Communication of Schedule Changes to Stakeholders

Correct Answer: Send progressive updates via agreed communication channels and maintain a change log accessible to all stakeholders

The best practice for schedule change notification in construction projects involves sending progressive updates through agreed communication channels while maintaining an accessible change log for all stakeholders. This approach ensures: - Consistent and timely communication - Documentation of all changes - Equal access to information for all stakeholders - Flexibility in communication methods - Traceability of changes The other options are less effective because: Bi-weekly technical specifications and impact reports may be too infrequent for urgent changes and could overwhelm stakeholders with unnecessary detail. Just updating the baseline and distributing variance reports through PMIS may not reach all stakeholders effectively and could miss critical real-time communications. Limiting updates to milestone impacts and face-to-face meetings is too restrictive and may cause delays in communicating important changes that don't affect milestones but still impact the project.

Correct Answer: Hold focused stakeholder meetings to explain impacts and gather feedback

In situations involving significant project schedule changes, holding focused stakeholder meetings is the most effective communication method for several reasons: 1. Interactive Nature: Face-to-face meetings allow for real-time discussion and immediate clarification of concerns 2. Stakeholder Engagement: Direct interaction helps maintain stakeholder confidence and shows respect for their input 3. Feedback Collection: Meetings facilitate gathering immediate feedback and addressing concerns proactively 4. Complex Information: Schedule changes can be complex, and meetings allow for detailed explanations with visual aids The other options are less effective because: - Email reports, while detailed, lack the interactive element needed for addressing immediate concerns and questions - Written documentation is too formal and one-directional for managing stakeholder concerns about significant changes - Posting updates on a portal is too passive and puts the burden on stakeholders to seek out information, which could lead to misunderstandings and delayed responses to concerns

Correct Answer: Present the impacts on critical milestones and provide specific action items for each stakeholder group

The best approach to communicate schedule changes involves presenting impacts on critical milestones and providing specific action items for each stakeholder group. This approach is most effective because: 1. It focuses on what matters most - the critical milestones that affect project success 2. It provides clear, actionable information tailored to each stakeholder group 3. It promotes accountability by assigning specific responsibilities 4. It helps stakeholders understand both the big picture and their role in it The other options are less effective because: Sending detailed technical documentation may overwhelm stakeholders with unnecessary information and reduce comprehension Comprehensive Gantt charts and network diagrams are too technical for many stakeholders and may not clearly communicate the practical implications Scheduling individual meetings with each stakeholder is time-consuming and may lead to inconsistent messaging across the project team