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PRINCE2 Communication and Leadership 

 October 13, 2024

By  Dave Litten

People are central to the method

There are three people-focused activities: leading successful change, leading successful
teams, and communication.

prince2 7th edition people factors

These are not standalone activities as they influence all aspects of project management. As
illustrated below, leading successful change, leading successful teams, and communication
are central to the PRINCE2 7 method.

people and prince2 7

PRINCE2 7 is a project management method composed of five integrated elements: principles,
people, practices, processes, and the project context.

prince2 7 integrated elements

People and Communication

Whether it is the primary function of the project or a by-product, projects create change in
organizations. As such, projects are often subject to high levels of scrutiny and open to
misconceptions regarding their purpose and impact.

Without a clear approach to communications, this can lead to unnecessary barriers in implementing any changes, as people seek to protect the current situation or to limit the perceived negative impact of the project.

The Communication Management Approach

PRINCE2 addresses communication in a communication management approach.

The communication management approach is part of the project initiation documentation.

Purpose:
To define and describe the means and frequency of communication with and receiving feedback
from across the project ecosystem, supporting alignment and shaping of the project. It facilitates
engagement with stakeholders through the establishment of a controlled and bidirectional flow of
information.

Scope:

Describes what communication will be managed by the project

Stakeholder analysis:

Identification and analysis of those impacted by the outcome of a project or by the process of delivering the project and those who have the influence to impact the success or failure of the project

Communications schedule and procedure(s):

For each stakeholder group: purpose, frequency, channels/format, messaging, and so on

Responsibilities:

For the communication activities

Resources:

For the communications activities; for example, public affairs or internal communications

Supporting tools and techniques:

For the communication activities; for example, communications platforms or tools for analytics or automation

Standards:

Any standards that apply to communication activities; for example, public engagement standards and ethical standards

References:

For any associated documents or products.

A communication management approach is equally about listening as it is about broadcasting.

It seeks to understand the perceptions and concerns within the project ecosystem so they can be
addressed before they become more significant risks.

This also allows messaging to be tailored to the concerns and interests of different groups within the project ecosystem and the wider organizational ecosystem.

organizational and project ecosystems 1


Generic messaging is rarely effective, as people obtain information from a variety of channels.

Identifying and working with key influencers from the user, supplier, and business stakeholder
groups helps to accommodate different perspectives. This ensures strong feedback loops and the
ability to tailor messaging for each of these groups.

Given the number of communication channels and how interconnected the digital landscape is,
attempting to control the messaging on a project can be challenging. This can be made more
manageable by ensuring that key influencers help shape messaging and support communications.

Most communication within organizations occurs outside of formal channels. Therefore, it is best to
accept this and provide information in multiple formats that people can share easily and provide
multiple pathways for people to give feedback.

How project teams communicate

How project teams communicate will also depend on whether they are co-located, remote, or hybrid:

PRINCE2 7 Co-located teams

co-located teams: information tends to be shared organically through both formal and informal networks.

The focus is on providing information in multiple formats which can be easily shared through these networks by monitoring whether information is flowing freely throughout the project ecosystem, and
identifying any team members or groups who are disconnected and working to reconnect them.

PRINCE2 7 Remote teams

remote teams: a more deliberate and structured approach is required to ensure information is flowing through the project ecosystem. The focus is on:

  • building in time to allow for unstructured listening and sharing of information
  • seeking clarity on how information is flowing through the project ecosystem and provide information in appropriate formats to facilitate this
  • identifying key relationships and agreeing how they will build both structured and unstructured time together.

hybrid teams: hybrid teams’ means of communication must ensure the project does not develop separate groups who are more involved or less involved because of their location.

The communication management approach is likely to evolve as the project evolves and becomes
more defined. For complex projects with a wide impact, it can be useful to develop the project with
a smaller group of key influencers in what is sometimes referred to as a ‘quiet phase’.

A ‘quiet phase’ will keep wider communications to a minimum until the project is better defined and
minimize the spread of misinformation or rumours (this is especially important when a project is
politically sensitive and may be of interest to the general public).

PRINCE2 7 The Quiet Phase

It is insufficient to rely solely on periodic reporting to determine how a project is progressing.
Reporting can be subject to bias as people might subconsciously manipulate information based on
what is considered acceptable, expected, or desirable.

An open and transparent environment can reduce the level of bias. However, it is important to have
additional pathways to obtain feedback in the project, such as building strong relationships with key
influencers and monitoring the health of key relationships within the project ecosystem.

Pockets of resistance to the project are a useful indicator of where communications should be focused. In
taking the time to listen to the concerns raised, misconceptions can be identified, and issues can be
addressed.

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Dave Litten


Dave spent 25+ years as a senior project manager for UK and USA multinationals and has deep experience in project management. He now develops a wide range of Project Management Masterclasses, under the Projex Academy brand name. In addition, David runs project management training seminars across the world, and is a prolific writer on the many topics of project management.

The Projex Academy

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