This post is an excerpt of our Guide to Project Planning. Get it now to get more information on how to create a great project planning.
7 steps to present a project.
It’s important to make sure that your client and product owners understand everything you have discussed when you work together on a project. Your clients may not be familiar or comfortable with your process and deliverables. This is your chance to educate them.
To review the project plan, make sure you schedule a meeting or call. Before you get into the details of your plan, make sure to share it with your client. This will allow them to see the team’s progress at a high level. It’s easy to share a view-only link to your gantt chart in TeamGantt if you want to send the timeline to clients in advance.
You can be sure they will be confused by the information they are looking at so take the time to go through it line-by-line. Although it may seem painful, this is an important step to ensure you are in agreement on everything. Not only the timing but also how you will deliver the final product. This is your chance to educate your client about your plan and set clear expectations for your project.
These are the steps we recommend when presenting your project plan for a client.
1. Describe your project management process
Describe your overall project management approach and how you came up with it as a team. You can explain how it worked on past projects or why you are trying something new. No matter what, you must stand behind your approach and be confident in its potential for project success.
2. Examine the deliverables of the project
You will need to review the deliverables and other details to ensure that your project is completed on time. It is important to clearly explain the work required to complete a deliverable, and why it will take you the time you have allotted. Clients won’t be pressured to meet unrealistic deadlines if you can clearly explain the details now. Your client will be able to see the tasks in your plan and understand how much work is being done.
Your client might have questions while reviewing your plan. This is great as it shows that they are engaged in the process, and look forward to the team’s deliverables!
If possible, share similar documents and deliverables from other projects. Explain what they are intended to do (and how they relate to other project deliverables.
It’s easier to win clients over when you educate them early on. A client who is invested in your work and understands it well is more than a client. They are a partner.
The easiest way to create a project plan
In just 10 minutes, you can create a beautiful project plan. You can switch between gantt and calendar views with a single click.
Get your free planGain purchase-in for your plan easier
You can keep everyone on the same page about timelines, goals, priorities, and impress your clients by creating a beautiful plan that is easy to understand and use. In just 10 minutes, you can create your plan!
Get your free plan Set expectations for project feedback.
You’ve probably included estimates in your plan that were based on how long your clients will need for you to review your work together and give feedback. You will know how much time your clients need if you have had discussions with them early in the process. This is your chance for you to refer back to the conversation with your clients so that they know when deliverable review processes will take place.
You’ll need to adjust if this is not the case. You want to be realistic about the project’s outcome at this point. There is nothing worse than changing the review process or the people involved midstream in a project. This should be explained to your clients.
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