Module 5: Organizing communication and documentation

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In this post, I provide complete, accurate, and detailed explanations for the answers to Module 5: Organizing communication and documentation of Course 3: Project Planning: Putting It All Together – Google Project Management: Professional Certificate.

Whether you’re preparing for quizzes or brushing up on your knowledge, these insights will help you master the concepts effectively. Let’s dive into the correct answers and detailed explanations for each question!

Test your knowledge: Effective communication

Practice Assignment

1. Fill in the blank: Effective communication is clear, honest, relevant, and _____.

urgent
one-sided
frequent

rare

Explanation:
Effective communication involves frequent updates to ensure everyone stays informed and aligned with the project goals. Regular communication fosters transparency and trust, making the project team more effective.

2. Imagine that a restaurant is hosting a recruitment day to hire delivery drivers. The project manager creates a plan to organize stakeholder communication. The plan indicates the following:

The team lead updates the core hiring team every day for two weeks prior to the event to report next steps so they each know their daily responsibilities.

The core hiring team contacts the job candidates the Friday before the event to remind them of the time and location.

The project manager contacts the venue and caterers the Monday before the event to confirm reservations.

In the above scenario, what three key elements are missing from the communication plan?

Delivery methods

Type of communication
Communication risks
Resource links

Dependencies

Explanation:
While the plan includes dates, recipients, and goals, it lacks details about the communication’s format (type), storage of resources (links), and how the communication will be delivered (methods). These elements are essential for a complete and effective communication plan.

3. Which of the following is a best practice you can use to help ensure that your communication plan is effective for your team? Select all that apply.

Use formatting to highlight any key details.

Test your plan
Add a column for notes.
Share your plan with your manager but not your team.

Explanation:
Best practices for communication planning include:

Using formatting to make essential information stand out, ensuring clarity.
Testing your plan to confirm it works as intended and aligns with your team’s needs.

Adding a notes column for additional details, updates, or clarifications.
Sharing your plan only with your manager excludes your team, which undermines collaboration and transparency.

4. How can you recognize individual differences in your communications? Select all that apply.

Be mindful of your own biases.
Include and respect diverse points of view.

Use appropriate, professional, and neutral language.
Craft your communications based on what you assume about your audience’s backgrounds, identities, or experiences.

Explanation:
Recognizing individual differences involves being inclusive and respectful:

Be mindful of biases to avoid letting personal perspectives affect your communication.
Include diverse points of view to ensure everyone feels valued and heard.
Use neutral language to maintain professionalism and avoid offending or alienating anyone.
Crafting communications based on assumptions is inappropriate and counterproductive.

Activity: Draft a communication plan

Practice Quiz

5. Fill in the blank: In the communication plan you created, you scheduled _____ to keep your manager informed and get feedback.

daily updates
a one-time meeting
weekly updates

Explanation:
Weekly updates are a standard practice in project management for keeping managers informed and obtaining feedback. They strike a balance between providing consistent information and avoiding overloading your manager with daily updates or relying on a one-time meeting, which could leave gaps in communication.

6. In your communication plan, how often does your team communicate with Human Resources while developing the training plan?

Weekly
Daily

One time

Explanation:
Weekly communication with Human Resources ensures ongoing alignment, timely updates, and the ability to address potential issues while developing the training plan. Daily communication may not be necessary for a training plan, while a one-time interaction would be insufficient for a dynamic project.

7. In your communication plan, who is the Sender/Owner responsible for communicating the training schedules, locations, and other details to trainees?

The HR Specialist

You, the Project Manager
The Administrative Coordinator
The Training Manager

Explanation:
The Training Manager is typically responsible for directly handling trainee communications, such as sharing schedules, locations, and other details. They oversee the training process and are best suited for this task, ensuring accurate and timely information.

8. In your communication plan, who coordinates with the Print Shop about printing the training manuals?

The Administrative Coordinator
The HR Specialist

The Training Manager
You, the Project Manager

Explanation:
The Administrative Coordinator usually handles logistical tasks, including coordinating with the Print Shop for printing materials. This role ensures that all training manuals are printed correctly and delivered on time.

