{"id":33355,"date":"2020-10-30T09:55:32","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T09:55:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.proprofs.com\/c\/?p=33355"},"modified":"2025-03-04T10:40:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T10:40:03","slug":"managing-project-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/managing-project-expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Project Expectations: How to Do It Right"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has it ever happened to you that even after working on a project with all your might, all you receive in the end is &#8211; client disappointment?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can be disheartening, especially when the final output is high quality and within the anticipated time and budget.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A situation like this can seem out of the blue if a project has been running smoothly since the start, with no specific complaints from the client.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then what probably could cause a client to be dissatisfied with the final result?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Mismatched and unrealistic expectations can be the possible reasons!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lofty expectations not conveyed in the beginning, or a difference in expectations can be the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/common-reasons-for-project-failure\/\">reasons for project failure<\/a> and a withered relationship between you and your client.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing project expectations at the very beginning is pivotal to project success. It keeps things crystal clear, with no scope of unnecessary assumptions at both ends.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting expectations right and managing them throughout the process is not as easy as it sounds. This blog explains everything about how to successfully manage project expectations from the start to finish.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s time to lead your project to success!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Expectations_Why_Are_They_Important\"><\/span><b>What Are Expectations &amp; Why Are They Important?&nbsp;<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expectations arise from assumptions or past experiences. It is human nature to make assumptions and have expectations with everything in life &#8211; our favorite restaurant, the <a href=\"https:\/\/getmason.io\/blog\/post\/5-strategies-to-optimize-your-ecommerce-merchandising\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow noopener\">eCommerce store<\/a> we frequently shop from, the nearby coffee shop, and the list goes on.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same logic applies to project management.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have certain expectations from a project, and your customers also carry various expectations when they select you for the project. Even a little mismatch between these expectations can result in:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increased confusion and misunderstanding<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decreased trust in each other<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wasted hours and reduced team productivity<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can hamper the project\u2019s performance, setting your project for failure. It is therefore important to set project management expectations right from the very beginning. When you know what your customer wants, and when the customer knows what you have promised, there will be no scope of disappointment or shocking surprises.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A simple act of setting expectations right <\/span><b>infuses transparency in the process and saves you from hassles and headaches later.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s now quickly look at some tried and tested ways to manage project expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"toc-nav\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div class=\"toc-head\"><strong>Table of contents<\/strong> [<span id=\"toc-status\" class=\"show-active\">Hide<\/span>]<\/div>\n<div class=\"toc-description\" style=\"display: block;\">\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#talk-to-your-clients\">Talk to Your Clients Before Project Planning<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#build-the-right-team\">Build the Right Team<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#communicate-regularly\">Communicate Regularly<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#do-not-overpromise\">Do Not Overpromise<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#be-honest\">Things Can Go Wrong at Times. Be Honest About Them<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#be-prepared-for-conflicts\">Be Prepared for Conflicts<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#set-milestones\">Set Milestones Accurately<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#schedule\">Create a Practical Schedule<\/a><br><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#guide-team\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guide Your Team&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Manage_Project_Expectations\"><\/span><b>How to Manage Project Expectations<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"talk-to-your-clients\"><b>1. Talk to Your Clients Before Project Planning<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018Do you know what annoys most of the time while working on projects?\u2019<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A continuous request for changes!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It happens when you don\u2019t discuss clients\u2019 expectations thoroughly before plunging into the planning phase. Consequently, there is a to-and-fro of emails regarding project changes, which, in turn, leads to frustration. It also puts a question mark on your credibility and influences your relationship with clients.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, it is crucial to discuss the expected deliverables and then move to the planning stage. It would keep last-minute changes at bay and help you meet or even exceed customer expectations if everything moves smoothly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In case you feel that clients have unrealistic project management expectations from you and your team, discuss it right away. <\/span><b>Be proactive and find common ground to avoid time sinks and wastage of resources.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will require you to be transparent during discussions and clearly convey your team\u2019s capability, availability of resources, and the output you can practically deliver.&nbsp; The more transparent you are, the easier it will be to create a win-win situation.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Read More<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/project-planning-guide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Step By Step Guide To Project Planning<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"build-the-right-team\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. <\/span><b>Build the Right Team<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A team can make or break a project. If you have the right members in your team, it can give a tremendous boost to your project performance. On the contrary, having an inexperienced or incompetent team can result in project breakdown.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right team manages client expectations well and gives you the confidence that the final deliverable will be awesome. So, be very careful while selecting members for your project team and assigning them responsibilities.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go back to the history of team members, look for their strengths and weaknesses to identify the right fit for your project and who have shown decent sincerity and diligence in previous projects. This will make team-building easier and better for you.