Siyathetha Communications and its sister company Cognisant Communications is one of a handful of companies in the world specialising in the new field of Project Communication.
Reducing the risks through effective communication
Research shows that communication is one of the biggest manageable risks facing project managers. Failure to communicate effectively sees projects running late, failing to meet all their deliverables or ending in recriminations and lawsuits. Siyathetha understands the many challenges facing project teams. Our clients’ success is built on our ability to help them manage information and knowledge sharing between all stakeholders – internal and external.
Cognisant-developed tools reduce risk, and provide fully traceable, visible and measurable communication activities – including knowledge management, document management, on-site signage, training materials, external communications, stakeholder management, internal communication, customer relationship management and crisis communications.
The tools are all licence-free and web based for ease of communication between different locations, savings on annual licence fees and problems with interfacing between incompatible systems and through firewalls.
Project communication tools:
- Intranet: We build an intranet to serve as an on-line meeting place for team members, consultants and suppliers. Different levels of security manage access to communication at different levels. Blogs encourage the free flow of ideas, while newsletters keep the team up to date with the latest developments and milestones.
- Project Manager: An online project management tool ideal for the less complex projects. It provides a common workplace for all participants, with graphical reporting on the status of various jobs within the project.
- Document Manager: Keeping everyone current on the newest specifications, time-tables and decisions. The document manager is tailored to the needs of each project, with an option to send out e-mail notices of all updates.
- Knowledge Management: Accurate referencing of documents, dashboards and executive summaries collate the knowledge and preserve the institutional memory through the life of the project.
- Customer Relationship Management: All projects have customers – internal and external. The Cognisant Customer Relationship Management tool is designed to keep them informed and engaged. An essential part of the Cognisant CRM tool installation process is the setting up of systems and provision of training to ensure that the system is used effectively.
- Web: Where projects need websites to ensure transparency and manage communications with an external audience, Siyathetha designs, populates and maintains the web presence. Our approach is to first determine what the message is and the potential audience – and then to design the site.
- People management: HR is particularly challenging in project management, with its mix of full, part-time, contract, and casual people working in often geographically distant locations. Cognisant has developed an easy-to-use system. Data can be mined to form a basis for personnel decisions and provide the opportunity for organizational diagnosis and development. Cognisant People also facilitates communication between employee and administrator.
- On-line training: Ideal for induction, project-specific and skills transfer tasks. The multimedia (if needed) training programs are written for the particular project, and include fully auditable tracking of participation. On-line testing can be included.
Project communication support:
- Project branding: Projects work best when they have an identity with which everyone involved can identify. Cognisant works with the project leaders to craft that identity, which is then used to brand and identify workwear, stationery, vehicles, information, signs, etc.
- Proposals and reports: We help package proposals and reports professionally to ensure that the are well received and understood.
- Communication planning: Communication touches on all aspects of project. Siyathetha plans all aspects, from the taking of minutes and writing of reports to the issuing of media releases and distribution of newsletters.
SHE support:
- The all-important SHE activities are supported through the development of induction programmes, training materials and on-site signage.
Stakeholder engagement:
- Siyathetha will organise and manage the stakeholder engagement sessions, providing literature, banners, mock-ups and other communication tools.
Crisis communication:
- Working with the project team, we assess and identify risks, and then develop communication strategies designed firstly to minimise the risks, and then to manage the communication flow in times of crisis.
Public Relations:
- Siyathetha Communications draws up project specific communications strategies, and provides high-level consulting on both internal and external communications challenges and opportunities. The implementation includes appropriate training and support for people within the client company, or the placement of one of our own staff. We are represented or have offices in all the major centres in South Africa.
Newsletters:
- We write, edit, design and distribute both printed and electronic newsletters tailored to the interests of the target audience.
Advertising:
- Siyathetha has access to a fully equipped and staffed design studio, which provides the full range of advertising services to our clients.
Videography:
- Cognisant has award-winning in-house video filming and editing capability, using the latest equipment.
Multi-media:
- We provide a full multi-media service, from conception through planning, research, writing, animation, and filming to editing and final packaging.