Miscommunication is one of the most single contributing factors in vendor breakups. One analogy we like to use is that you are talking to someone about a clementine. They think you are talking about an orange, but in reality, what the two of you need to create is a grapefruit. Replace fruits with building a website, and you have project miscommunication. Here are a few tips we hope you may find helpful in avoiding project miscommunication.
Invest the time in making a picture
The first tip would be to invest the time in making a detailed wireframe and or mockup. A good wireframe does wonders as it ensures that everyone can be on the same page. Wireframes will always show more about the project than any written document would. Even something as rough as a drawing on a napkin will do wonders.
By using tools like Adobe XD or InVision, you can easily show how features are supposed to interact. This is crucial because it allows developers to think about how such interactions will work with your technology, allows UX to better tweak and test experiences, and provides a launchpad for the team to identify and communicate potential issues.
Priorities Deliverables
The first rule everyone must accept is that nothing will ever be perfect. Regardless of the project, there will always be something no one thought of or could have predicted. With that assumption, the next tip would be to prioritize deliveries in the design phase.
The benefit of this approach is that when push comes to shove, everyone knows the must-haves and the nice-to-haves. It allows you to better organize the project into more manageable tasks, ensuring that you will deliver a more sound product.
Keep the tasks simple
Finally, would be to keep things simple. Regardless of how big the project may be, it’s critical that everything is broken down into its most simple form. This goes from technical requirements to even design, by keeping things simple and concise will ensure that every deliverable is met without confusion and limited miscommunication.
Wrapping it up
In the end, while project miscommunication is inevitable, there are ways to better mitigate them. So, if you find yourself in such a situation, try implementing some of these tips and hopefully they help you and your team out.
Need advice on how to best avoid miscommunication with your vendor? Let’s connect and we will be happy to help you and your team out.