Module 5 Challenge

Graded Quiz

9. What do project managers need to identify before creating a communication plan?

Recipients, communication methods, goals of communication, and barriers to communication
Recipients, anonymous survey questions, goals of communication, and barriers to communication
Recipients, communication methods, project risks, and goals of communication

Recipients, project risks, goals of communication, and barriers to communication

10. How can you foster effective communication within your team? Select all that apply.

Recognize and understand individual differences
Allow teammates to use any communication platform they prefer

Obtain feedback and incorporate it going forward
Send identical message content to both teammates and stakeholders

11. What details does a communication plan include? Select all that apply.

What to communicate

How communications should sound
How long communications should be
Why and how to communicate

Who should communicate
When communication happens
Where the information communicated is stored

12. As a project manager, part of your communication plan is to identify risks and present barriers in-person. What two additional details should the communication plan include?

Type of communication
Duration
Location

Frequency

Explanation:
Frequency indicates how often communication about risks and barriers will occur, while the type of communication specifies the method (e.g., in-person, email, presentation). “Location” and “Duration” are less critical in this context and may not always be relevant.

13. What potential barriers should you consider when making a communication plan? Select all that apply.

How competitors communicate

Linguistic and cultural differences
Time zone limitations
Privacy or internet access issues

14. An effective project management communication plan can help with which of the following processes? Select all that apply.

Culture development
Team selection
Change management

Project continuity

15. Which two of the following communication methods are most appropriate for core project team members?

Formal presentations to advertise project deliverables
Department newsletters on current projects

Quick virtual check-ins to answer questions
Daily meetings to report on project progress

16. What questions can project managers ask to optimize and streamline communications? Select all that apply.

How can we improve communications with you?

What is working in how we communicate with you about the project?
How are you implementing the content we communicate?
What is not working or is not effective in our communication?

Explanation:
These questions encourage constructive feedback, helping to identify and resolve communication issues while building on successful strategies.

17. How can project managers ensure plan visibility for stakeholders? Select all that apply.

Manage document permissions to give access to relevant information
Assign tasks to specific team members

Keep documents in a centralized location
Create a risk register

18. Which of the following should a project manager include in a centralized planning document, also known as a dashboard? Select all that apply.

Previous project deliverables

Links to any non-spreadsheet files
Instructions for how to use the centralized planning document
A brief project description

19. The project manager has identified the goals, barriers, and communication methods for a project. What is the final piece they must determine before creating the communication plan?

Key stakeholders
Team members
Team feedback

Stakeholder analysis

20. As a project manager, how can you maintain open communication after you have sent your team a message? Select all that apply.

Check in to make sure the information was clear.
Convey the message through various methods.

Respond to any questions quickly.
Resend the message if no one responds.

21. Which of the following actions demonstrates an effective strategy to allow stakeholders and team members to find relevant information in a project?

Allow team members to send links to stakeholders as they add new ones.

Create a section in a communication plan for links to relevant documents.
Send an email with the resource links to stakeholders for each resource.
Have one team member be responsible for maintaining the links for the project.

Explanation:
Including a dedicated section for resource links in the communication plan ensures that stakeholders and team members can easily access critical documents and information.

22. As a project manager, you decide to hold video conferences with your core project team and stakeholders as part of your communication plan. What additional details should the communication plan include? Select all that apply.

Key dates
Resource locations

Location
Duration

23. You prepare a template for a weekly email for stakeholders with some key launch dates and announcements for the project. How can you ensure stakeholders can easily notice the information?

Highlight and bold the information the stakeholder should focus on.

Schedule a follow-up meeting with the stakeholders to review the email.
Keep the key launch dates and announcements together for better clarity.
Create a follow-up email to be sent a day later with just the important information.

24. One of the items in the project communication plan is to give formal in-person presentations every quarter. Which group should these presentations target?

Marketing team
Project vendors
Core team

Key stakeholders

25. What is the typical communication plan for key stakeholders in a project?

Daily check-ins scheduled with task updates
Backlog discussion sessions to review tasks

Monthly emails with a status update overview
Launch prep schedule every six weeks

Explanation:
Monthly updates provide stakeholders with high-level information about the project’s progress without overwhelming them with daily details.

