Project Communications; Most Critical Up Front

The early stages of a project, when the team is being assembled and the project infrastructure is being set up, is a crucial time for stakeholder relations. All too often, a project takes weeks or months before the infrastructure is in place and the heavy communication begins. By then, many of the project stakeholders are already disillusioned or lose interest, thinking that nothing has been happening. Same for the team at large.

Early in a project is indeed the most critical time to communicate heavily, even before things are fully set up. First impressions are everything, and if communication happens early and often, it will appear that the project manager is fully in charge and things are under control.