Voici comment vous pouvez favoriser une communication efficace avec les clients et les parties prenantes dans les projets d’ingénierie.

Where are you in the supply chain of deciding organizational culture journey? Do you own teams that need to manage clients & stakeholders, at different levels? Have they blended themselves in the journey, so that such managing creates harmony in planning & actions? Keep an eye on this. OK, let's think a different situation: You need to advise or give inputs to your management on how your orgn is handling the job of "understanding the needs & expectations" of your customers. Make sure that your inputs are realistic and you bring the challenges to their attn in a compelling manner. Much of success in this front depends on your mindset to see interested parties as customers first, no matter what is their interface with your orgn.

Grasping the needs and expectations of clients and stakeholders is crucial for effective communication. Start by actively engaging with their concerns, goals, and requirements. This enables you to develop a communication strategy that resonates with their specific interests. Different stakeholders have unique priorities; for example, clients may prioritize budget efficiency, while end-users might focus on product functionality. By acknowledging these varied perspectives, you ensure your messages are relevant and address the core issues for each group. This customized approach not only fosters stronger relationships but also enhances project outcomes by aligning with the distinct expectations of all stakeholders involved.

The most important thing is to be transparent while talking to him. You can send them the exact status or ask them the right questions at the right time. It helps us build a long-term relationship with the client.

Effective communication with clients and stakeholders is fundamental in engineering projects, because each group has distinct perspectives and priorities. Whether you're interacting with PMs, Engineers or customers, recognizing and addressing their unique concerns is key to successful collaboration. PMs typically focus on timelines, resource and deliverables; Engineers are often more concerned with the feasibility of solutions; Customers are primarily interested in how the project will meet their needs and impact their business operations. For all groups, active listening is crucial. This not only helps in providing relevant information but also builds trusts, showing that you value their input and are committed to meet their needs.

The first thumb rule for effective communication is to start by active listening. It helps understand the needs of the clients or stakeholders. It will also help to form the strategy with various perspectives coming from stakeholders. It is also important to set the right expectations and setting a correct line/channel of open communication. Transparency builds the foundation of trust and helps maintain the boundaries set while setting up communication plans and expectations. Regular and timely updates is also something to take care.

Set expectations, taking into account RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES, COMPETENCE GAPS, and trend analyses of COST & TIME OVERRUN. Setting expectations need to be an internal brainstorming, between the Project stakeholders, who are in the design, development/construction, and delivery side. If it is possible, bring in the Customer's Representatives as well, for specific brainstorming huddles. Some projects fail to meet expectations, possibly due to arbitrary fixing of targets and deliverable, without taking into account ground realities that should have got scopped into the project itself, and the later-day finetuning, based on Targets vs Achievements, in quantifiable terms. Yes, pre-defined COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE & PROCESSES hold the key.

Desde o início do projeto, defina claramente os objetivos, expectativas e responsabilidades de todos os envolvidos. Utilize reuniões iniciais para alinhar as expectativas e garantir que todos estejam na mesma página. Em um projeto de construção de um complexo habitacional, realizamos uma reunião inicial com todos os stakeholders, incluindo clientes, fornecedores e a equipe interna. Criamos um documento de escopo detalhado que especificava os objetivos, cronogramas e expectativas de qualidade, evitando assim mal-entendidos futuros.

The critical item I see missing from this section is the need to identify all stakeholders and dependencies early. It can be a real problem to realize that you need input or contributions from a group that you missed in your initial gathering of project participants, or that your project effects a group of end users who may not have any implementation role but whose acceptance is critical to project success. Dependencies makes explicit that group B can or cannot complete their tasks until tasks 1, 2, and 3 are done. A project manager cannot establish accountability if the accountable group is dependent on the actions of others in order to get started.

Basically setting clear expectations helps ensure that everyone involved has a uniform understanding of the goals and their roles. Such alignment would be crucial for future coordinating effort and efficiently driving the project toward completion.

