project manager do next?

1. Reduce the frequency of the updates from weekly to monthly.
2. Log the complaint in the risk register and continue with the current format.
3. Review and tailor the communication approach with the stakeholder, providing concise decision summaries via their preferred channel.
4. Escalate the issue to the sponsor for direction.

Correct Answer: C — Review and tailor the approach with the stakeholder and deliver concise decision summaries via their preferred channel.

Explanation: Managing communications means executing and adapting the plan to meet stakeholder needs, ensuring clarity and confirmation of understanding.