Risk Management - Communications Channels: How to De-risk Your Project

There's more to the concept of communication channels than just communication. Your whole project may depend on this simple idea. Two people - one conversation. Three people - three conversations: A-B, B-C, and C-A. This all seems very simple. But, four people - six conversations. And five people - 10 conversations. The math is simple This is sometimes known as the Communication Channels or complexity equation: N = n x (n-1) / 2 - for 8 points, there are 28 connection - for 10 points, there are 45 connections - for 12 points, there are 66 connections These are only the simplest conversations The number of pairs we've found represents just two-way conversations. What if we add in the number of three-way or four-way conversations? The numbers explode So, what do we learn? Complexity creates risk. And size creates complexity. So, one way to reduce risk is to reduce size. One project with 12 interacting parts or people has over 4,000 interactions. But each of two projects with 6 components has fewer than 60 interactions. Add one for the two project managers to co-ordinate those projects. Now you still have fewer than 120 interactions. That's an order of magnitude less complex! So, my message is simple: Break big projects into small ones. That's the argument for Program Management, by the way. Or, at the least, semi-autonomous workstreams. Recommended Videos Carefully curated video recommendations for you: 🎬 Top 5 Ways to Remove a Risk Entirely https://youtu.be/I5V-bhSagBk 🎬 Project Risk Management - How to Manage Project Risk https://youtu.be/xXV_gjtXMSk 🎬 Risk Management - 5 Tips to Do it Right https://youtu.be/Q6JHsVEOVhM 🎬 What is Program Management? https://youtu.be/TPPLWC_zd1I 🎬 What is Project Portfolio Management? https://youtu.be/j8obKof2MDM 00:00 - Two people can talk to each other…. 00:21 - Complexity starts at 4 00:56 - The Complexity Equation or the Communication Channels equation 01:39 - Beyond the simple 1-to-1 conversations 02:15 - Simplify your projects 03:14 - Complexity, risk, and Project Tailoring A while back, I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list. https://kit.co/MikeClayton/what-a-project-manager-needs Note that the links are affiliated. For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZfp1_wquyegVY9SoER0Nw?sub_confirmation=1 For all our great Project Management articles and resources, please check out the OnlinePMCourses website: https://onlinepmcourses.com/ For basic Management Courses - free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses: http://youtube.com/c/managementcourses For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management: https://onlinepmcourses.com/free-academy-of-project-management/ #Project #ProjectManagement #CommunicationChannels