Ninety percent of a PMs job is communicating — with stakeholders, designers, vendors, team members, press, accountants — about the project. So why are so many surprised when they first hear of a schedule slipping? Often communications protocol with a client takes a hiatus because the PM does not want to upset the client, nor strain the relationship.
In an article on StickyMinds.com called Bread Crumbs, Peter Clark explains a strategy of leaving a trail of communications so as not to increase risks of the project for your customer, as well as to CYA.
A common project problem is customer/stakeholder unresponsiveness. Meetings are missed, specifications are not reviewed, and drawings are not approved. This traps the project in the fuzzy front end, and leads to schedule pressure. If the initial project milestones take longer than planned, there will be even less time for future milestones, which has a direct impact on the project’s cost and schedule.
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