1. Project Success and Communication
Most developers at Nextree work within the project organization.
In other words, we do not simply perform individual development tasks but collaborate with various stakeholders to move towards a single goal.
So, are we successfully completing projects each time?
Project success here does not simply mean developing features.
It includes delivering quality results that satisfy the customer within the set schedule and ensuring that the project is completed stably.
When carrying out real projects, it is common to see projects struggling even though they are staffed with technically proficient developers.
Conversely, even if a project is not technically challenging, when collaboration between teams is smooth and communication is effective, the project tends to progress much more steadily.
Through this experience, one naturally comes to realize that communication is one of the key elements that determine project success.
Generally, it is said that the following elements are necessary for project success.
- Clarity of project goals and objectives
- Schedule and milestone management
- Appropriate personnel and role allocation
- Leadership
- Risk Management
- Feedback and Continuous Improvement
- Stakeholder Management
However, what ultimately connects and drives these elements is communication between people. The process of clarifying project goals also occurs through questions and conversations. Identifying stakeholder requirements is ultimately communication as well.
Coordinating work direction among team members and resolving scheduling issues is the same process.
In other words, a project is ultimately a process of 'people moving together,' and at the center of it, there is always communication. In fact, when a project falters, it often starts from communication problems rather than technical issues.
For example, situations like the following occur very frequently.
- When requirements are understood differently
- If schedule changes are not properly communicated
- If roles are not clearly defined in case of an emergency situation
- In cases where misunderstandings accumulate solely through messenger conversations
It is not an exaggeration to say that the quality of communication ultimately determines the direction and speed of the project.
2. Various Communication Methods and Characteristics
In a project environment, a wide variety of communication methods are used.
Examples include the following methods.
- Messenger, email, phone, video conferencing, face-to-face meetings, collaboration tools, document sharing systems
Recently, messengers and collaboration tools like Slack, Teams, Discord, and KakaoTalk have become very active, making asynchronous communication more common.
In particular, as remote work and remote collaboration culture have spread, messenger-centric communication has become an even more natural way of working.
The biggest advantages of messaging apps are speed and convenience. You can quickly convey short messages, and it's easy to keep records.
Additionally, it is very efficient for project-based communication because multiple people can participate at the same time. However, while messaging apps are convenient, they certainly have their limitations.
The most representative problem is that it is difficult to convey complex information. Because it is hard to accurately convey the other person's intentions and feelings through text alone, there are often cases where the same sentence is understood differently by each party.
Especially in urgent failure situations, these problems can become even more serious.
In practice, when carrying out a project, there are often many instances where the cause of a problem is not clearly defined despite dozens of messenger conversations piling up.
Additionally, since messengers operate asynchronously by nature, it is difficult to predict when the other party will respond. In urgent situations, this small time difference can affect the entire project schedule.
On the other hand, phone calls and meetings have the advantage of real-time communication. Because you can ask questions immediately and receive answers right away, quick decision-making becomes possible.
Especially in situations like responding to emergencies or discussing complex designs, where rapid judgment and mutual understanding are needed, phone calls or meetings are much more effective. Face-to-face meetings or video conferences also have the advantage of conveying non-verbal elements. Factors such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and response speed convey much more information than simple text.
Ultimately, the important thing is that a specific method is not necessarily good or bad. The key is to choose the communication tool that fits the situation.
3. Actual Experience: Problems that could not be solved by just using messenger.
One of the most significant aspects I felt while executing the project was the importance of choosing the communication method.
This difference was particularly evident in urgent failure situations.
There was a time when an urgent issue occurred in the production environment. Several developers and operations personnel started discussing the problem in a group messenger chat.
At first, it seemed like a simple configuration error, but as time passed, the cause of the problem was not clearly defined. Each person shared logs and explained the situation from their own perspective, but the details they understood differed slightly from each other.
Eventually, this kind of situation began to repeat.
- Asking about the content that has already been shared again
- Different assumptions on causes repeat
- Differences in log interpretation
- Role Confusion
- Response Priority Conflict
The messenger conversation continued to stretch on, but the actual problem-solving speed was rather slowing down.
Especially in emergencies, it is important to quickly grasp the other person's intentions and current state, and it was clear that there were limits to text-based communication alone.