It's important to recognize when the expectations that are set with clients are not doable. Be honest if you believe it may take more time or resources to complete a project. Don't set unrealistic expectations, and be prepared to explore the possibility of "If we fail this expectation, what is our next step?"

I consult with dozens of organizations at any given time. The single biggest emerging problem I see is the overproliferation of communication channels. Work is done on an ad hoc basis across email, meetings, Teams (some companies have multiple chat tools), Intranet platforms, and computer shared drives with yet more on Sharepoint. It creates an environment where employees don't necessarily know where the correct and/or most up-to-date information resides. As a 2023 Harris poll confirms: 86% of employees say that ineffective communication and lack of collaboration are the main causes of workplace failures. So yes, select your channel of record and put discipline in place to maintain it.

Consistency is key, and your communication with stakeholders should be regular and predictable. This is important to ensure your stakeholders receive timely updates about the project — and to build confidence that you will continue to show up. Tools for Proposes The choice of Communication method ,Tools should be on Stakeholders Management Plan in it You knew your stakeholders as well their choices

Identifying the optimal resources for effective communication with clients and stakeholders is mandatory. Start by actively listening to their concerns, objectives, and requirements. This enables you to select the most suitable approaches to address their specific interests. Different stakeholders have unique priorities; for instance, clients may be focused on budget constraints, while end-users might prioritize functionality. By acknowledging these differences, you ensure your communication methods are relevant and meet their expectations. Employing the right resources can help prevent misunderstandings, foster trust, and enhance the overall success of the project by ensuring that all parties are aligned and informed.

It is important not to start with tools. The mistake is often made that communication is set by choosing tools. A tool is important for transparency, for example a ticketing tool. But for effective communication, it is important to set up regular synchronizing meetings, then a channel with clear rules for communication, so that there is no chaos.

Choose the tools that work best for you and get the job done. Everyone is different and you know your own communication style the best. For me, I prefer simplicity and will get bogged down if there are too many details. In the past, I've used a spreadsheet of all my projects and their contacts, and will have a macro so I can produce a report quickly if I needed to communicate with a client.

However, it should be defined who is not supposed to receive certain information, either because classified or commercially sensible or else.

It is easy to say "Be Transparent," but you must make it easy for people by making it safe. Cultures that are blame focused or fear driven will not find it so easy to encourage the kind of transparency that creates efficiencies, drives innovation, and establishes an environment where it is safe to take risks and learn from them. How do you make it safe for people? It starts by being transparent yourself and willing to admit your own mistakes. If you think you don't make mistakes... well, you've got a problem that I can't fix. Beyond that, it's very important to reward those individuals and functions that admit they are behind schedule or ran into unanticipated challenges or just generally need help.

Estabelecer canais de comunicação claros desde o início do projeto é fundamental. Defina como as informações serão compartilhadas e quais ferramentas de comunicação serão usadas. No meu caso, em um projeto de construção de uma ponte, usamos uma combinação de reuniões presenciais, e-mails e uma plataforma de gerenciamento de projetos para manter todos informados. Isso garantiu que as atualizações fossem centralizadas e acessíveis a todos os envolvidos.

Being transparent is a powerful tool. This is essential to keep a trust build among many stakeholders like the team, the client and other indirect stakeholders. Trust comes when the communication is clear and transparent. There shouldn't be if and but when we communicate. If we can't do, let's say no as it quickly helps to mitigate the risk and explore alternatives ways without wasting the time. Always have a transparency communication with the actual data points presented. Let's avoid showing watermelon (usually outside all green, but inside it's red and burning) Always try to minimize the maximum damages with the real data and timely risk mitigation.

Announcing delays or plan changes to a stakeholder can be devastating to them, and down the line, to you. But you *have to* communicate them. Here are a few tips to remember in this delicate communication: - Don't hide anything on purpose. - Give information that is relevant and actionable. - Don't be vague. - Agree how far ahead of a deadline it can still be shifted and where the point of no return is. Examples: "Timmy is sick so maybe we won't make the deadline tomorrow" - Very late communication. You don't move a deadline the day before. - Who's Timmy? Should I go get some medicine for them? What should I do with this information? - When will the project be done if not tomorrow? - "maybe" is vague Very very bad communication.

