Client engagement can play an important part in the success or failure of a custom project. Communication, keeping the client in the loop from the brief to delivery, is key.
But how and when do you communicate with your client, and how do you make your interactions meaningful, without wasting your or your client’s precious time? Here are a few ideas about how to make the project experience as happy as possible for everyone involved.
1. Scope Of The Project
Communication with the client needs to be clear even before the project gets underway. You should meet with the client to scope deliverables. Get a clear idea of what the client’s requirements are, as well as any limitations imposed on the project, including deadlines.
If the client has any guidelines, read over them thoroughly so that you know what exactly the project’s specifications are. Ask the client for any existing materials that could help you develop the eLearning. Old face-to-face workshop manuscripts, previous instances of the eLearning, or policy documents and notes could all assist and inspire you – or, in some cases, let you know what you should avoid doing – in your own work for the client.
2. Set Expectations
Sometimes the client’s ideas for the project are unsuitable. It’s no good designing something for the Edge if the client only uses IE8. And if the client uses IE8, let them know whether their vision for the project – have they requested all-singing, all-dancing mobile-responsive gamified animations with clickable icons? – won’t function within the specifications they provided. Work with your client to find a practical alternative.
3. Storyboard The Project
Give the client options for how the eLearning will look and feel. A storyboard should be a rough approximation of the product; it’s not the final product itself.
A good storyboard will help the client visualise the direction of the project and select a path for how to proceed. You may have your own preferred option among the possibilities you propose. A storyboard gives you the opportunity to explain and justify your preference before you give the client the ultimate responsibility for the decision.
4. Tap The Client’s Knowledge
Chances are, someone within your client’s organisation is a Subject Matter Expert on the topic at hand. Find this person. Make it your business to harness his or her practical knowledge.
Ask your client to assign someone to be the single point of contact who can provide feedback on your work as the project progresses. Ideally, this person will not just be a Project Manager but someone with genuine knowledge of the topic who can advise you on the content, as well as keep the project moving. This person could save you a lot of time and pain by steering content development in the right direction.
5. Give Yourself And Your Client Some Flexibility
Sometimes you may not receive client feedback the way you want, when you want. For whatever reason, your eLearning project may not be their immediate priority. Or perhaps they’re just not great at communication. Ideally, the client will coordinate and deliver all its feedback at the designated time within your mutually agreed-upon schedule in one go. But it doesn’t always pan out this way.
Try to build buffers into your schedule, both for you and your client, so that you can accommodate any client feedback that may come at inopportune times. Give yourself and the client time to conduct quality assurance testing. Notify your client of any problems or challenges on the horizon, so you can collaborate on resolutions together.
That’s what a custom content project should be, a collaboration between you and your client, from start to finish.