Manage with contracts to improve your project success. Define scope and roles clearly. Putting a lot of the project work out to contract is one way, with the benefit of being able to control the schedule and cost by applying contract terms. Or contract internally.
Projects often fail because the project team members are not clear on their roles and responsibilities. Make sure your project team members know what they are supposed to do with defined roles, clear role descriptions and briefs of what they should be doing.
Ensure your request for offer and also your offer documents list a single contact person for contacting for further details or clarifications.
Do what you say you will do, and do it when you said you will do it. Report to the client regularly and clearly. Keeping people informed significantly reduces project problems. Be reliable.
Avoid problems later by checking early in the project who is responsible for what aspect of the project and who has authority to approve what. Document this.
Due dates are often not set clearly. Be specific with time based language. Specify the date and time something is due. This will reduce misunderstandings on when things are due.
Delays on projects are very common. Record the reasons for all project delays. Notify your client of delays in the project schedule as soon as possible, whether the delay is the clients fault or not.
Booking last minute meetings causes distraction, delays projects, slows people’s work, and doesn’t encourage good attendance. Schedule meetings with as much advance notice as possible.
Make your project definitions and acronym meanings very clear. Put them in an easy to find and easily accessible location for the project team.
Meetings take time. Being prepared for meetings as the organiser, and as an attendee, saves time in meetings and makes them more productive. It is also much more professional.