Communicating with Stakeholders

Importance of Communication

• Key to project success, whether traditional or Agile.
• Essential for business relationships and personal connections.
• Effective communication ensures smooth project execution.

Agile Communication Approach

• Face-to-face communication is most effective.
• Encourages low-tech, high-touch interactions.
• Two-way communication: Active listening and response.

Knowledge Sharing

• Extreme Programming emphasizes knowledge sharing.
• Generalizing specialists help each other.
• Information radiators help share updates quickly.

Forms of Communication (Best to Worst)

1. Face-to-face with a whiteboard.
2. Video conversation.
3. Phone conversation.
4. Email communication.
5. Audio recordings.
6. Documentation and paper-based communication.

Example: Face-to-Face vs. Remote Communication

Scenario: Explaining a UI design concept.

Without a whiteboard: Verbally explaining placement of fields and buttons.

With a whiteboard: Drawing the layout for clear understanding.

Agile Tools for Communication

• Pair programming for real-time collaboration.
• Kanban boards and wireframes for project tracking.
• Low-tech tools like whiteboards for visibility.

Information Radiators

• Highly visible charts, graphs, and whiteboards.
• Ensure project updates are easily accessible.
• Alternatives: Digital screens displaying Kanban boards.

Social Media in Communication

• Platforms like Twitter and Instagram for user engagement.
• Helps communicate with customers and stakeholders.

Exam Tip

Question Example: Team members in different countries face communication issues.

Wrong Answers: Implement better software, reconfigure tools.

Correct Answer: Bring the team together for face-to-face collaboration.

Note: Real-life feasibility may differ, but Agile prioritizes co-location.