After confirming the availability for a quick call via messenger, we proceeded with a speakerphone-based conference call.
The results were much simpler than expected. During a few minutes of conversation, the areas of misunderstanding were immediately clarified, and the root cause of the problem was quickly narrowed down. A problem that had gone unresolved on messenger for nearly a day was actually solved in just a few minutes.
This experience made me deeply realize that how we communicate can be much more important than what we say.
In particular, I could feel that quick interaction itself is a very important factor in emergency situations. I also realized that there is definitely context that cannot be conveyed through text alone, as everyone has a different way of understanding information.
4. Selecting a Communication Method Appropriate for the Situation
In a project, it is very important to choose the appropriate communication method depending on the situation. Trying to resolve all situations through messaging or, conversely, attempting to solve all issues solely through meetings can be inefficient.
For example, in situations where quick judgment and immediate interaction are required, phone calls or meetings are much more efficient.
This is particularly true in the following cases.
- Emergency response to incidents
- Complex design discussions
- Role coordination
- Schedule conflict resolution
- Decision-making meeting
In such situations, real-time conversation significantly enhances the speed of problem-solving.
On the other hand, when recording is important, messengers or emails are much more effective.
For example, in the following situations, record-based communication is important.
- Policy Sharing
- Requirement Conveyance
- Schedule Notice
- Meeting Results整理
- Client's communication points
In other words, real-time communication and record-based communication should be utilized together depending on the situation, rather than being alternatives to each other.
Particularly, projects always operate within the constraints of schedule and cost. Therefore, the speed of decision-making is also a very important factor. In fact, it is often much more efficient to quickly clarify the direction with a short phone call than to wait for hours for a response on a messenger. Of course, it is not necessarily a good thing to make many calls or hold many meetings. Unnecessary meetings can actually reduce productivity.
Ultimately, what matters is the 'choice of method suited to the situation.' Project communication can be seen as an important capability that is linked to efficiency and productivity, rather than just a simple habit issue.
5. Changes in Communication in the Non-Face-to-Face Era
The work environment has changed very rapidly since the pandemic.
In particular, as the culture of remote work and collaboration spreads, non-face-to-face communication has become a natural way of working. As a result, the culture centered around messengers and emails has also become much stronger. In fact, many people now find phone calls burdensome or prefer not to make them at all.
Especially among the younger generations, there are many who are more accustomed to text-based communication than phone calls. However, in project environments, there are still moments when real-time communication is necessary. The issue lies not with the 'phone itself' but with the 'inappropriate communication methods for the situation.'
For example, holding meetings for all content, including simple confirmation levels, is inefficient. Conversely, dragging out problems that can be quickly resolved via messaging for an extended period can also result in significant losses from the overall project perspective.
Ultimately, what matters is not a preference for a specific method, but a purpose-driven approach.
- What needs to be solved?
- How quickly does a decision need to be made?
- Is recording necessary?
- Should multiple people understand it simultaneously?
Considering these factors, the most appropriate communication method should be chosen.
Good communication also does not merely mean the ability to convey messages. It is equally important to respect the other party, take the situation into account, and maintain a clear explanation to prevent misunderstandings.
In particular, in project environments, communication attitudes have a significant impact on the collaborative atmosphere as much as technical skills. Ultimately, communication can be seen not just as a simple work skill but as the very way we work together.
6. Conclusion
The project is ultimately a process where people move together toward a goal. And at the center of it all, there is always communication. No matter how exceptional the technical skills and design are, if communication among team members is not effectively carried out, the project is bound to wobble.
On the contrary, teams with smooth communication even in imperfect situations often solve problems quickly and lead the project stably.
The project environment, especially in recent times, is becoming increasingly complex. The importance of communication has grown significantly compared to the past due to remote collaboration, multi-vendor structures, and rapid changes in requirements.
Therefore, the answer to the question, 'Am I a person who does well at work?' is not determined by technical skills alone. One must be able to communicate effectively in context. Efforts should be made to understand the other party. Problems should be organized quickly, and direction should be coordinated.
These elements ultimately become the core competencies that determine the success of the project.
In conclusion, effective communication is not just a simple information delivery skill. It is one of the most important collaborative abilities that drives project success and is considered one of the core competencies of high-performing individuals.
Daniel(L)