Your client's feedback conflicts with the project scope. How do you navigate this challenging situation?

When customer feedback conflicts with the project scope, it is important to approach the situation with diplomacy, clarity and solution orientation. Here are some steps to It is important to collect all the information: - Carefully review client feedback to understand exactly how it conflicts with the original project scope. - Review project documents, such as the scope statement, requirements and contract, to confirm what was agreed upon at the outset. Addressing a conflict between client feedback and project scope requires careful and balanced management to ensure both parties are satisfied without compromising the quality of work or meeting contractual terms.

When a client’s feedback doesn’t align with the project scope, it’s important to handle the situation carefully. First, acknowledge their concerns to show you value their input. Then, take time to review the feedback and assess how it fits with the project’s goals. Communicate clearly with the client, explaining how their feedback differs from the original scope and why that matters. Engage them in a discussion to explore alternatives that address their concerns without compromising the project’s objectives. This approach ensures the project stays on track while also maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship with the client.

Keep an open mind on the feedback and always approach it first as if it was you in their shoes. In the past if I failed to do this I would often see feedback as a threat to the work I was doing and this would lead to a closed off mindset where I was unable to effectively evaluate what was being said. This is important because when the feedback is clearly not possible then you will be better able to explain why as you've already tried your best to see things through the clients eyes.

A prioritisation matrix helps evaluate client feedback based on factors like impact, feasibility, and alignment with project goals. By systematically assessing the feedback, you can make informed decisions about which elements to integrate into the project, maintaining flexibility without compromising on critical deliverables. During a network expansion project, the client requested several new features mid-project. I introduced a prioritisation matrix to evaluate these requests based on their business value, resource demands, and potential impact on the timeline. This tool allowed us to prioritise high-impact changes and defer less critical ones, keeping the project flexible yet focused.