Memos - are they formal or informal communication type?

 I see different opinions regarding this issue in different sources.

According to PMBOK 4th edition: memos, reports and briefings are formal.
In RMC Book for PMP 7th edition, it also says that memos are formal.
However, the following sources say memos are informal:

Head First PMP: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Passing the Project Management ...

I presume that if I have a question on the exam if memos are formal or informal I'd better stick to formal (according to PMBOK).
However, this really concerns because there is no clear definition on what exactly is formal and what is informal.
Thank you for reading this :)

As I always say, the Blue Print of PMP Exam is the PMBOK, whatever the PMBOK says must be adhered to. If other books or mock exam says different, put those book  and mock exams away to the bin, otherwise they will bring you disastrous PMP career ending he he he!

 I agree, but I wanted to investigate if there is a clear definition of what is formal and what is informal.


Let me explain. Actually, as to whether or not a communication is formal is dependent on its context. When we say formal communication, this refers to issues and concerns that are more to most or highly valuable and critical in the organization, team or project. Those that could be considered routinary are considered informal. Both formal and informal communication can be expressed in writing or verabally.

Yes i have seen also in other PMP Books that a Memo is an example of an informal communication, while in other books, it is considered a formal communication.Both authors have different view of the contents of the Memo.

For example, if a staff reprimand or disciplianary action is issued to the concerned staff in a form of a written memo, is it formal or informal? Of course it is formal.  But if a Memo was issued for all teams informing them of an invitation to a big event, is it formal or informal? Of course you will say, it is informal.  But look, both communications are in a form of a Memo.

My own understanding and decision - if i were a PM, if i intend to give information to my team of informal issues, then i would not give them through a Memorandum but rather an informal letter.

In general application say in business, law and even project management, i would consider that a Memorandum is a formal tool of communication and used in a higher level or degree of formality compared to informal issues. This is for sure the main reason why PMI believes that a Memo is a formal communication, against other books which say no otherwise.

The bottomline is --- believe what PMBOK says.   I hope i have made it clear.


At P258 -PMBOK says written Memo may be informal.

Mr. Pawar - I am not able to find this, can you point out the section where it says so.

Also on another note, How about Minutes of Meeting ? are they formal/written or informal/written ?

If you are looking pdf pages see 258+31 = 289

pawar dude, for sake of good discussion:

Here is what u refer to in PMBOK: "Choice of media. Situation specifics of when to communicate in writing versus orally, when to write an informal memo versus a formal report, and when to communicate face-to-face versus by e-mail" P258

Please note that, the context of that statement IS NOT SAYING memo is informal, BUT rather about a 'choice of media -to write an INFORMAL Memo. As what i already explained in my previous post, a Memo can be Formal or Informal depending on its content and purpose, and that in general application, a Memo is a formal communication tool. For instance, if your office sends out a Memo, with complete format, Doc. Control No. Company Seal, etc. Woud you say IT IS STILL INFORMAL? Come on dude..


Formal/informal  and PMBOK

If you go through PMBOK , just putting word "formal" in search box in pdf, you will get the understanding (philosophy) of pmbok regarding Formal/informal .

PMBOK specifys few things certainly shall be formal ,and others may be formal or informal, it depends on situation/conditions.

For understanding PMBOK sense - just exercise this above point, I hope it will make you clear more.

So I guess unless explicity mentioned Memos will be considered FORMAL.

How about MOM (Minutes of Meeting) ?


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MoM is always formal, unless you can think of a case when it would be informal.

In government projects, MoM is so formal that it can be used to negotiate CR and can even be used as legal proof in courts.