API College SBM1103 Project/Program Information & Communication Systems INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION SYSTEM IN “A BOOK AFFAIR” Team Member Names BHARGAV KUMAR MUDA 201700149 LAKSHMI NARASIMHA KAMBAM 201700111 SANTHOSH KRISHNA REDDY AKKATI 201700175 PAVAN KUMAR GADDAE 201700503 SUMAN GOUD DANTHURI 201700431 ANKITH REDDY RAVULA 201700793 16-04-2017  1. Introduction: 1.1. Project Background ‘A Book Affair’, located at Aberfoyle Park, South Australia, is one of the well-known used-book shops of the province. Located at the Windebanks Road, the organization has a niche client base that keeps on revisiting the shop times and again. The owners of this bookshop have expressed their interests in developing an android-based application for the shop. This report is aimed conducting a literature review to identify communication needs of the project. 1.2. Project Objectives and Justification The core objective of project is to develop an android-based application for ‘A Book Affair’, so as to ensure the online presence of the shop. 1.3. Assumptions and Constraints Assumptions: a. The app would be developed by a professional IT project team. b. The project team must have previous experience of working in similar projects Constraints: a. The project manager would be responsible for all communications with the stakeholders. b. The project has to be completed within a fixed budget and timescale 2. Literature Review: Researchers Baskerville and Wood-Harper (2016) are of the opinion that the literature review is one of the most important steps of conducting any new project, as it takes into consideration all previous works of similar nature, thus generating a platform based on which the project/ study can be conducted. The authors are also of the opinion that the no new study can be commenced prior to the completion of the literature review phase. 2.1 Common practices in managing project communication processes Karolina Muszynska (2015) presents review of several existing literary works in the paper titled “Communication Management in Project Teams –Practices and Patterns”. As the title indicates, the literary works reviewed by the author provide glimpses of the most commonly utilized project communication processes. The authors has shed some light on some of the most commonly utilized methods that virtual project teams utilize for the transmission of information among the members: the said methods are being outlined below: a. Face to face oral communication: The researcher is of the opinion that members of virtual project teams rarely communicate face to face , courtesy to the high costs of travelling from one distant place to another ( at which the team members are located). b. Information technology based communication: On the other hand, the author highlights the fact that members of virtual teams generally utilize IT based communication tools, as for example, web based videoconferencing technologies, to communicate with each other. Besides this, project wikis and official websites are also utilized as means of communication. c. Synchronous and asynchronous communication: Perhaps the most frequently utilized communication tool used by virtual project teams belong to this category, as Muszynska (2015) comments that a significant section of information sharing and communication are conducted over telephone calls, electronic messages and instant messengers. On the other hand, the researcher considers that project teams based at a single location can successfully utilize the following mechanisms: a. Team meetings: Team meetings when conducted on a regular manner can act as one of the most effective tools of information and knowledge transfer among project team members. b. Synchronous and asynchronous communication: The author highlights the fact that even project teams based at same locations heavily utilize electronic mails, conference calls and telephonic conversations for the purpose of communication, specially while team members work beyond the regular office hours or from places outside the office premises. Besides seconding the opinions made by Muszynska (2015), researcher Fisher (2011) highlights the fact that project documents and blue prints are often uploaded on organizational databases so as to make them available to members of the team. The researcher considers this process to be as effective as sharing the same over other synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. 2.2 Essential elements of project communication systems: In the scholarly paper “Art of communication in project management” researcher Rajkumar (2010) have provided a detailed description of the best practices of communication management as utilized in organizational projects. The author has highlighted the following essential factors of project based communication systems: a. The communication process essentially requires the participation of at least one set of participants: one at the sending end and one at the communicating end. b. Along with the participation of the sender and the receiver, the utilization of an appropriate medium for the transfer of message is also essential. The actual message is generally transmitted in v soft or hard forms over the chosen medium: however, the author also highlights the fact that the receiver rejecting the communication medium at any point of time during the project life cycle. c. An effective project communication system must include a feedback system, using which the receiver can send positive and/ or negative reviews regarding the information passed on by the sender. 2.3 Effective information sharing and communication methods: While the articles revised in the above sections provide information on generic project communication systems, several literary articles highlight the communication needs of specific domains of project management have also been accessed during the course of this activity. Some of these works would be reviewed in the following section of the report: 2.3.1 Information transfer and communication systems used in IT projects Jerzy Kisielnicki (2011) has made an evaluation of the different types of communication systems that are generally utilized by IT project teams. The researchers are of opinion that IT project teams, in general, utilize the following systems for the transfer of information between its team members: a. Traditional hierarchy based communication systems that allow unidirectional flow of information. Needles to say, when such communication models are utilized, information or messages are transmitted from the higher levels of the hierarchy to the lower levels. b. Network based communication systems, on the other hand, allow the sharing of information to and from all levels of the project team.. a. Traditional communication system b. Network based communication systems Figure: Communication systems used in IT projects (Source: Kisielnicki, 2011, pp-352) The author has conducted a detailed