G03 – Conduct a focused communication
This management activity belongs to the post-project management activity group: a 3- to 6-month cycle of activities that start after the project ends and continues for 1 to 5 years. This activity group may be merged with that of other finished projects in a central portfolio management system.
The same person who was the sponsor for the project is responsible for this cycle, unless this responsibility is transferred to someone else.
Send a short message to announce the benefits realized from the project and the plans for improving them. This information may be shared with a small group of authorized people in the organization (e.g., managers and directors), or with everyone. The preference is to share it with everyone.
Purpose
This is a continuous reminder for the recipients that projects are done for their benefit, and they need to consider this in their current and future projects.
Common pitfalls
Considering the following can help you avoid some of the commonest problems:
- Don’t consider everything as confidential, but share the information with the whole organization when possible.
- Keep the message short and clear.
- If you are responsible for multiple small projects, you can combine their reports into one, but make sure that every project is covered.
Principles
The following principles play a significant role in this management activity: