Domain 5: Communications Management(25 Qs) Ch.

7, P117 pdf
Continuously understand stakeholder(SHs) needs and expectations; address
issues; manage conflicting interests; foster stakeholder engagement.
1) Analyze internal and external stakeholders using techniques such as
meetings, interviews, surveys/questionnaires, to identify stakeholder
expectations, interests, and influence on the success of the portfolio(Pf).
2) Create the aggregate communication strategy and plan, including
methods, recipients, vehicles, timelines and frequencies to enable effective
communication to stakeholders(SHs).
3) Engage SHs, through oral and written communication, to ensure
awareness, manage expectations, foster support, and build relationship and
collaboration for the success of the Pf roadmap.
4) Maintain the communications strategy and plan by evaluating current
communications capabilities, identifying gaps, and documenting
communications plan to meet SHs requirements.
5) Prepare and/or facilitate SH understanding of Pf management processes,
procedures, and protocols using organizational assets (e.g., information
systems, training delivery methods) to promote common understanding and
application of the Pf management process.
6) Verify accuracy/consistency/completeness of Pf communication, utilizing
governance, to maintain credibility/satisfaction w/ stakeholders(SHs).
Purpose is to develop communication management plan and manage
portfolio information.
Developing a strong communication management plan requires inputs
from a variety of other Pf management processes, such as risk
performance and management.
Transparency maybe a communication strategy to mitigate the risk of
inadequate communication.
Transparent communication is also valuable when planning for optimal
utilization of resources.
The Portfolio consists information important to develop Pf
communication management plan such as dependencies, level of
efforts, points of contacts, and other dashboard-type information.

 The Pf list of components is critical in understanding the scope of

communication needed.
Develop the communication management plan includes Pf SH
identification, and planning effective solutions to satisfy the
communication requirements.
Sponsors & executive managers are accountable for the success of the
Pf.
SHs who need to be informed consistently include: internal SHs,
external SHs, Sponsors( owners of the portfolio components), and
portfolio manager.
Use influence and interest levels mapped to quadrants to devise a
simple communication management strategy. Low influence, low
interest manage with minimum effort.
Table 7-2 SH matrix for use in SH analysis (p 123 pdf)
Elicitation technique is achieved through interviews, questionnaires/
surveys, SH meetings, and LL sessions on effectiveness of
communications.
Brainstorming can be helpful to identify new SHs.
Communication matrix is used for capturing and recording the results
of communication requirements analysis and can be used as a
foundational document to build the communication management plan.
Assessments of the organizational culture is helpful to complete the
communication requirements analysis to ensure the communication
management plan is suitable for the organization.
Updates for the organizational culture can be reflected in the
communication matrix i.e. using portals or emails as a communication
vehicle.
SHs may require new communication that changes the Pf management
plan.
Insufficient communication planning could result in failure to identify
risks, accomplish Pf objectives, increase duplication.
At a minimum the communication management plan include:
objectives, roles & responsibilities, SHs & SHs expectations, methods
to collect and store communications, vehicles to access and deliver
communications, planned frequency, and policies/constraint.
Portfolio reports include changes such as cancelled, authorized, and
new portfolio components proposals.etc. see page 128 section
7.2.1.3

 Portfolio process assets related to manage information include

communication guidelines and procedures, information distribution
methods, risks, and performance data.
PMIS include document repository and control version and
communication management processes and tools.
An effective PMIS can enable the definition, analysis, design,
generation or production, construction, and information management
to ensure successful communication management.
PMIS can also assist in managing communication channels.
One way to help make data meaningful is to build forecasts based on
trends in the data. Other ways include pulling out select, meaningful
data for communicating in newsletters or in news areas on a web
portal.
Communication methods(tool in Manage Pf Information) include:
Dashboard, resource histograms, and communication calendar.
Dashboards are effective way to communicate multiple messages on Pf
status and trending simultaneously.
Dashboards may include Pf schedule status, Pf financials, risks, and
issues.
Resource histograms aid in identifying Pf risk associated with resourceover or under allocations across the Pf.
Communication calendar is the representation of all the
communication for the Pf and their frequency over a period of time.
Develop Pf communication plan is from the Defining Process Group,
and Manage Pf Information is in the Aligning Process Group.
Pf changes introduces new SHs.
To ensure that data to be provided to SHs are meaningful, one
approach is to select data to share on a web portal.
The organization culture is significant in determining communication
formats and frequency.
In developing the Pf communication management plan, you should
realize SHs preferred reports.
After finishing SHs identification and analysis of their expectations,
next step is to prepare a communication requirements analysis.
Communication requirement analysis determines communications
frequency, recipients, and vehicles.
You must understand the components in the Pf to evaluate
communications at the Pf level.

 Communication management plan must have information on the total

investment in each component because it communicates the assessed
value of the Pf.
The contract management team is interested in the overall financial
standing of the organization in case there are changes that affect
portfolio components.
Pf component reports(as input to develop Pf management plan) are
provided to the Pf manager.
Performance reports often focus on variances and goal achievement.
The Pf component review meetings(an example of elicitation
technique) focus on validating and understanding data included in
component status report.
The governance processes affect the information requirements.
Communication media, record retention policies, and security
information are examples of Pf process assets(inputs to both develop
Pf communication plan and manage Pf information).
A SH matrix lists each SH group and then describes their roles,
interests, and expectations, providing useful information for
communication planning
.
The communication management plan sets expectation for the team
members. This is necessary concerning actions and processes to
facilitate critical alignment among people, ideas, and information.
As you prepare communication strategy, you focus on satisfying
important information needs of SHs. It should be transparent and
should mitigate any risks of lack of communication.
Through transparency of work one can see the priority of his work and
how it relates to organizational strategy and objectives.
Delegation of authority is considered as Pf process assets. For
example; various people are responsible for communications to
different SH groups.
Other Pf process assets include governing, funding & resource
decisions, Pf manager roles & responsibilities, status reports, risks
profiles, Pf forecast with variance to plan, and value assessment.
Resource histograms are useful to graphically display over or under
allocation of resources across the portfolio.
Real-time dashboards often are in a PMIS, and they are used to
provide triggers or warning systems of possible risks, issues, and other
market concerns as soon as the event occurs to decision makers.

 Communication calendar assist in showing Pf communication

dependencies.
Pf components sponsors are providing funding, resources, and highlevel scope requirements. They are especially interested in reports on
ROI, Pf milestones, risks, cost, and schedule.
Pf component team expect notifications of Pf changes, risks, and
issues.