analysis of the efficiencies of both the systems and have arrived at the conclusion that the Network based communication systems are much more superior than the traditional hierarchy based systems in terms of the following aspects: a. Project control and monitoring: All deviations from the planned schedule, budget and/ or scope of the project can be communicated much faster, thus facilitating the process of controlling and monitoring the project. b. Knowledge transfer and co-operation: The author is of the opinion that the network based communication model does not present any ‘artificial barrier’ (namely hierarchal differences) in the process of knowledge transfer among the members of the project team. This is turn ensure collaborative actions from all members of the team. c. Decision making and problem solving: According to Daim et al. (2012), in case of Network based communication models, the availability of information from all level of the team helps the managerial heads of the team take effective decisions regarding any issue or problem experienced during the project. 2.3.2 Information transfer and communication systems used in construction project works In the scholarly article titled ‘The project benefits of Building Information Modeling (BIM)’, researchers Bryde, Broquetas and Volm (2012) the communication and information transfer needs of construction works that can be met with the implementation of building information systems (BIMs) with project environment The author is of the opinion that the incorporation of effective BIM techniques improves the communication among the team members and stakeholders associated with construction projects in the following manner: a. The exchange of information in between the members of the project team and that of the stakeholders associated with the project become much easier and effortless. b. The sharing of construction related information becomes much easier as the interpretation of data stored in the BIM system is much less time consuming than that of interpreting the 2D drawings that are traditionally utilize in developing architectural plans. 2.4 Factors leading to the breakdown of communication systems among global teams: While the scholarly papers reviewed in the sections above include information regarding the use and efficiency of communication system in organizational projects, researchers Daim et al (2011) have made an attempt of highlighting the factors that might hinder the success of such systems. The authors are of the opinion that the following factors result in the complete meltdown of the communication processes utilized in globally located virtual project teams: a. Differences in culture: The researchers are of the opinion that when experts base at different locations of the world come together to operate as a virtual project management team, the cultural and language barriers among these members often restrain effective communication among them (Klitmøller & Lauring, 2013). b. Interpersonal relations: It is a well-accepted fact the communication among project team improves with the improvement of personal communications in between them (Bjarnason, Wnuk & Regnell, August). However, in case of virtual project management teams, the members are often found to be geographically virtual , which in turn recue their inter personal relationships to the lowest levels. The lack of personal relations and communication among the project members essentially hampers the level of communication among these members. c. Weakness in leadership components: The authors have stated that in case of globally located virtual project teams, the team members tend to rely one network based communication models for the exchange of project related information. Although the network based communication model is generally considered to be much more effective than that of the hierarchical communication model, in this case, the use of the former leads to several issues, including the lack of synchronization and the inability to utilize resources and d information available with others. These issues in turn lead to ‘ambiguous expectations’ regarding the ‘roles and responsibilities’ of the project team, thus resulting in the poor delegation (Fisher, 2011). Needless to say, the weakness of thee leadership components discourages effective communication among team members. 2.4 Effective communication process: the steps Besides highlighting the essential factors of project based communication systems Rajkumar (2010) has also identified the essential steps to be taken for ensuring the deployment of an effective communication management system. The steps are being outlined in the following section of the report: Step1: Identification of the communication requirement: The very first step associated with the development of an effective communication process includes the identification of the 5Ws (Why, When, What, Who, Where) and 1H (How) of the communication process. Step 2: Identification of environmental factors In the next step of the process is associated with the identification of the environmental factors that require to be considered while implementing the communication process. Some of the most common environmental factors are- the structure and work culture of the organization, the human resources associated with the project, the project administration policies and so on and so forth. Step 3: Identification of the organizational assets: The author is of the opinion that the availability of the organizational process assets influences the methods of information sharing between project team members significantly: thus, the identification of the same is essential. Step 4: Identification of barriers The final step associated with the process of developing an effective communication system is to identify the factors that might come up as the barriers to its success and find effective solutions for mitigating the same. 3. Conclusion and Recommendations: Considering the significant importance of reviewing existing literary works, a discussion on the various contemporary scholarly works, that highlight the importance of information sharing and communication systems in project works, has been made in the above sections of the report . In the light of the information obtained from the review of literary works, the following recommendations are being made to the project manager: a. Communication model: The Network based communication system model should be utilized for the exchange of information between all the members of the project team. b. Adherence to effective communication process: The effective communication process discussed in section 2.4 of the report should be adhered to, for the development of an effective project communication process.  References: Baskerville, R. L., & Wood-Harper, A. T. (2016). A critical perspective on action research as a method for information systems research. 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