PDU Opportunities
New Technologies Streamline Project PracticesCollaborative technologies are great ways to supplement traditional forms of communication and enhance project performance.
Wikis, blogs, webinars and podcasts are the newer tools in project managers' repertoires. As teams get more global and schedules get more compressed, the most up-to-the-minute and far-reaching communication is critical to today's project teams. More and more project managers are using these collaborative technologies to disseminate information and improve overall communication with project team members, stakeholders and other project management practitioners.
Wikis Promote Team Contribution
Wikis are web pages designed to allow anyone who has access to contribute to or append text using a simple mark-up language. This makes the documentation process a real team effort.
When employed correctly, wikis can enhance real-time communication on virtual project teams, says Juergen Oschadleus, PMP, director of Act knowledge, a consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia.
For example, project managers can use wikis to gather requirements for a new project and then share the project scope. Stakeholders can access the scope wiki and make editorial changes until they are satisfied.
Project managers control the documentation process by setting user permissions and deadlines for changes. The wiki tracks who authored the text and contributed ideas.
"Wikis empower individuals by enabling them to add to each other's work, which often leads to a higher quality end product if the process is managed correctly and the stakeholders understand what outcomes are required," says Mr. Oschadleus.
Blogs Simplify Sharing Project Status and Best Practices
Although blogs are typically used for journaling or personal commentary, project managers can use this device to share project status and lessons learned. Blogs not only allow regular written entries to a website, but also enable readers to comment on the entry.
The ability to comment enhances project status documentation because once the project manager publishes the report, team members can comment about the progress of their particular tasks.
That blogs are organized in reverse chronological order makes them a great tool for keeping team members and stakeholders informed of project progress with the most recent accomplishments listed first.
Blogs are also an efficient and effective way to share lessons learned around the globe and across industries.
Kathy Schwalbe, PMP and professor in the Department of Business Administration at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, uses blogs to stay abreast of new developments in the field and sees the value in them for project teams.
"Blogs work best for documenting lessons learned," Ms. Schwalbe says. "Everyone must learn from others' past successes and failures."
Broadcast Meetings and Coursework
Webcasts are like television broadcasts delivered online. Because they can be done live or produced and saved for a later date, webcasts can be used for team meetings and project updates on project teams separated by state lines, countries or even continents.
Webcasts and podcasts alike are indispensable tools for training and professional development or educational activities. A podcast is a method of broadcasting audio files that listeners can comment on or rate once the session is completed.
Instructors often use webcasts and podcasts as a way to engage students beyond the classroom and textbooks. Project managers can also use them for keeping their own skills sharp or for training virtual or remote team members.
For example, a current project management podcast covers topics that range from determining project requirements to improving project outcomes.
Both webcasts and podcasts can be downloaded to mobile devices so project managers and team members who travel frequently will not miss important information.
Technology Only Goes So Far ...
While project managers can employ these tools to be more effective and efficient, both Mr. Oschadleus and Ms. Schwalbe warn that they should be used wisely.
Mr. Oschadleus believes that technology gives greater access to information, but cautions project managers to ensure the accuracy of the information. He also notes that while technological tools can give project managers and team members the illusion that they are communicating effectively, they should not underestimate the value of direct communications like face-to-face meetings and telephone calls.
Ms. Schwalbe voices similar concerns. She thinks some project managers and team members spend too much time e-mailing or searching Google for answers.
"You have to learn to be astute and prioritize what needs to be done and communicated to run a project well—with or without technology," she says.
How do you use blogs, wikis, webcasts or other technology to collaborate on or manage projects? E-mail us at
pmp-passport@pmi.org.
