Project Management: Communication and Reporting

 

Project communication and reporting
Communication and information flow within collaborative projects of this nature are crucial to the technical progress and productive working relationships. The consortium has considered this specific issue carefully. The overriding criterion must be that information flow can only be achieved through methods, which are easy to use but highly effective and ubiquitous. The Coordinating Participant has undertaken to put these mechanisms in place prior to the commencement of the project to ensure a rapid start-up to the project and smooth execution during the project lifetime:


1. Project plan handbook

A project plan handbook will be produced by RMB at the very beginning of the project and will define items such as: document format and standards; deliverable review procedures; inter-project communication format; participant co-ordinates for communication; reporting and meeting formats; and financial procedures.



2. Document templates and indexing

An electronic document numbering and registration system will be used to ensure the uniqueness and indexing of project documentation. Documents will follow a standard format as defined in a document standard template. Documents will be distributed electronically (except documents where electronic versions are unavailable or legal documents).



3. Communication exchanges

E-mail reflectors will be established for the overall project, the Boards, and also one for each workpackage. Others may be setup as required. Between meetings, email will be used as the primary form of communication between members of the consortium.



3. Project Website

A website will be established for internal communication purposes. In addition to its downloading capability, this will have an FTP gateway to allow participants to upload documents. The public area of the website will allow information available for external purposes. The private area of the website will be password protected and used for the exchange of internal documents, including document registration, and software produced by the project.


The participant representatives on the PMB will also ensure that administrative information flows are open, which enable overall project health to be monitored at regular intervals. Reporting mechanisms will specifically include a monthly control report (detailing person months expended, achievements made in terms of results and progress, meetings attended, plans for next period, and issues arising and their perceived seriousness). PMB members will also contribute to the annual report, annual cost claim and delivery of the final report.

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