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Managing Project Delays when its the Clients Fault
Regardless of how well you plan a project, or how well you think
you know your client, most projects will be delayed. Often times,
the delay is caused by the client. They might take longer than
expected approving a design comp or delivering web site copy. Weve
had some clients go off the radar for two or three years before
suddenly reappearing, wondering where the project is at and how we
can get it finished.
So how do you keep your clients from entering the vortex and
stalling out a project? Here are some tips on how we anticipate and
accommodate client delays.
1. Address the issue before the project begins
Before you event start a project, let the client know that
delays on their part will push the deadline back. They will assure
you it wont happen, but it does. It also helps to have a clause in
your contract that grants you permission to cancel the contract if
the client goes AWOL for a given number of days.
2. Go light on the scheduling
We used to generate detailed project plans complete with
resource allocations and milestone dependencies. Then the client
would take an extra week to sign off on a web design comp and the
whole project plan would be off. Trade in the low-level project
management approach for a looser methodology. Weve blended aspects
of agile methodology with traditional issue-tracking-like task
management. Find a flexible method that works for you and go with
it.
3. Hold weekly meetings
Client delays are much more likely to happen on larger projects.
When deadlines are still a few weeks or months in the future, there
isnt as much driving the client, until its too late. Scheduling a
weekly meeting with your client will remind and encourage them to
be working on their deliverables.
4. Get them help
Many times the client will have a valid reason for late
delivery. Their copywriter may have bailed on them, or a designer
may not be able to capture the look they were after. If the client
is struggling finding resources, give them some referrals for
copywriters and designers you trust. They will be thankful for the
help and you will be thankful to have the project back on
track.
5. Track Everything
Some clients will delay a project without realizing they are
doing it. For example, they might start asking for additional
features that werent part of the original contract. Keep an account
of every work request and track your time during the project. That
way, when the client questions why the project is not on time, you
can run a report and politely show them the cause of the delay. If
you dont already have a tool for tracking time & tasks, sign up
for a free trial using Intervals.
Ultimately, your relationship with the client is the most
important factor for keeping a project on schedule. Assuming youve
established a good working relationship, these tips will keep a
client partnership healthy and keep your projects on time.
Check out the Intervals blog for more articles
The Intervals Blog
A collection of useful tips, tales and opinions based on decades
of collective experience designing and developing web sites and
web-based applications.
www.myintervals.com/blog
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