Communicating with your Project Manager

Communicating with your Project Manager

Susan Fennema and I just finished our 4th Facebook live video on Project Management:  Communicating with your Project Management.

In this video we talk about communicating with your project manager and cover the following topics (and more, of course):

[embed]https://youtu.be/Jfg87GCqAAk[/embed]

What information does a project manager need from a developer?

• When you will be working on the project


• When you have questions for the client


• When will you not be available (other projects, other clients, vacations)


• How do you like to work (2-3 hour blocks? all-day blocks?)


• Best means of communication (email, Slack, project management tool)


• When something unexpected comes up


• Document client communications/changes

The PM is responsible for scope, budget, and time. What is the developer's role in those same things?

• Be clear how long will each task take you


• Be responsible for understanding the scope


• Let PM know when  the client asked for something that is not in scope


• When you expect to be finished ("done done") with specific tasks

The biggest takeaway is not a big secret:  keep lines of communication open and the information flowing freely.  Doing so will make your job a subcontractor (or employee) much easier and more rewarding.

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If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.

Lao Tzu