I can’t remember the last time I ran a project that didn’t come with some associated bad news attached to it. One where I never had to deliver some negative news to my customer or senior management.
Oh, wait, yes I can…NEVER! It’s never happened and it’s likely never going to happen. In reality, every project since the beginning of time has experienced some setback, however large or small it may be. So, if you’re new to the world of project management, prepare yourself that you’re going to have to deliver your fair share of bad news along the way – most likely on every single engagement you ever manage.
Obtaining threshold information
That said, it’s a good idea to know what the pain threshold is for your customer as the project gets underway. Determining the customer’s priorities for schedule, cost, functionality, and performance targets can be difficult at times, but it’s very important to give it your best shot. One method that often yields good results consists of using an interviewing approach. Ask them hypothetical questions, such as “What if the project were to overrun by $20,000?” or “What if we ran into problems and were three weeks late?”
Of course, you need to be careful when you’re asking these types of questions. You want to get straight answers, without causing your customer unnecessary alarm. Remember, you’re basically in the ‘feeling them out’ mode. You’re trying to understand how concerned they are about the small issues and when those small issues become big issues in that customer’s mind.
A budget overrun or timeframe push that you may consider a big deal may mean little or nothing to your client because they’re working under the assumption that there’s an acceptable window of slippage. Likewise, they may be under heavy pressure to produce this project’s desired outcome to their organization – or perhaps to their customers – by a hard date or within a hard budget that cannot be missed. It’s good to know these things upfront.