ISMN 5370 Ex2 S9

Communications matrix

Answers who needs what information, when, in what format, from whom, and by which method

Interactive communication

Two-way, real time (meetings, calls); best for complex issues and decisions

Push communication

Sent to specific recipients (email, memos, reports); best for status updates

Pull communication

Recipients retrieve it when needed (portals, wikis, shared drives); best for large audiences

Communication channels formula

n(n − 1) ÷ 2; 10 people = 45, 20 people = 190

Status report

Where the project stands right now

Progress report

What was completed this period

Forecast report

Where the project is heading (EAC, ETC)

Variance report

Deviation from baseline plus root cause

Dashboard

Displays KPIs with red/yellow/green status

Information radiator

Large visible display (Kanban board, burndown chart); common in Agile

Make (vs. buy)

Choose when work is core, sensitive/proprietary, or you have idle capacity

Buy (vs. make)

Choose when you need special expertise, lack capacity, need speed, or the work is one-time

Procurement process

Plan (needs, SOW, selection criteria) → Conduct (solicit, evaluate, award) → Control (performance, changes, payments) → Close (acceptance, final payment, lessons learned)

Statement of Work (SOW)

Defines scope, location, period of performance, and acceptance criteria; vagueness here is the root cause of most disputes

Source selection criteria

Price, technical capability, past performance, management approach; set before bidding

RFI

Learn about the market; no commitment

RFP

For complex needs; asks vendors for both a technical and a cost proposal

RFQ

For a well-defined item; price is the main factor

IFB

Government sealed bidding; lowest responsive, responsible bidder wins

Fixed-price contract

Seller bears cost risk; best for well-defined scope; highest buyer cost certainty. Variants: FFP, FPIF (target + ceiling), FP-EPA (inflation adjustment)

Cost-reimbursable contract

Buyer bears cost risk; best for uncertain scope; lowest buyer cost certainty. Variants: CPFF (fixed fee), CPIF (fee tied to cost vs. target), CPAF (subjective award fee)

Time & materials contract

Hourly rate plus materials; cost risk mostly on buyer; limited certainty; best for low-to-medium scope clarity; capped by a not-to-exceed (NTE) limit

Buyer vs. seller roles

Buyer: defines need, solicits/selects, monitors, closes/archives. Seller: responds to solicitation, executes, reports, supports closure. All changes go through formal change control; no verbal agreements

Why communication matters

Leading cause of project failure; PMs spend up to 90% of their time on it; sending a message isn't the same as getting it understood