26. What best practice should you consider when you share project documentation among stakeholders and team members?

Share project details on a need-to-know basis
Share details of the project whenever a team member asks for it
Make sure all stakeholders have access to the data in the project

Make sure all team members have access to the data in the project

Explanation:
Sharing information selectively ensures that only relevant stakeholders and team members have access to the data they need, protecting confidentiality and reducing information overload.

27. A project manager creates a centralized planning document. They create an overview sheet with the project description and communication expectations. What is another piece of information they can include in the overview sheet?

Instructions for how to use the RACI chart

Goals for how many emails to send to stakeholders
Instructions for how to use the spreadsheet
Goals on how many daily check-ins for project

28. Which of the following categories are part of a communication plan?

Communication type
Recipients
Key dates

Communication style

29. As a project manager, part of your communication plan is to have an in-person meeting with team members. What additional details should the communication plan include? Select all that apply.

Goal
Frequency

Type of communication
Location

30. What are the key benefits of a communication plan? Select all that apply.

Improves overall effectiveness of communication

Involves stakeholders in effective conversations
Keeps people engaged and motivated throughout the project
Provides guidance on technical project terms

31. Which of the following communication methods are most appropriate for core project team members? Select all that apply.

Formal presentations to explain project deliverables
Quick virtual check-ins to answer questions
Department newsletters on current projects

Daily meetings to report on project progress

32. Which of the following are best practices for concise emails? Select all that apply.

Include as much detail about a situation as possible
Write in one long paragraph to save space

Lead with key points and action items
Add a note at the top that some details may not be relevant to certain recipients

33. What document acts as a quick reference guide to help team members find files they frequently access in one place?

A centralized planning document

A project proposal
A risk management plan
A project charter

34. As a project manager, you create a communication plan for a project. You need to identify potential barriers. Which of the following questions should you ask to identify a potential barrier?

Will the stakeholders like the project team members?
How was the project RACI chart created?
Are there any privacy or internet access issues?
Will daily check-ins be required?

35. What should a project manager consider when writing a new email message for team members about project updates?

Add a note to the message to not share any of the data.
Assume the message will be delivered to everyone in the company.
Include all team members working on the project in the communication.
Assume not all of the recipients will read the message.

36. How can a project manager evaluate which parts of a project communication plan are over-sharing or under-sharing information? Select all that apply.

Convert daily-check ins to feedback reviews to save time on the project.
Ask team members if other team members have mentioned anything.
Create anonymous feedback surveys for stakeholders and team members.
Have one-on-one conversations with stakeholders and team members.

Explanation:
Direct conversations and anonymous surveys provide honest feedback, helping project managers refine the communication plan to ensure it’s effective without overwhelming or undersharing.

37. As a project manager, you write a communication plan for your new project. You include monthly email check-ins that review a high-level summary of project updates. What group should receive this type of communication?

Whole company
Key stakeholders
Project managers
Core team members

38. In a project communication plan, what are the goals of daily check-ins with core team members?

Project managers can set new milestones for the project.
Project managers can communicate with stakeholders on progress.
Team members can see who completed the most tasks.
Team members can give progress updates and blockers on tasks.

39. Fill in the blank: Documenting and organizing plans provides visibility for project team members and _____ for task owners.

authority
feedback
supervision
accountability

40. Which of the following should project managers identify before creating a communication plan? Select all that apply.

Project stakeholders
Project risks
Communication methods
Communication goals

41. Fill in the blank: To be effective, your team _____ need to be clear, honest, relevant, and frequent.

documents
communications
expectations
debates

42. A project communication plan organizes and documents the processes and types of communication for a project. What else can a plan include?

Expectation of stakeholders
Roles of each team member
Budget of each task
Expectations of communication

43. Fill in the blank: Scheduling routine _____ will help you understand what is and is not working in your communication plan.

department reviews
presentations
check-ins
milestones

44. As a project manager, how can you optimize and streamline project communications?

Be the only person who communicates with teams about the project
Only use one communication method with all teams
Create a static communication plan for the team
Send team members a survey asking about improvements to communication

Explanation:
Gathering feedback directly from team members allows project managers to understand what works and make necessary adjustments to optimize communication.

