Most importantly, remember that where there’s a problem, there’s always a solution. What are the underlying issues that can cause miscommunication between a development team and a client? Most of them can be roughly divided into three sub-issues:Īfter we’ve identified these three directions, it will be easier to understand what exactly clients can do to become better at setting tasks to the development teams they work with, saving time, money, and energy. Let’s take a closer look at what’s going on. And, of course, we waste a lot of time explaining requirements again and again. Which leads to exceeded budgets and broken deadlines (which can also lead to penal fines). However, we all have to face the fact that miscommunicated goals can lead to stress and tension within the development team while wrongly or irrationally set tasks often require more effort (and money) to be completed. Either the Product Owner isn’t even aware of problems in communicating tasks, or this complicated process is the usual way they conduct business. If this is the case, two scenarios are possible. This, however, doesn’t always happen as it’s supposed to. Their main task is to keep all the features requested by the business side in one place and to communicate product requirements to the developers. Product Owners are supposed to be the link between the business side and the development team. Sometimes, Product Owners simply don’t play their role to the fullest. Even experienced business people occasionally fall victim to bureaucracy and extended hierarchy. Sadly, there are business people, Product Owners or Business Analysts who write tasks for the development teams and don’t even know they have a communication problem. Causes and Consequences of Miscommunication According to the Project Management Institute’s data, unsuccessful communication causes one out of five projects to fail. The truth is miscommunication in setting tasks is a bigger problem than we thought. If you set the tasks right, if speak clearly and logically, your watch, I mean, your team will serve you well and loyal for years to come. And communication is what helps grease the wheels in the human mechanism. It’s a bit more complicated with people, but the principle is the same. In order for the watch to function properly, all parts should be in their right places, fulfilling their roles. If you think of the development team as a precious watch, each member is a valuable part. On top of it, c ommunicating the value of a certain task or the whole product right away will improve team spirit and motivation. Also, if everyone understands what their role is, and what part of the product they are developing, it will be easier to put these parts together, when the time comes. Clear, transparent tasks are easier to understand, which means that the team can start working sooner and not waste a lot of time asking questions in the process. But the most important is the way the initial tasks are communicated. The outcomes of the team member’s joint efforts depend on how well they can discuss parts of the process, ideas and suggestions. Pitfalls Of Wrongly Set TasksĬommunication within any team is one of its strongest pillars. And, as a result, the development team I work with is ready to work more efficiently than ever. But, after more than three years of working on projects of all levels of complexity, I’ve developed some special organizing skills and an in-depth know-how of working in a team. There’s a saying that goes “Go I know not whither and fetch I know not what” and usually, mostly ironically, this describes a poorly set task – something that we all know too well and had to suffer through more than once.
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