HKSM

Continuously check if project communications are reaching the right people, are understood, and are driving the needed actions, then adjust the approach as needed.

Purpose & When to Use

Monitor Communications ensures messages are timely, accurate, and useful for stakeholders. It confirms whether communication goals are being met and guides corrective actions when they are not. Use it throughout the project, especially after major changes, key reviews, stakeholder shifts, or when feedback signals confusion or information gaps.

Mini Flow (How It’s Done)

• Revisit the communications approach: audiences, channels, cadence, and success measures.
• Gather evidence: delivery logs, meeting minutes, dashboards, response times, survey results, and direct feedback.
• Compare actual communication performance against what was planned, noting gaps in timeliness, relevance, or reach.
• Assess effectiveness: check comprehension, decisions made, actions completed, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Address issues: refine recipients, adjust content and format, change frequency or channels, manage language/time zone needs, and coach senders.
• Escalate blockers and submit change requests if baseline elements of the communications plan must change.
• Update records: performance information, issue/risk logs, stakeholder data, lessons learned, and organizational guidance.
• Communicate the adjustments and confirm improvements through follow-up checks.

Quality & Acceptance Checklist

• Right stakeholders received the message on time with confirmed delivery or acknowledgment.
• Recipients understood key points, evidenced by correct actions, decisions, or quick comprehension checks.
• Content is accurate, current, and aligned with the latest baselines.
• Calls to action are clear, with owners and due dates assigned.
• Channel and format fit the audience (e.g., summary for executives, detail for the team).
• Accessibility needs are met, including language, time zone, and tool access.
• Confidential or regulated information follows policy and confidentiality requirements.
• Feedback loop exists and is used, including handling of questions and clarifications.
• Unread, bounced, or missed communications are identified and resolved promptly.
• Stakeholder satisfaction meets the target threshold from surveys or agreed metrics.
• Open information requests are tracked and closed within the agreed timeframe.
• Deviations and corrective actions are documented and shared with relevant stakeholders.

Common Mistakes & Exam Traps

• Confusing creating/sending messages (manage communications) with checking effectiveness and adjusting (monitor communications).
• Assuming silence equals understanding; always verify comprehension or outcomes.
• Sending more messages instead of tailoring content and channels to stakeholder needs.
• Ignoring informal or back-channel communication that affects understanding and decisions.
• Changing baselined communication elements without a formal change request when required.
• Failing to update the stakeholder register and communication approach after role or influence changes.
• Measuring delivery metrics only and not results such as decisions made or actions completed.
• Using jargon or overly long messages that obscure key risks, decisions, and next steps.
• Overlooking cultural and time zone considerations that reduce engagement and clarity.
• Exam trap: immediately escalate; first review the plan, gather feedback, and correct the root cause unless policy or compliance risks demand escalation.

PMP Example Question

A mid-project survey shows executives find status emails too long and are missing key risks. What should the project manager do first?

1. Immediately send daily risk-only emails to executives.
2. Review the communications plan and tailor content and format for executives, pilot the change, and gather feedback.
3. Submit a change request to redesign the entire communications strategy.
4. Tell the team to shorten emails without consulting stakeholders.

Correct Answer: B — Review the plan, tailor outputs to the audience, and validate with feedback.

Explanation: Monitoring focuses on effectiveness and targeted adjustments guided by the plan; major baseline changes require a change request, not immediate full redesign.