This document discusses communication strategies for project management. It recommends using tools like wikis to store project information in a centralized, accessible manner. When communicating, the document advises building team spirit, being proactive with stakeholders, and limiting email to notifications only. It also suggests incorporating agile concepts like Scrum and Kanban into contracts to allow for flexibility. Overall, the key ideas are to facilitate information sharing, manage expectations, and embrace uncertainty and change in projects.

1. Communication
Information, Changes, Experience

2. Giedrius
Kriščiukaitis
NFQ Solutions
Project manager (PMP certified)
giedrius@nfq.lt
@giedriuskri
https://www.linkedin.com/in/giedriusk

3. Communication
from Latin commūnicāre, meaning
"to share"
Reports Ideas Agendas Feelings Intentions Tasks
Attitudes Expectations Perceptions Assumptions
Contacts Documents Agreements Calendars
…information

4. Communication
• Work planning
• Communication among team members / stakeholders
• Tools & techniques
• Project information

5. Work planning, scheduling

6. Company
Communication
Contract
Fixed Price Time and Material

7. Project
Communication
Project as a
Product
Project as a
Product
Project as a
Contract nr.1
for the project
Project as a
Contract nr.1
for the project
Are we done with this project?
No, everything can change in my project.
Project manager Project manager

8. Project ≠ Project
EE--sshhoopp
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. 11
PPrroodduucctt bbaacckklloogg
MMuusstt DDOO Fixed price
? ?

9. Uncertainty
? ?
Why should I sign uncertain contract?

10. Project ≠ Project
EE--sshhoopp
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. 11
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. 22
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. nn
PPrroodduucctt bbaacckklloogg
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. XX
Fixed price
Time&Material
MMuusstt DDOO …
? ?

11. Spice contracts!
SSccrruumm KKaannbbaann
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CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .3 3 CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .5 5
CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .1 1
CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .2 2
Project lifetime
CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .Y Y
http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/847880
http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/847878

12. Fixed Price Scrum
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. 11
Picture from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrum_(software_development)
High level
Maybe
Detailed
Must

13. Emergency Kanban
http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/m/metallix/preview/fldr_2008_11_28/file000388465185.jpg

14. Project
Contract nr. 1
Plan – Collaboration in sprints details (Legal)
Scope – Sprint backlog (User stories)
Schedule – Sprints
Price – Story points
Contract nr. 1
Plan – Collaboration in sprints details Legal)
Scope – Sprint backlog (User stories)
Schedule – Sprints
Price – Story points

15. Plan
How do we do it?
CCiivviilliinniiss kkooddeekkssaass
OOrrggaanniizzaattiioonnaall PPrroocceessss AAsssseettss
SSccrruumm KKaannbbaann
CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. 11 CCoonnttrraacctt nnrr.. YY

16. Scope
What will be delivered?
FFrroonntt ppaaggee

17. Scope
What will be delivered?
Front page
Nr. Story points User story
…
FR033 6 Top 10 products list.
Display 10 products from the “Top 10” products group
managed manually in the /admin tool.
Products must be ordered by product position field
assigned in relationship with the products group.
Information to display:
Heading (Products group title);
Product cover image (list picture);
Link to product details page;
Position number;
Link to display “Less” (5 products) or “More” (10
products). Clicking on this link does not reload the
page.
…
Total SP 123
Price 5000,- €

18. Schedule
When it happens?
Project deadline: 2015 January 1st

19. Schedule
When it happens?
Sprint nr. 1
Goal: Front page, Product list, Product details page.
Nr. Pred. Task Responsible Deadline
1 Supply all the information for the sprint start. Customer 2014 10 24
2 1 Start sprint. Supplier 2014 10 27
3 2 Implement the deliverables. Supplier 2014 11 06
4 2 Confirm, change or cancel the deliverables. Customer 2014 11 05
5 2, 3, 4 Deploy the confirmed deliverables. Supplier 2014 11 07
6 2 Stop sprint. Supplier 2014 11 07
Project deadline: 2015 January 1st
…

20. Price
How much?
FFrroonntt ppaaggee:: 55000000,,-- €€

21. Price
How much?
Nr. User story Price in story
points
…
FR033 Top 10 products list. 6
…
Total story points: 123
Total price: 5000,- €
Front page:

22. Work planning summary
• Project ≠ Project – be on the same page with customer
• No uncertain contracts
• Add agile spices to contracts

23. Communication
Team / Stakeholders

24. Team
• Understand / Feel Your need for a standup.
• Team chat window (e.g. skype).
• Report – always visible (board, eboard,
display).
• Have team lunch once a week.
• Do not hunt who failed, analyze the root
cause.
• Do a lessons learned every sprint end.
• Celebrate major release.
• Eliminate “The others”.

25. Stakeholders
• Understand each stakeholder especially
project sponsor expectations.
• Do not calculate the report – have it always
up to date and online available.
• Inform about the status without a push. Latest
software sends status emails
automatically.
• Collaborate, build a team relationship between
stakeholders teams and Yours.

26. Evil
E-MAIL

27. Modes of Communication
http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/communication.htm

28. How E-mail?
• Notify about changes in information, but do not send the
information itself.
• E-mail is not a task. Verbal confirmation is a must.
• Do not host the information in Your inbox. You will always
have to search and forward it if needed.
• Inbox is owned by someone – ensure this is the right
place You are sending the information.
• E-mail gets lost through many servers/filters, sometimes
are auto-forwarded. For important e-mails ask for
confirmation.

29. Communication Team / Stakeholders summary
• Build Team spirit, trust, commitment and
understanding
• Stakeholders first – proactive instead of reactive
• E-mail only for notifications

30. Tools & Techniques

31. Scrum with Google docs?
Backlog Sprint backlog
Sprint burndown

32. Kanban with ?

33. Project information
why and how?

34. Project information
InInfoforrmmaatitoionn
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CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .1 1 CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .Y Y
Project lifetime

35. Project information
• Unavailable – documents stored in multiple places
and usually inaccessible.
• Unsearchable – no easy Index or search.
• Different format – different software or styles,
structures.
• Untraceable – only with additional tools like GIT or
SVN.
• Hard to share – You always need to collect and
resend them.

36. Project information
InInfoforrmmaatitoionn
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InInfoforrmmaatitoionn
InInfoforrmmaatitoionn
InInfoforrmmaatitoionn ( (WWIIKKII))
CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .1 1 CCoonntrtraacct tn nrr. .Y Y
Project lifetime

37. Project information
InInfoforrmmaatitoionn ( (WWIIKKII))
DokuWiki – no DB, perfect for storing limited
amounts of data, e.g. project contacts or access
information.
MediaWiki – DB needed, perfect for storing project
descriptive information e.g. product search algorythm.
Confluence – no wiki markup, integration with
Jira.
FFrreeee
FFrreeee

38. Project information
• Understand the level of details required.
• Screens or features or … “driven”
structure.
• Writing forces thinking.
• Store information in WIKI type software.
• Host information on Customer server – it
belongs to them.

39. Project information summary
• Save it! (not in the e-mail message or laptop)
• Use wiki tools to store and access information
• Communicate new changes through wiki tools

40. Thank You! – Questions?
NFQ Solutions
giedrius@nfq.lt
@giedriuskri
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