Communication in a project is often given little attention, and because of this small problems appear: someone didn’t update statuses, someone forgot to send a report. But these very mistakes begin to affect deadlines and the quality of the team's work. In this article, we explain what a communication system in a project is and how to build it. We analyze the manager's role in this system and show which mistakes most often slow down processes.
Communication system in a project and why it is needed
Let’s clarify the terminology.
Communication system in a project — an organized process of exchanging information between team members, the customer, and other parties. The system assumes agreed rules of interaction, data exchange, and distribution of responsibility between participants.
Communication management — the organization of communication within the team. The project manager defines who communicates with whom, which channels are used, at which stages, and how often. They ensure that information is updated on time, that there is no duplication, and that everyone understands their tasks the same way.
The communication system is needed to reduce the likelihood of errors and simplify project control. Without such a structure, deadlines may be missed, changes may be uncoordinated, resources may be insufficient, or requirements may not be met.
In a study conducted by , 70% of respondents admitted that they lose time due to communication problems within the company, and 55% miss important messages for the same reason. At the same time, among those who use project management tools as the main communication channel with colleagues and customers, the understanding of the current task status increases to 83%.
Project manager roles in communication management
The project manager is responsible for forming and maintaining communication processes, as well as for aligning goals and tasks between teams and stakeholders. The effectiveness of the communication system directly depends on their ability to prioritize information.
The main tasks of the project manager in communication include:
- Defining communication channels. The manager must create a clear structure: where tasks are discussed, where syncs take place, where decisions are recorded, where information is stored.
- Creating interaction rules. Defining the communication format, response time requirements, responsible persons for approvals, reports, and other processes.
- Ensuring transparency of statuses. Monitoring the regularity of task updates and comments according to the agreed workflow. For example, controlling timely task completion in a CRM.
- Collecting and distributing information among participants. It is important to provide each participant with exactly the amount of data they need, with clear priorities and deadlines.
- Quality control of completed tasks and coordination with customers. The manager ensures all agreements with the client are met and is responsible for the team's work.
- Forming a knowledge base and storing materials. All project documentation must be in one place with convenient access for all participants. Therefore, it is necessary to plan where and how materials will be stored and which access rights employees need.
- Regular process analysis. Feedback and tracking team interaction efficiency help identify problems in time and adjust the approach as workloads change.
How to build a communication system
First, it is important to understand the structure of the project itself: workload, number of teams, dependency between tasks, presence of external contractors. The more complex the system, the more precisely the communication process must be described. For example, in integration projects, it is critical to specify when and how the team must coordinate API or architecture changes.
For this purpose, a communication matrix is created — a table where all key moments requiring data exchange are specified. This includes not only syncs and statuses, but also:
- hypothesis validation by the product team;
- security approvals;
- requirement alignment before moving to the next sprint;
- notifications about customer requirement changes;
- results of key stages;
- operational work on risk mitigation.
Such a map helps to see where communication must be mandatory and where it may be optional.
A communication plan is also useful — a document that defines communication rules and fixes participant interaction on the project.
The plan includes more specific instructions compared to the matrix, for example:
- meeting formats (daily, weekly, retrospectives);
- channels used (messenger, video conferencing service, email, task tracker, etc.);
- requirements for message content and reports, for example “we do not use voice messages”;
- assignment of responsible persons for informing the team, customers, or management.
Below are key points to consider when managing project communications.
Meetings must match the project speed
If the team works in short cycles (1–2 weeks), daily syncs will be effective. In long cycles (a month or more), they may negatively impact workload.
You should monitor:
- how much time meetings take;
- whether efficiency improves after them;
- whether the number of clarifications in chats decreases.
If a meeting does not reduce the number of questions, its format must be revised.
Simple and convenient tools for interaction
The manager must ensure the team has all necessary tools for effective work. If the company uses a CRM or messenger with a complex interface that wastes employees' time, the tools should be reconsidered.
A messenger is suitable for quick questions, task clarifications, and fast decisions. A video conferencing service is needed for complex topics requiring live conversation. Email is used for formal confirmations and agreements with customers. A task tracker is used for teamwork on tasks.
The fewer scattered channels a project has, the lower the risk of losing context. When several teams, external contractors, or sensitive data are involved, corporate super apps are often used. The eXpress platform combines messenger, video calls, calendar, and email in one application — this is convenient and reduces the risk of data leaks.
Message content requirements
Every project has its own “level of detail”. It depends on the type of team. Example:
- the product team prefers short messages;
- the integration team requires detailed descriptions to avoid misunderstandings;
- the external customer team expects formal reports.
The manager must define a standard that is convenient specifically for their team.
Distribution of responsibility
Responsible does not equal the only executor. For example, an analyst may be responsible for the protocol, but the person leading the meeting is still responsible for recording decisions.
It is important to separate:
- who records;
- who checks;
- who publishes.
Roles must be periodically reviewed: workload grows, requirements change. If the responsible person cannot cope, the structure must adapt.
Interaction with external stakeholders
If customers, contractors, support teams, or suppliers participate in the project, they need a separate communication block. It is important to describe:
- which level of detail is available to them;
- how quickly the team responds to their requests;
- who approves changes with them.
This helps avoid situations where external parties receive different versions of the same information.
“Single source of truth” principle
The plan must clearly indicate where the актуальные данные are stored. For example: task creation — in the tracker, approved design — in Figma, access rights and specifications — in Confluence.
Common mistakes in project communications
1. Verbal agreements. A decision was made on a call, but no one recorded the result. The same applies to verbal agreements and comments in private chats.
2. Overuse of chats. Without rules, chats turn into a stream of notifications. The team spends a lot of time messaging but doesn’t have time to complete tasks.
3. Excessive regulation. Too many rules, reports, channels, and templates — and the team spends working time filling out forms instead of doing tasks.
4. Information goes through one person. When all approvals depend on one participant, the project slows down. Decision-making zones must be distributed and direct communication between teams must be established.
What a structured communication system gives a project
Well-built communication does not make a project perfect, but it creates conditions under which the team can work more easily, make decisions, and adapt to changes. This is the foundation of mature project work — from small tasks to large corporate initiatives.
If a company needs a unified communication format with a focus on security and convenience, consider eXpress. Basic features are available for free, and for large companies you can request a demo version of the system.