45. You create a project communication plan for a busy executive who needs high-level updates on the project. What type of communication would you create for this executive?

A email that outlines the roles of each team member and stakeholder
A newsletter email outlining key milestones and project progress
An email that contains a list of all the completed tasks
Daily meetings that the stakeholder is required to attend

46. A project manager has created documentation that includes information that does not need to be accessible to all team members. How can you ensure the documentation is accessible to the right people?

Give everyone a summary of the relevant information and the details of the project
Give everyone the same access level since they are on the project and share the all important resources
Summarize only the relative information for those who need to keep informed and require them to request access to confidential information
Meet with every person on the project team to check if they need access

47. Fill in the blank: Project managers should identify project stakeholders, communication methods, communication goals, and communication _____ before creating a communication plan.

risks
consequences
frequency
costs

Explanation:
Frequency refers to how often communication will take place (e.g., daily, weekly, or as-needed). Determining the frequency ensures that communication is neither excessive nor insufficient, making it an essential element of the communication plan.

48. Fill in the blank: Daily meetings and quick virtual check-ins are good ways for project managers to communicate with _____.

key stakeholders
project customers
senior management
core team members

49. In project documentation, what is the purpose of a shared file drive? Select all that apply.

Team members can store multiple files in one place.
Project stakeholders can use them for project proposals.
Team members can have accountability for items in the folder.
Project stakeholders can use them for team reviews.

50. As a project manager, you have a weekly video conference with stakeholders as part of your communication plan. What additional details should the communication plan include? Select all that apply.

Duration
Goal
Key dates
Location

51. How can a project manager use a RACI chart and stakeholder map when creating a project communication plan?

To assess which stakeholder would be able to respond fastest to emails
To determine the issues that could come up during the plan
To determine what type of communication is best for the team members
To assess the frequency of the communication method to each team member

52. Which of the following tools can help organize project plans and documents? Select all that apply.

A centralized planning document
An overview sheet (dashboard)
A shared file drive
A RACI chart

53. The project manager has identified the key stakeholders, barriers, and communication methods in a project. What is the final piece they must determine before creating the communication plan?

Timesheets
Goals
Budget
Project tasks

54. Which of the following communication methods is most appropriate for high-level stakeholders who don’t need detailed project updates?

Newsletters that summarize key milestones and project progress
Virtual check-in meetings to share task progress
Frequent status update meetings to report project issues
Weekly emails with team action items

55. Which tools can help determine the best type of communication for those involved with the project? Select all that apply.

Stakeholder map
Project charter
Risk register
RACI chart

56. As a project manager, you work on a project that involves several teams, including testing, engineering, and program management. How can you ensure documentation is created and maintained effectively for each team?

Use emails between the teams to keep track of the resources for the project
Store the plans and reports for each team in one centralized location or folder
Store the project plans and reports for all teams in one shared folder
Ask the team members of the team to maintain the documentation

57. After a project manager has delivered a message to their team members, what should they do to ensure they communicate the details effectively?

Allow teammates to update the original message on their own accord.
Follow up with team members to ensure the message is clear.
Add new important information to the message and resend.
Allow teammates to add new information to the message.

Explanation:
Following up allows project managers to confirm that team members understand the message and address any miscommunication or confusion. Clear communication is critical for project success.

58. You create a communication plan to send an email to key stakeholders weekly at a specified time. Into which part of the communication plan do you put the specified time, 11:00 a.m.?

Delivery method
Frequency
Time Zone
Key dates

59. As a project manager, you store the project RACI chart and Stakeholder analysis chart in two separate locations. What can you do to ensure team members have access to this information?

Send the links in an email to key stakeholders to validate.
Send the links separately to each team member for reference.
Attach the links for team members in a centralized planning document.
Attach the links in the project plan proposal for team members.

Explanation:
Centralizing links in one planning document ensures easy access for team members, reducing confusion and improving efficiency.

You might also like:

Course 1: Foundations of Project Management
Course 2: Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project
Course 4: Project Execution: Running the Project
Course 5: Agile Project Management
Course 6: Capstone: Applying Project Management in the Real World