Communicating Project Management

Benjamin Lauren is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures. He is also an Assistant Director of the Graduate Program in Rhetoric and Writing. His work has been published in journals such as Technical Communication, Computers and Composition, the Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, and Transactions on Professional Communication.

"As work becomes more projectified, we must understand project management like never before -- as a participative, collaborative practice. Through his lucid explanations and case studies, Ben Lauren explains how project management works, why it’s important in an increasingly decentralized world, and what its best practices are."-Clay Spinuzzi, Professor of Rhetoric and Writing, University of Texas at Austin"Methodologies-of-the-moment change from year to year, but project managers always need to be effective writers and communicators. Communicating Project Management is the book to read alongside any "how-to" guide focused on a particular methodology: it reveals how experienced project managers negotiate the complex factors, strategies, and values that impact team participation."-Stacey Pigg, Assistant Professor and Director of Professional Writing, North Carolina State University"Ben Lauren outlines how project managers can achieve a participatory communications culture. This book is a needed addition to the canon of literature for project managers--both experienced and novice."-Lisa Welchman, Digital Governance Advisor and Author"In Communicating Project Management, Ben Lauren encourages project managers to broaden and deepen their ability to communicate effectively and to encourage communication among their team members by making space for them to participate both actively and safely in the work of their projects."-JoAnn Hackos, President, JoAnn Hackos & Associates. Inc"Lauren’s research helps reveal the skills, attitudes, and character traits of expert project managers and, in doing so, paves the way for folks who are passionate about communication – including technical and professional writers – to find career paths in project management."-William Hart-Davidson, Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education, Michigan State University & Graduate Education"This book gives us new perspectives in conceptualizing and practicing project management for information development projects. The focus on managing distributed work, regarding project management as an act of communication and as writing itself is exceptionally valuable."-Stan Dicks, Professor Emeritus, North Carolina State University

