Principle of construction management

1. BY
Prof. Godwin Idoro
Department of Building,
University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos

2. PROJECT COMMUNICATION
 Project:
 Definition of a Project:
 Human activities
 Interrelated activities
 Temporary activities and deliverables
 Unique activities, resources and product
 Communication features reflect project features:
 Information, ideas , feelings express:
 Human activities
 Activities relatedness, uniqueness
 Resources and uniqueness
 Deliverables and uniqueness
 Product uniqueness

3. PROJECT COMMUNICATION
 Communication: Definition:
 A process by which people share information, ideas and
feelings.
 Ways of communication:
 Spoken words
 Written words
 Body language
 Personal mannerism
 Styles
 Anything that conveys or add meaning to a message

4. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION PROCESS
 Elements of communication process:
 Sender-receiver
 Message
 Channels
 Noise
 Feedback
 Setting
 Sender-receiver:
 Communication not a one-way process
 Sender – Person(s) who sends a message
 Receiver – Person(s) who receives a message

5. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION PROCESS
 Message: Information, Ideas, Feelings:
 Can be communicated using:
 Symbols
 Verbal words
 Non-verbal words: facial expression, gestures, postures, vocal
tones, appearance, colours, etc
 Concrete symbols: symbols that represent an object
 Abstract symbols:

6. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION PROCESS
 Channels of communication:
 Definition:
 Route through which a message travels
 Means by which a sender reaches a receiver
 Classification of channels of communication:
 Face to face communication
 Sight and sound
 Non face to face communication
 Radio, television, records, newspaper, magazine, signals, phone,
etc

7. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Noise:
Any disturbance to communication
Anything that interferes with the transmission of message
Anything the interferes with the understanding of a message
Distance, communication gadgets, audience, communication
style, medium, communication barriers, etc
Feedback:
Response from receiver to sender
Setting: Definition:
The environment in which communication occurs:
Formal setting
Informal setting
Formal setting supports formal communication: Auditorium,
lecture room, site meetings, boardroom
Informal setting supports informal communication

8. COMMUNICATION TERMS
 Sender: a person, group of persons
 Receiver: a person, sender, group of persons
 Communication medium: method used to convey message:
writing, oral, formal, informal, face to face, email, text, phone
 Communication style: active or passive voice, sentence structure,
choice of words.
 Communication technique: presentation technique: writing, body
language, visual aids
 Encoding: process of translating an idea, thought, feeling into a
language that is understood by receivers
 Message: the product or output of encoding
 Noise: communication barriers
 Decoding: to translate message into meaningful ideas, thoughts,
feelings of sender

9. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 Intrapersonal communication
 Interpersonal communication
 Group communication – small
 Public communication
 Mass communication

10. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 Intrapersonal communication:
 Definition:
 Communication that occurs within one person
 Features:
 Ideas, thoughts, feelings, views about oneself
 Talk to or with oneself
 Sender is the receiver
 Channel of communication: brain
 Feedback: discard or accept some ideas, thooughts, feelings

11. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 Interpersonal communication:
 Definition:
 Communication between two or more people on one to one
basis
 Features:
 Has all elements of communication
 Each person functions a a sender and receiver
 Messages are verbal and non-verbal, symbols inclusive

12. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Small Group communication:
Definition:
Communication between a group of persons small enough
in number to interact with one another
Features:
Meeting of people to solve or discuss a problem or issue
Group members are made up of senders and receivers
Communication process more formal and complex than
interpersonal communication
Messages are better structured
Communication channels are same with interpersonal
Communication channels are more formal than
interpersonal

13. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 Public communication:
 Definition:
 Communication whereby a speaker (sender-receiver)
delivers a message or speech to an audience
 Features:
 Message is highly structured
 One Speaker
 Channels of communication similar to interpersonal
and small group communication

14. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 Mass Communication:
 Definition:
 Communication in which a producer, director, writer sends a message to
a large audience without contact: television, radio shows.
 Features:
 Message is highly structured
 Large audience
 Sender are many: Many people are involved in creating message
 Differences between Mass & other comm types:
 Senders are many
 Receivers are many: audience
 No physical contact between senders & receivers
 No feedback: little or no exchange of communication between senders
and receivers

15. PROJECT COMMUNICATION
 Definitions:
 Process required to ensure timely and appropriate
generation, collection, planning, dissemination,
distribution, storage and ultimate disposition of project
information.
 Process of creating communication links among project
stakeholders.
 Process of sending and receiving ideas, thoughts and
feelings that will ensure the success of a project among
project stakeholders.

16. PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
 Definition: Process of managing information generation, planning,
distribution and feedback in a construction project.
 Process involves four functions:
 Communication planning: determine project stakeholders and
information and communication needs of the stakeholders
 Information generation: produce/create information needed by project
stakeholders
 Information distribution: decide the time, manner and channels of
communication of information needs of project stakeholders
 Information reporting: Collect and distribute performance information of
project stakeholders: project status, progress measurement & reports,
performance forecasting
 Managing project stakeholders: Manage stakeholders communications
to satisfy their requirements. Resolve communication issues with project
stakeholders

17. COMMUNICATION PLANNING
 Definition:
 Determine the information and communication needs
of the stakeholders of a project.
 Questions to answer in Communication Planning:
 Who are the stakeholders of a project?
 What are roles of each stakeholder?
 What are the needs of each stakeholder?
 What are the information needs of each stakeholder?
 What are the communication needs of each
stakeholder?
 When are the information needed by each stakeholder?
 How will the information be communicated or passed
to each stakeholder?

18. ISSUES TO CONSIDER IN COMMUNICATION PLANNING
Project communication requirements:
Sum of the information requirements of project
stakeholders: type & format of info
Communication technology:
The technologies or methods to be used to transfer or
communicate info back & front among stakeholders.
Conversations
Drawings
Codes
Written documents
Schedules or plans
Database
Models
Signs
Meetings

19. FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
 Urgency of information
 Frequency of information
 Volume of information
 Character of information
 Availability of technology
 Sender – Receiver status
 Expected communication expertise
 Length of project
 Communication constraints
 Locations of Sender and/or Receivers
 Number of receivers concerned
 Method of information generation

20. INFORMATION GENERATION
Definition:
Process of producing the information required by project stakeholders
to ensure a project is successful.
Factors to consider:
Nature of information to be generated
Information sender.
Existing legislations or regulations.
Available technology.
Project stakeholders’ knowledge
Use of codes, standards, signs, symbols
Method of information communication
Volume of information involved.
Number of receivers concerned.
Frequency of information generation
Cost implications of information
Time implications of information

21. INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION
 Definition:
 Process of making project information available to project
stakeholders in a timely manner.
 Process of implementing project communication
management plan
 Process of responding to unexpected requests for
information by project stakeholders.
 Process of communicating performance to sender of
information for review of project information.

22. INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION
 Inputs of information distribution:
 Project documents
 Project plans:
 Brief, FVS, EIA, Survey plans, drawings, BOQ, Tender, Method
statement, Work programme, Schedules, Specifications, etc
 Project performance reports:
 Project status, work performed, Resources utilised,
 Communication management plan

23. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES OF INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION
Information generation technology/method: Software,
Apps, etc
Communication skills:
Possessed by senders and receivers - stakeholders
Method of communication: formal and informal
Communication technology: Software, Apps, phone,
internet,
Communication format:
Oral/verbal – phone calls, discussion, meetings.
Written communication
Signs and symbols
Pattern of communication:
Direct line, functional line, lateral line

24. THANK YOU
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