Communicate for successful project management
The stereotypical software developer is an introverted nerd who is much more comfortable staring at his computer screen in a dark room than engaging in conversation with another person. Many software developers, extroverts included, don’t follow the same discipline in managing communication with their customers as they do in producing the best possible code. This communication gap can be the biggest contributor to the frustration and even failure of software development projects.
Simply put, the client wants to know what will be done, by whom, when, and how much it will cost. Of course, there are many more things that business leaders will want to know and manage when planning the implementation of new software to automate important business processes. The project manager is responsible for ensuring the successful outcome of the project. As such, any change in feature/functionality (what), availability of resources and expertise (who), schedule (when), and funding required (how much), has the potential to significantly impact business operation.
Programmers have a natural tendency to work harder to get the code to do what is expected when things go wrong or schedules fall behind for whatever reason. Taking the time at this critical stage to reassess the impacts of changes and delays seems to take valuable time away from getting the job done. Meanwhile, the business leader is aware that a problem exists without understanding the overall impact or expected resolution. The longer and more frequent this pattern persists, the uncertainty turns into frustration, which in turn breeds disillusionment and ultimately results in rejection of the project and the team developing it.
Business leaders should expect software developers to deliver what they promised on time. They also understand that guesses rarely turn out to be 100 percent accurate. That’s true of every aspect of your business operation, people, customers, competition, and more. They can certainly understand that developing software to automate complex business processes is likely to test their assumptions, no matter how diligent the planning was before development began. The key to maintaining trust and ensuring the success of any project is to continually manage sponsor expectations.
While the focus here is on software development projects, the theme of communication in successful project management applies equally to construction forecasting, consulting services, build-to-order, and any other project that requires a series of steps to be carried out over time. Project managers must establish disciplined habits, processes, tasks, and milestones to communicate with project sponsors. Assuming that sponsors armed with a copy of the project plan and access to electronic tools to monitor project status is enough communication is a huge mistake.
Every project experiences changes at every step of the process. The response to these changes determines the final result of the project. Prompt communication about the change and its impact in time, resources, and/or cost will help keep all stakeholders focused on the bottom line. Small changes with seemingly insignificant impact should not be overlooked. There should be no room for uncertainty or doubt at any stage of the project. If the three keys to success in real estate are location, location and location, the three keys to success in project management are communication, communication and communication.