Project Management Communications

Author Update - Bill Dow - New PMO Book Coming Soon

2011-09-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I am excited to announce I am writing a brand new book on building and implementing PMO's. I have 22 years in Project Management with the last 10+ running large scale Project Management Offices. This is going to be one comprehensive book and I think you will all enjoy it.

I am every excited about it. I am looking at a publishing it May-Jun next year, 2012.

Thanks..... Now back to writing....

Bill Dow, PMP
dowbill@hotmail.com

Revamping "The Project Management Communications Bible"

2011-02-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, we have a chance to revamp the Project Management Communications Bible and we are very interested in hearing your feedback. We want to know from you directly what you think?

What did you like? What did you not like? What do you want to see more of? What do you want to see less of? Either way, we want to hear from you...

Please contact us at the following email addresses:

dowbill@hotmail.com

brucehtaylor@hotmail.com

Thanks...

Project Management Communication Tips

2010-10-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

In everyday life, project managers have many areas to focus on to successfully deliver a project. These areas include scope, goals, resources, costs…etc. One of the most important areas of project management is communications, and sometimes project managers forget this important area. Therefore, we thought we would help, and pull some tips directly from our Project Management Communications Bible. We highly recommend you take this tips and apply them directly on your project.

Hope you enjoy…..

1. When communication progress on your project schedule, keep the duration of your activities less than one reporting cycle. This way most of the activities will finish during each reporting cycle. If an activity does not finish during the current reporting cycle it should on the next one. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 157

2. Always use a verb and a noun for activity descriptions. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 153

3. Plan how you are going to communicate on your project at the beginning of the project. If you wait it will be too late and you will be reactive instead of pro active. Plan who, what, where, when and how you are going to communicate Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 32

4. Always take time to do your lessons learned each week during the project. If you wait until the end of the project you won't be able to use the lessons learned each week and it will be hard to get the team back after the close out. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 465

5. Communications Management includes all aspects of managing the communications of your project. It consists of the following areas: communication planning, distribution of project information and the management of the recipient’s information. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 10

6. There are two types of communications – sending and receiving. Sounds simple, until you start to factor in personal filters and how they can alter the message. Take your time and learn people’s filters where possible to give you the best chance at communicating with them. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 24

7. Understanding Stakeholder Risk Tolerance will allow you to communicate more effectively with them. Customers or stakeholders will have one particular level of Risk Tolerance. High, Medium, Low. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 29

8. Part of creating a communication plan is the understanding of the appropriate generation of project information. This ensures that the right people receive the right information at the right time. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 32

9. Effective project communications avoids loading a team member or customer with too much information. It is actually the exact opposite. Effective communication is actually providing only the information people need in an appropriate format to access and process the information as quickly as possible. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 50

10. Sending regular and timely project communications is a necessity for every project manager. The need is greater for project team members working in a virtual environment. Virtual team members may often feel as though they require additional communications in order to stay better connected to the project. Ref: Project Management Communication Bible Page # 59

Constant Follow-up is key to project success!!

2010-09-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

Project managers who constantly communicate with their customers, team members, and executive staff have a much better chance of project success. When project managers develop a communication management plan at the beginning of the project and then don't touch that plan until the end of the project, they tend to have more project problems than other project managers. This is because the communication management plan is a living and breathing document used throughout the life of the project. It is not a one-time document that is created and never referred to no this is something that project managers need to constantly use throughout their project. So many times I see project managers make this same mistake over and over again and it is frankly why we run into so much trouble managing our projects today.

PMI published a survey several years ago that stated that 28% of projects fail due to poor communications. I challenge that survey and say it is more like 75% of projects fail due to poor communications. And what is the one document that controls project communications? You are right, the communication management plan. That living and breathing document that I referred to earlier that drives all communications on your projects.

What do you think?

Thanks

Bill Dow, PMP

Stealing books - That really sucks!!

2010-09-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I know it has been a while, but I got to tell you I am pretty upset with what I found on the internet recently. What I found was, that my book "Project Management Communications Bible" was available for free download. Now, this is 100% illegal and just plain wrong, and I got to tell you, I am pretty pissed off at this. I have provided the publisher the links to those sites where you can get the book, and they have notified the sites already, so hopefully, the book will be taken down soon.

What a bummer though, we spend 4 years working out butts off writing this book, and for someone to turn around and steal it from us is just plain wrong.

What crooks on the websites don't tell you when you are downloading the "free" book and not getting the actual hard copy is you are missing the CD that comes with the book. This CD is full of great tools, templates, and has a ton of information on it. The CD alone is a very valuable and a great reason to actually buy the book.

Anyway, I appreciate you listening to me, and if you can help it, don't let the criminals succeed. The book is less than $40.00 on Amazon, and really a great book.

So, please don't steal it......In the end, it is not worth it....

Thanks
Bill Dow, PMP
http://projectcommunication.org/default.aspx

New Video PodCasts Posted

2009-12-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I am excited, Bruce and I are now starting to post some podcasts on our site.

Come view them at:

http://projectcommunication.org/Podcasts.aspx.

Let us know what you think, using the Contact Us page on the site.

Thanks!
Bill and Bruce..

New Project Communications Course - January 2009

2008-10-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I am excited to be letting you know that we will be offering a new course in January 2009 on the Introductions to Project Communications. This will be offered through Bellevue Community College, in Bellevue, WA.

I would be very interested in knowing what everyone thinks about the course and what you would like to see offered.

Thanks everyone, I look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Dow, PMP

Our Book is now "In-Stock"

2008-06-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I am excited to announce our Project Managment Communication Bible is now "In Stock" on Amazon.com.

Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Communications-Bible-William/dp/0470137401/ref=sr_11_1/105-8663823-0082837?ie=UTF8&qid=1186346502&sr=11-1

I hope you enjoy it and please let us know what you think!!

http://projectcommunication.org/default.aspx

Thanks....
Bill & Bruce

What is the #1 reason why Projects fail?

2007-08-23T22:11:00.001-07:00

What do you think? What have you experienced?

Let us know!
Bill and Bruce