Basic Project Communication

Research has shown that in communicating we spend approximately 45% of our time listening. Moreover, the average listener understands and remembers approximately half of what has been said, immediately after a presentation. Within 48 hours this decreases to 22%.

To help get your message across, aim for redundancy in your message and in the medium. If possible and above all other media, you should opt for face-to-face communication.
If you really need to get a message across to a team, I suggest the following:

• Prepare the message in writing (or at least an outline of it); create pictures when possible
• Schedule a meeting and send your written message with the meeting notice
• Bring "visuals" to the meeting (e.g., project the presentation on the wall, prepare handouts for everyone)
• To the extent possible, ask people to explain the message back in their own words to ensure that it is understood
• Follow-up after the meeting with meeting notes (stating your message again clearly)

With all of these opportunities for people to 'get the message', there is a much better chance that they actually will.