How to effectively communicate in a remote team
Tags: communication, remote, project, management
Published: 2020-12-17 11:21:00

Communication and action work hand in hand. Effective communication enables the exchange of information and ideas from one person or group of people to another. This is vital to delivering a successful project. A reliable remote team needs to have excellent communication. It is also important to use communication tools that are easily accessible by all stakeholders.

A project management team has three communication areas. These are internal information exchange, information management, and project marketing. Effective project communication management needs to follow three processes; planning, management, and control. The communication strategy chosen by the project manager should promote the goals and objectives 

In this article, we will discuss some of the tips for building a successful remote project management communication plan. At Foretheta, we have incorporated these tips while working and collaborating with our remote teams. They have consistently proved to be reliable and effective. 

# Defined Charter
A project charter captures ideas and thoughts into goals and objectives. It is the first stage of project management. Here, the project manager needs to develop a business case and scope that is established within the project. A business charter provides the goals, limitations, challenges, time-frame, and budget of the project.

A clearly defined charter is the best way to kick-off your project. The project’s initiation stage is the most critical as it puts every stakeholder on the same page. It ensures that everyone is aware of the project and their expectations about the assigned tasks and final deliverables.

# Communicating Reliably
Communication is the backbone of any remote team because this is where all the project coordination is done. The project manager needs to provide a platform that can be used to promote seamless communication. Proper communication is developed with clearly documented tasks, deadlines, decisions, feedback, organized information, and made accessible to every stakeholder.

Frequent communication is critical to ensure that every stakeholder is on the same page, the feedback was received, and updates are received on time.

# Communication Channels
The communication plan determines the success of a remote project. Communication channels are the environments that enable the transfer of information between stakeholders. Short-comings within the communication structure lead to the derailment or failure of the project plan. Informed decisions need open channels of communication for a seamless flow of information. 

As a project manager, you need to incorporate communication channels that are customized to your projects. Every stakeholder should be able to access these channels. This way, all the communications can be delivered effectively and on time.

Proper communication channels are also essential for organized documentation. They ensure that all emails, chats, and communication are easy to track. It gives the project the revolution in terms of organization and task allocation. Check out the available remote project management platforms to find out which works best with your team.

# Communication Tools
The right project communication tools promote seamless collaboration. Every project team determines the form of communication that works best for them. Tools should be tailored to a specific type of communication. This could be discussion, weekly status reports, chatting, or status board. For instance, a project board captures the work-plan and tracks the progress. Trello, PivotalTracker, and Jira are some of the tools that are opted for project boards.

For written communication tools, a team should practice asynchronous communication. This allows organized follow up on those who haven’t gotten the message.

# Sponsor Engagement
Many project managers credit the successful projects to detailed charter, the right resources, and an engaged team. You need to realize that an active project sponsor plays an important role. This is the person behind the identification of the need for the project. The sponsor co-manages the project to ensure ideal deliverables.

It is important to keep the sponsor engaged and informed throughout. This should be done in a well-outlined process. In case of an urgent decision, state a clear aim, and required actions. While you may want to adjust to the sponsor's style and preference of communication, the message should always be clear and direct. This avoids wastage of time and prompts quicker feedbacks

# Visibility
Visibility ensures the progress of the project is accessible by every stakeholder. It ensures every member meets their deadlines for assigned tasks. Project management software makes tracking project visibility easy. The remote team members should understand the technology and how to access it. Timely and consistent communication and collaboration updates of stakeholders fosters project visibility.

Maintaining visibility goes hand in hand with communication and ensures the project is on track.  Reasonable deadlines and milestones should go with tracking and monitoring of progress.

# Right Team
Is your project on time and within the budget? Is every stakeholder putting in their best effort to complete their assigned task? Then you are definitely looking forward to a successful project. The success of the project depends on a communicative remote team. Communication within a team maintains project visibility and clears miscommunication. This ensures everyone is on the same page.

As a project manager, you should assemble a team that is self-driven and works well together. Also, promote a culture of transparency and empathy within the adopted structure. This minimizes miscommunication that leads to friction, frequent conflicts, and derailed deliverables.
 
# Conclusion
Remote project management can sound discouraging on the planet. The truth is, it is. If you think about getting the right team and resources. The hack lies in getting the right team and establishing the right communication culture. Be patient and invest in a team that understands the importance of communication. Familiarize every member with the communication technology you will be using.

At Foretheta, we work with dedicated and self-driven remote teams. Every member of our team is familiar with all the tools and channels that make communication reliable. That is how we are able to track visibility and deliver successful projects.