Page 291 - Urban Construction Project Management

246 Chapter Thirteen
most important because the mannerisms, gestures, tone of voice, spirit, and inflections of
the person speaking often communicate more than the spoken word. One needs to pay
particular attention to his or her gestures and expressions, as they will convey more about
the intent of the conversation than the spoken word.

PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR SPECIAL INTERESTS

One must also consider the diverse group of stakeholders that are involved and their
unique focus on the project. In the urban environment there are more stakeholders given
the size and diversification of larger cities, special interest groups that form in this envi-
ronment, and the amount of large construction projects that occur. Chapter 1, Exhibit 1-7
contains a list of the project stakeholders for reference.

Each stakeholder has his or her own needs, wants, and desires as they relate to the proj-
ect, and often stakeholders do not speak the same language or have the same focus or
interest. It is therefore very important to understand each stakeholder’s position, values,
opinions, etc., as each will be different. To have good communications, you must under-
stand the audience you are addressing and deliver the message accordingly.

COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Having in place a communications plan and network is essential for the efficient and
effective operation of a company and the successful completion of a project. Exhibit 13-1
presents a checklist of items to consider in a communications plan. This should be used
as a guideline. A communications plan should be customized for the specific require-
ments of a corporation and the project.

MEETINGS

Meetings, provided that they are properly organized and managed, can be very useful
for exchanging information and updating all personnel involved on the major issues,
their status, and resolution. Often meetings are called and held without a formal
purpose, agenda, or focus. Such meetings can be very time-consuming, counter-
productive, and frustrating. Meetings are an important forum for communication
among the entire project team and all of its stakeholders in which they share and
convey the open items, status of the project, open change orders, shop drawing status,
RFIs, bulletin status, field conflicts, requisitions, payments, and new business issues.
Exhibit 13-2 contains guidelines for conducting a successful meeting.