Project Communications: What Are the Primary Categories of Comms? Need Advice.
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Question

Project Communications: What Are the Primary Categories of Comms? Need Advice.

bugeyebug (Mechanical)

(OP)

29 Sep 16 13:10

I'm working on a paper on the topic of communication management within an engineering project. I'd like to start the article by discussing the purpose of project communications. I have come up with five basic categories/reasons/purposes of comms, but would like to query this group to see what, if anything, I'm missing. Here's what I've got so far:

Inform (e.g., status reports)
Request (e..g, purchase requisitions)
Discuss (e.g., engineering brainstorming session)
Decide (e.g., conclude and document findings of a trade study)
Direct (e.g., assign tasks)

What else am I missing?
Thanks for any and all feedback!

allgoodnamestaken (Structural) · Answer 1 · 2016-09-29 19:38:47

6. Frustrate (e.g., the emails you have to spend hours replying to instead of getting work done)

zeusfaber (Military) · Answer 2 · 2016-09-29 22:38:38

All the above are a bit unidirectional. If you look at it for a moment from the other end of the telescope, you might come up with things like:

Authorise
Audit (request and provide non-routine information)
Define requirement
Regulate / impose constraints
Impose change
Clarify
Agree (including contractual arrangements and internal SLA)

A.

TenPenny (Mechanical) · Answer 3 · 2016-09-30 14:05:14

Don't forget these important ones-

-To deflect blame
-To pass the buck

IRstuff (Aerospace) · Answer 4 · 2016-10-01 00:22:14

Let's not forget the Pearl Harbor memo.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
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jghrist (Electrical) · Answer 5 · 2016-10-03 12:37:48

Specify. Contract technical specifications, scope of work, and drawings are to communicate to the Contractor what the work is and the project requirements.

fel3 (Civil/Environmental) · Answer 6 · 2016-10-04 00:31:14

Often times the purpose of an email is CYA.

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MarkAF (Mechanical) · Answer 7 · 2016-10-11 18:58:27

Note there is a distinction between upward communication (reporting to people above you) and downward communication (sending information, instruction, etc. to people below you). Upward communication is harder but more important.

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Project Communications: What Are the Primary Categories of Comms? Need Advice.
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