PMP Certification: Project Communications Management Terms


Project Communications Management is the seventh knowledge area of project management.

It creates a communications management plan, gathers and disseminates project information according to the communications management plan, and verifies that the communications activities are completed in line with the plan.

Based on chapter 10 of PMBOK® Guide 5th Edition, here you will find:

  • project management graphic of Project Communications Management, a quick reference guide to its definition and processes
  • Project Communications Management WHATs, WHYs, WHENs, and HOWs — by Project Communications Management processes

Read on!

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Project Communication Management Terms

by Project Management Process Group

1. Plan Communications Management

  • Communication Channels. The path of communication that exists within a project. Channels = (number of people on the project × (number of people on the project less 1)) divided by 2. In mathematical terms, channels = n (n − 1) / 2.
  • Communications Management Plan. The subset of the project management plan that provides a guide for completing the communications management activities in the project.
  • Communication Methods. A tool that recognizes how a project manager actually shares the information with the stakeholders – classified in interactive communication, push communication, or pull communication.
  • Communication Models. A tool that describes how a message is transmitted from the sender and how it is received by the receiver, through a selected medium.
  • Communication Requirements Analysis. A tool for analyzing and determining the information valuable to the project stakeholders so that they can make good decisions.
  • Communication Technology. A tool that examines and decides the particular form of technology to be used for project communication, such as written, face-to-face, or virtual communication.

2. Manage Communications

  • Information Management Systems. A tool to manage, store, and distribute project information in a standardized way, be it in hard copy form– more and more obsolete – or electronic form – e.g., email, websites, or project management software, the new standard for project communication.
  • Nonverbal Communication. The gestures, facial expressions, and physical appearance of a person while communicating a message verbally.
  • Performance Reporting. A specific type of communication that, after collecting and analyzing information on the project baselines and the actual results and comparing the variances, distributes the resulting reports on project status to stakeholders.
  • Project Communications. The output from the Manage Communications process that includes the actual information created, stored, and distributed by the project – such as status reports, presentations, e-mails, lessons learned, and so forth.

3. Control Communications

  • Communication Blockers. Things people do that inhibit good communication, such as withholding information, sending mixed messages, or ignoring cultural differences.
  • Issue Log. A document that lists and describes any open item that needs to be addressed and its status.
  • Work Performance Data. Data—actual raw information—on what is occurring related to the schedule.
  • Work Performance Information. The refined work performance data that shows a comparison of the data with the schedule baseline.


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