The client of the project

Every project has to has some kind of order from a client at the start. The projectmanager needs to get a clear idea of what the goal and scope of the project is. The final result of the project has to be presented to the client and both manager and client have to get a clear vision of what that result suppose to be in the first place. The rol of the client must not be underestemated, because it has great inpact on the projectmanagement and the outcome of the whole process.

The role of the client in projectmanagement

In the theories of projectmanagement the client must be able to play a certan role and to be accesable during the project for a vital flow and a clear result. A good client basically is responable for:

Making important decisions.
Creating clarity of the goals.
Creating a solid base (in an organisation) for the project.
Monitor the objectives and the proces.
Giving the projectbudget.

Furthermore a client must:

Find the project important (no delegated client who really doesn't want to have the job done)
Have a clear vision of the nead for the project.
Be willing to have meetings and interviews with the projectmanager and the projectteam.

With a reliable and good client, the inviroment of the project, the goals, vision, and the project as a whole should be clearer and results are likely to be more successful.

Clients in projectteams?

We like to point out that if you set-up you project well, the client never is a teammember of the projectteam itself. Projectmanagement is done by the team responsible for the result, with the projectmanager as the leader. The client is there just to give you the right directions, make disicions and giving you the budget and time that the project needs. As a projectmanager you should know that you can never hold the client responsable for specific tasks within the project.

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