On Clients and Scope Creep

“What obstacles do project managers face to successful completion of an Information Technology project?”

Technology strategy leader: private equity fund

The biggest obstacles I encounter in implementing technology projects are

1) client commitment to participating in the project definition process and
2) change in scope along the way, which is always caused by #1.

These obstacles can be avoided through frank and up-front discussion with the client of worst case scenarios and establishment of firm milestones that track a project progress.

If the client isn't participating (skips or cancels meetings or progress reviews, refusals to make decisions to guide the project), it's time to let the client know that they are causing the project to slip and make it clear what they need to do to get it back on track.

None of this is easy -- it takes lots an lots of open, honest communication to make a project a success.

MüTō Observation:

The ability to Communicate clearly to everyone on a project, the ability to Motivate a proejct team to hold the project MOST important, and the ability of a project manager to hold all the parties of a project accountable, are tantamount to a project manager's successful completion of a project.