As all we know, good communication plays one of the key factors in any successful project. The aim of project communication is to make sure the team number well understand the client’s need and expectation, meanwhile optimize the interior cooperation and communication. Below are some tips for project communication.

1. General Tips

* Always remember that, everyone has their own culture background and particular ideas, so please respect all different views and options.

* For the important information, confirm with the receiver if he/she has received the information.

* For those important information and work, confirm that it is received and advise the action you will take.

2. E-mails

* Use Outlook to mark the things-to-do and the level of importance.

* If unnecessary, please avoid using HTML format when you write e-mails, use text of rich text format instead.

* Make sure the receiver is the correct one.

* For those recipients who you want them to take action please put them in “recipient” list.

* For those recipients who you just want them to know the information please put them in “carbon copy” list.

* Try to use the short and simple sentence to write e-mails.

* Try to put the discussion and main content at the top of the e-mail by number and list.

* Supposed you are the recipient, check and read the whole e-mail to make sure everything is clearly expressed and no confusion.

* Try not to make jokes or express humor in the mails. This emotion usually have strong personal trend, the recipient may not understand your jokes or humor.

* Always remember to make spelling check and grammar check before sending the mails (for English mails)

* The attachment of the mail should not exceed 2MB, especially there are several recipient involved.

3. E-mail Topics

* Use standard e-mail topic to make communication.

* list the project No. in order to save the project mails by sort.

* Use meaningful topic description (short, clear and effective description of e-mail content). The standard topic line may be shown as below:

Project No.—end client’s name–Project Name-meaningful description

* Remember, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. For issues you cannot explain clearly by words, please use “picture”, you can use screenshot to help you make things clear and your client/outgoing resource/team will understand you well.

4. Telephones

* Please make communication by telephones once E-mails communication cannot solve problem effectively and timely, or cause information confused. Overall, it is better to quickly eliminate misunderstanding or conflict by telephone than to make explanations again and again by e-mails. Of course, never forget to add an e-mail to make confirmation after telephone communication.

* The notification about the conference call should be advised to all relevant persons ahead of 24 hours, if they are not in the same time zone, inform them ahead of 48 hours.

* Once you are invited to the conference call, please confirm soon if you can participate in.

* After the conference call, you should send the minutes to all relevant persons and ask them to confirm the action which will be taking.

5. Instant Messages

* If you use the instant messages software, like MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger or Skype, please remember to save the conversation and confirm it by e-mails. Make sure it is well understand by both sides and all things will be proceed as per discussion.

6. Outgoing message/Holiday notification

* If you need to go out, or there are holidays coming, please hand over the projects which need care during this period to others.

* Tell everyone who is related to the project that you are going to go out and when you come back and who take care of your project during this period.

* Write Outgoing message/Holiday notification and set the auto reply in Outlook.

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