A whole lot goes into creating a website, mobile product, web application, or any other project we embark on at Blue Flavor. There are also a lot of factors involved in measuring the success of a project: Does the project meet the client’s goals? Does it meet the user’s goals? Did the project come in under budget? Does it work in all browsers? Can the client update the site?
Each project has it’s own “secret sauce” you have to whip up to make it a success, so being flexible and open is a must. But despite the mixed variety of our work here at Blue Flavor, there’s one rule I always stick to: Set expectations, no matter what.
Setting expectations is the single biggest factor affecting the success of a project
What do I mean by setting expectations? It’s fairly simple: Clearly communicate everything your client can expect to either do or receive throughout the course of the project—They should know how they’re money is being spent. As well, let your team know exactly what’s expected of them, what they should be designing/building, etc.
Properly setting expectations will determine the success or failure of your project. If your team doesn’t have a clear vision of what they’re building, or if clients don’t have a clear understanding of what their getting, you’ll fail. If you build something the client doesn’t want or expect, it doesn’t matter how fantastic your work is or how quickly you get it done.
An example
Here’s a simple, hypothetical example of show how improperly setting expectations—even in a seemingly small way—can make a great project go terribly awry.
Let’s say Widget Co. comes to you looking to redesign their website. They say they need a brochure-type site with a blog, some photo integration, and a design that sets them apart from their competition. It sounds like a great gig, so you sign the contract and begin work. You do a few wireframes and some design comps in photoshop, and they choose one they like. So you build out the templates, integrate it into a CMS, and everyone is happy—right?
Well, if you’re extremely lucky yes, they’ll be happy. But this is unlikely. Say the client comes back wanting to use Flickr photos instead of uploading them manually. And they actually want to update their product prices and maybe even sell them, but this CMS doesn’t do that. And you didn’t design any pages for the e-commerce portion of the site. All of a sudden that fantastic design your client loved isn’t so great anymore. What went wrong?
It’s simple: Expectations weren’t set.
Being diligent up front
Setting expectations isn’t difficult or mysterious, but it does take time and discipline. You can’t make many assumptions, and you need to be crystal clear with the client about what they’ll be getting, up front.
Before a project even starts, I send the client a job estimate that gives a rough cut of what services we’ll provide. Once they’ve seen that, I send the them a job order outlining the project that clearly defines each step in the process and what deliverables the client will receive in each phase. I encourage the client to look over the job order closely and to ask questions if they don’t understand something.
I used to think going slowly during this phase was tedious, as both parties are always eager to start at the beginning. They inevitably have a short timeline and your team could use the work, so it’s tempting to rush to start. Don’t. You need to take this time to clarify unknowns and draw out hidden objectives—like Widget Co. needing product management.
Being consistent
Setting expectations doesn’t end at the job order phase. It’s a constant communication process. The project may change slightly, or you might find a better way to do something. If the change is significant enough, you might have to modify the job order. Just be sure to let the client know if the scope changes.
I send a weekly update to clients whose projects I’m managing. I encourage them to ask questions, but I also try to draw on common questions and past experiences to anticipate their needs. Oh, and I also make sure everyone is clear about what’s next, and that they have everything they need.
Setting expectations is not complicated, but you have to be consistent. Otherwise, people’s perceptions will change and they’ll be disappointed when then they receive deliverables. My advice? Do the easy stuff consistently and the hard stuff well, and you’re almost guaranteed to have happy clients and successful projects.
Well-said!
I’m a big fan of the regular update email and explaining functionality, etc. When clients (or product owners) feel like their input’s been considered, the drama levels drop significantly.
Good write-up. Especially when it comes down to technical stuff it’s extremely important to explain everything as clear as possible up front. With non-technical people that can be difficult.
For example, when you build in a CMS, you have to explain exactly what can be changed and what not. Sometimes a client will expect to be able to completely update every image, piece of text and design element by copy-pasting something from Word or something.
They should know how their money is being spent. Not they’re money!!!