Three challenges:
- overall programme administration (collection of data: resource utilisation, progress monitoring, traceability, governance minutes)
- programme management (RAID, planning/re-planning, vendor liaison)
- stakeholder communications.
Starting wider stakeholder communications early in a programme pays for itself during the programme lifetime. Always better to hear from other parties early in the game rather than discover some significant “unknown” as deadlines approach.
Where possible, assign someone from the business/stakeholder team. Otherwise, an articulate Subject Matter Expert. Even with the best communicator and the most knowledgeable presenter, it is important to manage the message. A little, often. Keep within the scope of imminent delivery. Allow for feedback.
Quick wins, communicated in advance and delivered in a timely manner will gain buy-in from the beneficiaries and greater commitment to the promise of the next phase. Long periods of radio silence and/or late or “light” deliveries undermine goodwill.
Communication with stakeholders is not a broadcast activity. Make it interactive and make sure that the feedback is indeed fed back to the project teams and sponsors and revisited on the next session.