• AcknowledgementsForewardIntroductionProject Managers as Technical CommunicatorsDistinguishing Between Participation and CollaborationA Bit About ScopeMy Background with Project ManagementTermsProjectProject ManagerEfficiency ModelsDevelopment TeamsDecentralizationParticipationParticipatory CommunicationOrganizationThe Research in this BookWhat is to ComeChapter ConclusionReferencesChapter 1: Decentralization and Project ManagementDecentralizationDecentralized Development TeamsDecentralization and Development MethodologiesAgile DevelopmentLean DevelopmentSixSigmaHow Decentralization Influences the Role of Project ManagerDecentralized Project Communication*Chapter ConclusionReferencesChapter 2: Rethinking the Paradigm of Project Management: From Efficiency To ParticipativeProject Management is Rooted in an Efficiency ParadigmEfficiency in Communicating Project ManagementCriticisms of Efficiency*Tensions Between Communicating Efficiency and ParticipationParticipation Leads to EfficiencyA Paradigm in TransitionParticipation and Project Management as MethodologyParticipation Informed by Participatory DesignParticipation Informed by Feminist Thinking*Project Management Methodologies as a Heuristic*Reactive*Future ActionSystems-based*Chapter Conclusion*References*Berkun, S. (2008). Making things happen: mastering project management. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media Chapter 3: Communicating to Make Space for Participation: Locating Agency in Project CommunicationTheorizing Making Space Through CommunicationExtensions of Social Space*Locating Agency in Participation*Brief Description of the StudyParticipantsInterview Results: Communication Factors and StrategiesFactor 1: Personality type*Strategies for Responding to Personality typeUnderstand communication styles and approaches vary by personUnderstand that ICTs overwhelm some personalitiesBe self-aware of the effects of your own personality typeLearn to talk lessUse role-play to disarm people*Factor Two: Gender*Strategies Related to GenderFind common interests to build relationships across genderIntentionally adopt a gender neutral role*De-emphasize gender disparitiesIdentify efforts to silence women*Use organizational networks and backchannels to give and receive feedback*Factor 3: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity*Strategies for Considering Cultural and Linguistic DiversityFocus communication on project work instead of language barriers*Give multilingual people time to prepare and respond to requestsUnderstand the influence of national cultural identity on meeting spaces*Translate confusing languageUse plain languageRealize a person’s relationship to their cultural context is uniqueBe patient and give the benefit of the doubt*Recognize cross-cultural disagreements existBe interested in cultural difference*Factor 4: Building and Maintaining RelationshipsStrategies for Building and Maintaining Relationships*Embrace unscripted moments*Learn about people’s intellectual background*Use organizational networks as a sounding board*Check on people’s perception of a communication or meetingChoose ICTs that get the job done (not always the latest technology) *Embrace face-to-face communication*Notify those affected by project changes ahead of timeLearn who is being overworked and do something about itRecognize good work publiclyListen activelyBe empathetic*Be available to meet/talk outside of meetings*Don’t waste people’s time*Factor 5: Attending to Psychological SafetyStrategies for Attending to Psychological Safety*Be available after meetingsMake safety with structureChange the meeting structure to suit the teamUse ICTs to support feedback loopsCreate space for people to draw their own conclusionsUnderstand how people experience safetyKnow that leadership personality can negatively impact safetyShare in the risk of trusting peopleICTs as surveillance can erode safetyUse feedback loops*Seize moments for feedbackCreate a dependable rhythm for communicationUse kickoff meetings to normalize communication expectationsFactor 6: Development MethodologiesStrategies for Communicating Within Development MethodologiesEfficiency is less important than impactAdapt methods to the team or organization*Adapt methodologies to the team or organizationUse development approaches to influence work, but don’t apply them as a ruleAddress methodological confusion*Be strategically agnostic (or apply methodologies as a heuristic) Remember each organization, project, and team is uniqueFactor 7: Organizational and Team Culture*Strategies for Responding to Organizational and Team Culture*Learn the team’s origin storyContemplate organizational contextRead hierarchies of influenceWork to develop a culture of inclusionRemove silos*Implications for Making SpaceFurther evidence of a paradigm in transition*Making space is a business interestAgency as an InvitationOutcomes for Participatory CommunicationIntentional and ReactiveFuture Action*Systems-basedChapter Conclusion*References*Chapter 4: On site with The Gardener and The Chef: Project Leadership and Communication*Communicating Leadership, Positionality, and Identity*Capturing Leadership Communication with Experience SamplingData Collection Methods*Data Analysis Methods*Leadership Values The Gardener*Value 1: Teach Methods of Effective Collaboration*Value 2: Learn About Teams and Organizations*Value 3: Communicate to Include*Value 4: Be Responsible to the Team*Value 5: Empathize with People*A Mind Map of Communicating from The Gardener*Introducing The Chef*Leadership Values of The Chef*Value 1: Keep People on Task*Value 2: Assign Roles to Individuals and Teams*Value 3: Communicate to clarify the goal*Value 4: Be Responsible to the Project*Value 5: Empathize to Motivate Action*A Mind Map of Communicating from The Chef*Comparing Communication Values of The Gardener and The Chef*Leadership Identity as Rhetorical Performance*Chapter Conclusion*References*Chapter 5: Managing a Reorganization Project at CTI: Participation and Making Space for Communicating Change*Organizational Change and Project Management*Organizational Change as an Activity*Methods*Observations*Artifact Collection*Interviews*Experience Sampling Reports*Analyzing Data*Research participant profiles*Participant 1: Bob*Participant 2: Tom*Participant 3: Don*Participant 4: Tammy*Participant 5: Steve*Participant 6: Sheila*Organizational Changes at CTI*CTI and Project Management*Participation and Communication at CTI*Disruptions During Synchronous Communication*Disruption 1: Infrastructure and information communication technologies*Disruption 2: Virtual collaboration*Disruption 3: Sharing and Retrieving information*Disruptions During Asynchronous Communication*Disruption 1: Lack of training in the new project management system*Disruption 2: Inconsistent adoption of project management system across the teamDisruption 3: The existing role of email*Participation in the Activity System*Participation as Stable, Nonlinear, Productive*Chapter Conclusion*References*Chapter 6: Conclusion: A Participatory Rhetoric for Development TeamsReviewing the Chapters and CasesCharacteristics of Participative Communication*Project Management Communication as Designed ExperienceDistributing Agency, Collectivizing KairosToward a Theory for Communicating Project ManagementFinal TakeawaysFor ResearchersFor Project ManagersFor InstructorsChapter ConclusionReferences