Effective communication is very important for the success of any project to ensure minimum risks and successful completion of the project. Projects often ‘fail’ because we simply fail to clearly articulate the vision and the project’s success criteria. The vision must be effectively communicated to team members so the team is able to visualise the end result, in order to work towards a common goal.

Successful communication is about being there for everyone, being in touch with the challenges of the project, understanding who must deliver the project as well as being present, visible and engaged with everyone – during the good times and the challenging times.

Regular reporting of progress and benchmarks is crucial. The well known saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is no less true than when communicating project progress or status. Without strong communication it is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to effectively coordinate efforts in order to bring about a project’s successful resolution. 

If members of the project team do not know what their tasks are, or how to accomplish them, then the entire project will grind to a halt. The project can also be affected if the customer is not kept up to date of progress or does not spend the time in meetings; their expectations of the project will not be met and can cause conflict.

A lack of transparency will also eventually lead to inefficient, counterproductive decisions that will hinder the aims of the project. When team members are not aware of updates and the project’s progress, communication gaps arise. Not everyone needs access to everything but creating a culture of trust and transparency within the project team ensures that team members share their opinions and concerns and leads to a positive experience and a well delivered project.