CPD Communication Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which communication channel is generally MOST appropriate for addressing sensitive personnel issues on a project?
- Group email to the full project team
- Public project dashboard update
- One-on-one private conversation (Correct answer)
- Project status meeting discussion
Correct answer: One-on-one private conversation
Sensitive personnel matters require privacy and direct dialogue to ensure confidentiality and allow candid two-way communication.
Question 2: A project director uses the formula n(n-1)/2 to calculate the number of communication channels. If a team has 8 members, how many channels exist?
- 16
- 28 (Correct answer)
- 56
- 64
Correct answer: 28
Using n(n-1)/2 with n=8: 8×7/2 = 28 communication channels, illustrating why communication complexity grows rapidly with team size.
Question 3: Which component is LEAST likely to be included in a project's communications management plan?
- Escalation procedures for unresolved issues
- Glossary of project-specific terminology
- Detailed technical specifications for deliverables (Correct answer)
- Information distribution methods and technologies
Correct answer: Detailed technical specifications for deliverables
Detailed technical specifications belong in the project scope or technical documentation, not in the communications management plan.
Question 4: Active listening in a project management context PRIMARILY means:
- Taking notes during every meeting to document decisions
- Fully concentrating on the speaker, understanding the message, and providing thoughtful feedback (Correct answer)
- Listening without interrupting until the speaker is finished
- Recording meetings so they can be reviewed later
Correct answer: Fully concentrating on the speaker, understanding the message, and providing thoughtful feedback
Active listening involves full engagement—understanding content and intent—and responding in a way that confirms comprehension and encourages further dialogue.
Question 5: A project director is preparing a presentation for the board of directors on a major project milestone. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
- Provide exhaustive detail so the board can evaluate every project decision
- Focus on strategic outcomes, risks, and decisions required at the executive level (Correct answer)
- Have the project team present the technical details directly to the board
- Use the same status report format distributed to the project team
Correct answer: Focus on strategic outcomes, risks, and decisions required at the executive level
Board presentations should focus on strategic relevance, high-level status, and decision points, rather than operational or technical detail.
Question 6: Informal communication networks within a project, often called the 'grapevine,' are BEST managed by:
- Prohibiting informal communication to maintain information control
- Monitoring and using them as a supplement by providing timely, accurate official information (Correct answer)
- Identifying and disciplining employees who participate in informal networks
- Ignoring them as they have no impact on project outcomes
Correct answer: Monitoring and using them as a supplement by providing timely, accurate official information
Proactively providing accurate official information reduces misinformation spread through informal networks and can leverage them as a feedback channel.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a 'push' communication method?
- A project intranet site where team members can access status reports
- A lessons-learned repository available to all staff
- A weekly status email sent to all project stakeholders (Correct answer)
- A team collaboration portal with on-demand dashboards
Correct answer: A weekly status email sent to all project stakeholders
Push communication sends information to specific recipients without requiring them to seek it out, such as a status email distributed to stakeholders.
CPD Communication Management 2
Which communication channel is generally MOST appropriate for addressing sensitive personnel issues on a project?