For successful collaboration with clients and stakeholders, achieving effective communication is essential. This means a continuous, two-way exchange of information. We must share information openly, actively solicit feedback, and demonstrate that feedback is valued by acting on it. Regularly encouraging feedback fosters trust and transparency, which are vital for building long-term relationships and delivering successful projects

Solicitar e valorizar o feedback dos clientes e partes interessadas ajuda a garantir que suas expectativas estão sendo atendidas. Em um projeto de construção de um centro comercial, implementamos uma política de feedback contínuo onde os stakeholders podiam enviar suas preocupações ou sugestões a qualquer momento. Esse feedback foi fundamental para ajustar o projeto em tempo real e garantir a satisfação de todos os envolvidos.

The more you normalize feedback, the easier it becomes. Sometimes, you need to be the one to make the first step and ask "What can I do to better this project right now?"

Encourage feedback from clients and stakeholders to foster effective communication in engineering projects. Regularly ask for input at various stages to gauge their satisfaction and gather valuable insights. Show that you value their opinions by creating an environment where feedback is welcomed and acted upon. Always be open to constructive criticism, as it can lead to better-informed decisions and improved project outcomes. This approach not only helps in refining the project but also demonstrates respect for their perspectives, strengthening the relationship and building trust.

You never get a technical implementation of a feature right on the first try. Iteration is key. In order to iterate properly, you need feedback. This is the basic premise. When you specify a feature, or an addition to a feature, ask yourself up front. What kind of feedback do I expect to get from this change? In this early phase of development, you have all the information on your fingertips already and you are in the state of mind to ask this question. Write it down. Make sure there is a question to be asked. If you cannot figure out what the stakeholder or customer could say about your feature. Don't build it, it's clearly a dead end.

Records to be retained should be agreed in writing in a "communication plan" prepared by and agreed among all involved stakeholders.

In corporate environments, this is often a hard requirement and can be tedious. In start-ups, this is often nowhere to be seen. It's a hallmark of the organizations maturity. As a manager, you will be blown off the ship at the first sign of a storm unless you do this. The most basic thing is to always write down your own notes. In all meetings. 5 min before the meeting ends, if you are not already talking about next steps, initiate that conversation. Agree on what has been said and the next steps. There may not be enough time, so email your notes to all participants. Those notes are now what you agreed on per se. If two people kept notes, insist both should be shared in an email to all.

Adapt your communication style to suit the technical proficiency of different stakeholders. For a project involving both technical engineers and business executives, I prepared detailed technical briefs for engineers and high-level summaries for executives. Tailoring communication ensures that each stakeholder receives the appropriate level of detail. Establish mechanisms for regular feedback from stakeholders. I introduced a feedback form after each project milestone, which allowed clients to provide input on the project's direction and their satisfaction. Implementing feedback loops ensures continuous improvement and stakeholder satisfaction.

Another important item to consider in this subject is to follow up and close the loop with stakeholders. Examples could include tangible action items taken by the engineering manager themselves with a specific date stemming out of a review or a meeting; and could also be some quick information they didn’t have on the spot. Following up and closing the loop builds trust amongst stakeholders.

All the above points should find space in a "communication plan" where detailing at least the following: - who the stakeholders are - what the expectations are - who is in charge for what - what type of communications are considered official and what should be avoided - what records to maintain and what and when to archive them - how to deal with changes and non-conformacies, if not defined elsewhere.

Let's say that your firm is tasked with designing and constructing a sustainable residential complex. During the design phase, the future residents expressed concerns about the proposed green spaces and recreational facilities. Response from the firm should be organizing dedicated workshops with the future residents and the landscape architects. The outcome may be based on resident feedback, the design was adjusted to include more green spaces and a community garden and the same can be communicated to all the stakeholders in a progress report, highlighting the firm’s commitment to stakeholder input. So the impact of having proactive engagement and transparent communication enhances stakeholders satisfaction.