Bad News Email Grading Guide Version 42

Bad News Email Grading Guidepm582 Version 42bad News Email Grading Gu

The purpose of this assignment is to have practice with approaching various stakeholders at varying levels of authority with bad news about a project’s progress. You will address these stakeholders via email in a way that delivers the truth about the status of the project but in a professional and non-confrontational way. Learning this skill is imperative to success within the project management field.

The student drafts an email to one of the stakeholders from the Communication Plan Matrix to deliver “bad” news. The student includes highlights of the project, as well as the areas of concern, and proposes solutions to the stakeholder for correcting the issues found.

The student formats this as a professional email. The paper is approximately 700 words in length.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective communication is vital in project management, especially when delivering bad news to stakeholders who have varying levels of authority and interest in the project. Crafting an appropriately toned and structured email can help maintain trust, foster collaboration, and facilitate problem-solving. This paper presents a sample email to a key stakeholder, addressing project setbacks with professionalism, transparency, and solutions-oriented language, following best practices outlined in project communication literature.

Subject: Update on Project Progress and Next Steps

Dear Mr. Johnson,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to provide an update on the current status of the ABC Project, in accordance with our communication plan. While our team has made significant progress on several fronts, I would like to bring to your attention some challenges we are currently facing and propose strategies to address these issues.

As of today, the project has successfully completed the initial design phase, which adhered to the original timeline. However, during the execution phase, we encountered unforeseen delays due to supply chain disruptions, specifically with the procurement of critical hardware components. This has impacted our ability to stay on schedule for the upcoming installation milestones. Additionally, some technical issues have arisen during testing, which require further investigation and development.

These issues have led to a revised timeline, which projects a two-week delay in the overall project completion date. I acknowledge that such delays could affect your planning and organizational priorities, and I want to assure you that every effort is being made to mitigate the impact.

To address these concerns, our team has implemented several corrective actions. Firstly, we are exploring alternative suppliers to expedite procurement and reduce dependency on the disrupted supply chain. We are also prioritizing the resolution of technical issues identified during testing, with dedicated resources allocated for this purpose. Moreover, we have increased communication frequency among team members and stakeholders to ensure transparency and quick decision-making regarding any further developments.

I propose that we schedule a meeting early next week to discuss the revised project timeline in detail, review our mitigation strategies, and explore additional support or adjustments you might require. Your insights would be invaluable in navigating these challenges effectively.

In closing, while the project has faced some setbacks, I remain confident in our team's ability to deliver a quality outcome. Your ongoing support and understanding are greatly appreciated, and I am committed to keeping you informed of our progress and any further developments.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation. Please let me know your availability for the proposed meeting or if you require any further information before then.

Best regards,

Jane Smith

Project Manager

XYZ Corporation

jane.smith@xyzcorp.com

(555) 123-4567

References

  • Baraña, E. & Gelpí, M. (2014). Communication strategies and stakeholder engagement in projects. International Journal of Project Management, 32(7), 1073-1087.
  • Burke, R. (2013). Project management: Planning and control techniques. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Hannawa, A. F. (2012). Communication and stakeholder management in project success. Project Management Journal, 43(1), 28-38.
  • Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Lock, D. (2013). Project management (10th ed.). Gower Publishing.
  • PMI. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th ed.). Project Management Institute.
  • Schwalbe, K. (2018). Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
  • Turner, J. R. (2014). Handbook of project-based management: Leading strategic change in organizations. McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Wysocki, R. K. (2014). Effective project management: Traditional, agile, extreme. Wiley.
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