Question

Find examples of how project teams use new technologies to communicate project information. Which technologies seem to be most effective? Document your findings in a short paper, citing at least three references.

Answer 1

Communication is the unavoidable tool for project team, the unique nature of projects leads the teams to many timely and fruitful communications during the execution of project. The involving in the project and project team must know what is required and what is not in time and alterations and modifications should be effectively communicated in time. The methods and frequency of communicating varies from project to project and the most important considerations the complexity of project. Simple projects require minimum of communication, complex projects require more communication planning and execution, relatively straight-forward even a few people on the team. The project team can often handle the communication through informal channels as one-on-one meetings or calls to all of the team members etc. When the complexity grows, the communication needs to be high. Now the project team must spend dedicated time keeping everyone on the project aware of status, issues, and changes. Also, there are usually many meetings on complex projects. Once the complexity grows to the size of a Complex Program, the program manager is spending virtually all of his or her time doing communication with team.

Teleconferencing:

Teleconferencing between multiple participants in two or more locations is a strategic communication tool deployed by many project teams with multiple locations and dispersed employees. Business cyclical shifts and economic downturns tend to see a rise in the use of teleconferencing facilities. Used judiciously and strategically, teleconferencing can enhance organizational productivity, engage employees at all levels and reduce travel budgets. One of the most-apparent benefits of teleconferencing is reduced travel. Businesses with multiple offices can hold discussions, share critical information and conduct other meetings with employees through teleconferencing. Teleconferencing frees up time for company executives to finish tasks and execute assigned roles in their own locations or home bases. Time saved from reduced travel can be used more productively. During economic downturns, teleconferencing sees resurgence in popularity as an effective communication and interaction tool. Companies report significant savings in travel and human resource budgets. Teleconferencing allows dispersed employees to communicate with coworkers at headquarters, conduct long-distance meetings and strategic discussions, and share grievances and other human resource issues. Better employee engagement, understanding of roles and effective use of time lead to enhanced productivity. Teleconferencing systems and toll-free, dial-in access facilities make it possible for companies to schedule short-notice or ad-hoc employee teleconferencing meetings or discussions.

Emails:

Emails can organize daily correspondence, send and receive electronic messages and save them on computers. Emails are extremely fast and they delivered at once around the world, no other form of written communication as fast as an email. The language used in emails simple and informal, we can attach the original message so that when answering the recipients knows what talking about. Emails do not use paper they are environment friendly and save a lot of trees from being cut down.

E-Reporting:

E-Reporting has made the traditional paperwork and its complexity a thing of the past and it has a many advantages. It has made possible to transmit invoices, statements, remittance advice, purchase orders to the company's customers and suppliers by using emails and faxes. Some companies also use it to make periodic reports to the government regarding the way they handle hazardous waste generated by their company etc. Different companies use different E-Reporting techniques as per the needs of their business. However, the general view is that E-Reporting is advantageous, time, money and energy conserving. Conserves time, money and storage necessary as compared to traditional paper based filing systems, huge savings in postage, stationery, easier to maintain and reduction in staff required to do the work, it not specific software or hardware dependent all that is needed is a computer and access to the internet, latest information and error corrections are just a mouse click away, in areas like filing tax returns, users get confirmations that the tax forms have been submitted, as well as inform them if the file is not submitted due to transmission errors etc., it is fast and easier than the laborious manual paper based process, far more organized than paper based reporting systems, as it is easier to store all files neatly and retrieve them if needed and easier to get instructions and clear doubts.