Project Communications: What Are the Primary Categories of Comms? Need Advice. 2

[bugeyebug]

I'm working on a paper on the topic of communication management within an engineering project. I'd like to start the article by discussing the purpose of project communications. I have come up with five basic categories/reasons/purposes of comms, but would like to query this group to see what, if anything, I'm missing. Here's what I've got so far:
[ol 1]
[li]Inform (e.g., status reports)[/li]
[li]Request (e..g, purchase requisitions)[/li]
[li]Discuss (e.g., engineering brainstorming session)[/li]
[li]Decide (e.g., conclude and document findings of a trade study)[/li]
[li]Direct (e.g., assign tasks)[/li]
[/ol]

What else am I missing?
Thanks for any and all feedback!

 

[allgoodnamestaken]

6. Frustrate (e.g., the emails you have to spend hours replying to instead of getting work done)

 

[zeusfaber]

All the above are a bit unidirectional. If you look at it for a moment from the other end of the telescope, you might come up with things like:

Authorise
Audit (request and provide non-routine information)
Define requirement
Regulate / impose constraints
Impose change
Clarify
Agree (including contractual arrangements and internal SLA)

A.

 

[TenPenny]

Don't forget these important ones-

-To deflect blame
-To pass the buck

 

[IRstuff]

Let's not forget the Pearl Harbor memo.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529

 

[jghrist]

Specify. Contract technical specifications, scope of work, and drawings are to communicate to the Contractor what the work is and the project requirements.

 

[fel3]

Often times the purpose of an email is CYA.

==========
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[MarkAF]

Note there is a distinction between upward communication (reporting to people above you) and downward communication (sending information, instruction, etc. to people below you). Upward communication is harder but more important.