Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

Communication within the project

Communication within the project

Estonia-Latvia-RussiaENPI CBC Programme

Project Management and Implementation training

20&21 February 2012

Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

Importance of internal communication Importance of internal communication

• For projects where many partners work together, a well organised and managed internal communication is very important and a critical success factor:

– Internal communication keeps all project partners aimed at the same final goal

– Helps all involved parties to understand the project aims and activities and their roles

– Allows to monitor project progress, keep the workplan updated, anticipate difficulties in implementation…

• Good internal communication involves regular and effective two-way communication with all project partners

Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

Agree on communication proceduresAgree on communication procedures

• Agree on when and how and on what are you and your partners communicating

• Make a format for (monthly) internal reports

• Agree on tools that will be used: e-mail, internal newsletters, skype meetings, real meetings

• Agree on who is responsible for the website and who and when will contribute for the updates

Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

Tools for internal communicationTools for internal communication

• Electronic:

– Email: Email has made sharing information much simpler, but avoid clogging up inboxes with too much irrelevant information (think about who should receive a cc.) Also, it can be one-way and you cannot be sure emails are read or digested

– Intranet: It is a fast, interactive and cost effective way of distributing information to a large number of people

– Internal newsletters (e-mailed or accessible via the intranet)

• Oral: regular meetings with your partners to coordinate tasks for project implementation; tele or video conferences

• Written materials: Internal memos, meeting notes, progress reports etc.

Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

So when your project has startedSo when your project has started

• Overall coordinator keeps in regular touch with all partners

• All partners report regularly (monthly) to monitor project progress

• Regularly meet (in person and via telecom tools)

➪Make minutes of those meetings and use them as working documents!

Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

RememberRemember

• Your project is a partnership and CBC project

➪ Invest in establishing good partnership relations and clear and regular communication and meeting procedures

Ce projet est financé par l’UE et mis en œuvre par un consortium dirigé par MWH

Internal/external communication Internal/external communication

• Good internal communication is also a prerequisite for efficient external communication and both of them should be in line with each other:

➪ Ensures everyone speaks with one voice!