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As the IT project manager for a global payroll company, you were recently asked to lead a multinational team of product developers and have been informed that most of the work will happen virtually due to limited travel budgets. Your team has been tasked with creating a new payroll system for the German location of the company. Your team will consist of five individuals: two Americans (including you), two Germans, and one Vietnamese.

Some of the project members only work on your project part-time, and some of them have only basic English skills. The project stakeholders are the HR director, CFO, and union representative for the employees. All stakeholders are from the German location. Your project sponsor is a high-level German manager with whom you have not previously worked. You decide to consult the Hofstede Centre website to get a better understanding of the cultural differences between the involved countries.

Before you can create a communication plan, you need to understand the team that you will work with and the differences that will challenge you in creating a communication plan.

Instructions:

For this assignment, you must prepare a project communication plan and a comprehensive written analysis about the importance of effective project communication.

Use the Trello account you created in the previous assignment to create a project communication plan. Remember, the communication plan is used to keep team members and stakeholders informed of news, progress, issues, and events. Refer back to the communication management plan you created in the previous assignment as a guide for your project communication plan.

Your project communication plan should include the following:

Identify the projects communication needs by providing a description of the team and each persons role.
Define the purpose of the communication plan.
Determine the goal of each communication.
Choose the communication methods.
Determine the cadence for the communications.
Identify the owners of the various aspects of the communication plan.
Identify the stakeholders and your plans for effective communication practices given the cultural differences that may exist.
Explain how you plan to encourage the use of specific tools, including a social media site.

Sample Solution

Before diving into the communication plan, it’s crucial to analyze the team composition and potential challenges.

Team Composition

  • Project Manager: You, an American with project management experience.
  • Team Members:
    • Two Americans with development expertise.
    • Two Germans with development expertise, one potentially part-time.
    • One Vietnamese developer with potentially basic English skills.

Potential Challenges

  • Cultural Differences: The team comprises members from the US, Germany, and Vietnam, each with distinct cultural norms, communication styles, and work ethics.
  • Language Barriers: The Vietnamese team member’s limited English proficiency could hinder effective communication.
  • Time Zone Differences: Given the global nature of the team, coordinating meetings and ensuring timely responses can be challenging.
  • Part-Time Commitment: Juggling the commitments of part-time team members requires careful planning and communication.
  • Stakeholder Management: Effectively communicating project progress and challenges to German stakeholders, especially a new project sponsor, is crucial.

Leveraging Hofstede Insights

Consulting the Hofstede Centre will provide valuable insights into cultural dimensions such as individualism vs. collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. These insights will help tailor communication strategies to each cultural group.

By understanding these factors, we can anticipate potential communication breakdowns and develop strategies to mitigate them. The next step is to create a comprehensive communication plan that addresses these challenges and fosters effective collaboration among team members and stakeholders.

 

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