Hazards of communication error

A communication error occurs when information is not sent, not received or not understood as intended. In projects, where many stakeholders depend on accurate information, such errors can seriously harm the outcome.

Hazards (consequences) of communication errors

1. Misunderstood requirements: the team builds the wrong features, causing rework, delay and cost increase. Schwalbe states that poor communication is a leading cause of IT project failure.
2. Scope creep and disputes: unclear agreement leads to conflict about what was promised.
3. Schedule delays: late or missing information about dependencies and approvals.
4. Cost overruns: rework, wasted effort and duplicated work.
5. Poor quality: wrong specifications and untested assumptions lead to defects.
6. Conflict and loss of trust among team members, customer and sponsor.
7. Low morale and motivation: people are unsure of tasks or feel ignored.
8. Wrong decisions: managers decide using incorrect or outdated data.
9. Unmanaged risks: warnings are not passed up, so small issues become crises.
10. Customer dissatisfaction and damaged reputation.
11. Legal and contractual problems when written agreements are ambiguous.
12. Safety or security incidents in some projects due to wrong instructions.

Causes

Language and cultural barriers, noise, jargon, wrong medium, too much information (overload), no feedback, physical distance and time zone, assumptions.

Sender -> Message -> Medium -> Receiver
   ^   noise / error              |
   +--------- feedback -----------+

Prevention

• Prepare a communication management plan.
• Use clear, simple language and written confirmation.
• Ask for feedback and summarise.
• Choose the right media and keep records.
• Hold regular meetings and use a common glossary.

Example: A client says "fast reporting" meaning 2 seconds; the developer assumes 30 seconds. The mismatch is found only at acceptance, leading to costly redesign.