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Break your project into small chunks and assign them to each team member. In case a task requires multiple members, assign it to only those who can work in a collaborative environment. Analyze how well they gel up with their colleagues and how inclined they are to work collectively before assigning the task.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few <\/span><b>hacks that might help you build the right team for your project<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose individuals who go along well with one another&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be sure about the strengths and weaknesses of all your team members&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explain job responsibilities thoroughly in the initial team meeting&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Convey goals and expectations right at the very beginning<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Read More:<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/manage-project-team\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Manage a Project Team: 6 Ways You Didn\u2019t Know Helped<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"communicate-regularly\"><b>3. Communicate Regularly<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don&#8217;t want assumptions and expectations to create unwanted chaos <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/project-execution-strategy\/\">during the project execution phase<\/a>, right?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To avoid that, it is essential to communicate often with your customers as well as your project team.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/project-management-communication-plan\/\">Communication starts at the planning stage<\/a> and should continue throughout all stages till the project is finally delivered. Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with customers after you have achieved a milestone. If meeting your client often is not possible, use emails or phone calls to convey the progress. Ask as many questions as you have, and even encourage the client to give suggestions on the achieved tasks.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure that you keep a record of every discussion with your client. An ideal way to do that is to <\/span><b>create &#8216;Minutes of Meeting&#8217; after every discussion <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and share it with your client and project team. In the end, if your client questions anything, you should have logical reasons for all the important decisions you took while working on the project.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communication is equally important when it comes to your project team. Whenever there is a development or any change in the current scheme of things, communicate clearly to your team.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have regular meetings with your team, or if you feel meetings eat up your time, emails are the best option. When all project members are on the same page, they are able to work collectively towards the project&#8217;s success.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In case it is a big project, and a lot of stakeholders are involved, a better option would be a project management tool like ProProfs Project. It makes project management and team collaboration extremely effortless. You can track and prioritize projects, share files, initiate discussions with your team &#8211; all on a single dashboard.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This video explains everything you should know about a project management tool.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NDQLnhNnFno\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b><i>Read Also:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/project-management-communication-plan\/\"><b>Why Is It Important to Have a Project Management Communication Plan in Place?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"do-not-overpromise\"><b>4. Do Not Overpromise<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be realistic and promise only what your team can deliver. If you over-promise certain things in excitement, it is your team who will have to bear the brunt and slog day and night to meet those unrealistic goals.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>This is not a healthy practice.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agree to only those goals which you feel your team is competent to deliver. Once you and your customer mutually agree on project goals, ensure that they are delivered on time and to exceptional standards.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good practice is to consult with your project team and take every member\u2019s suggestions before giving your consent to a deadline. Your team will do a major part of the work, so it is advisable to take their inputs before deciding the deadline.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making false promises to your customer is futile. It will only make customers question your credibility if the promises are not fulfilled. So, promise only what you can deliver well!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"be-honest\"><b>5. Things Can Go Wrong at Times. Be Honest About Them<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Projects are prone to risks, and the fact is you cannot help it. There will be times when things go haywire, and the situation seems out of control. There will be days when a little lag on your side may result in blunders.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does that mean you should suffer in silence and keep your customers and higher management in the dark?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Mistakes are inevitable.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is better to <\/span><b>accept them, convey them to the right stakeholders, find out a way to fix them, and move forward.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is nothing wrong with being honest about the mistakes. It will only fortify stakeholders\u2019 trust in you. They might show frustration initially, but they will also give you the time to rectify and continue with the project.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is true that mistakes slow down a project, but a bigger mistake will be not conveying the situation to your customer or your seniors. Sometimes, being honest and transparent opens other doors for you, which you didn\u2019t even know existed.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, if you communicate about the issue to your immediate senior, he or she might come up with a quick and practical solution you couldn\u2019t have thought of.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being honest in the initial stage prevents mistakes from aggravating further.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"be-prepared-for-conflicts\"><b>6. Be Prepared for Conflicts<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The members of your project team might be working on other projects too. They will have to manage time according to the urgency of tasks and project requirements.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where conflicts arise. Other project managers will want a member to put more time into a particular project, while you will want them to do the same for your project.<\/span><b> A conflicting situation like this can jeopardize <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/how-do-you-ensure-you-meet-your-project-deadlines\/\">project deadlines<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just because you are worried about the deadlines doesn\u2019t mean you should bombard your team members with loads of work. This would again be unhealthy both for your team and the project.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What you really need to do is understand the scenario. Talk to other project managers about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/top-practices-for-prioritizing-project\/\">project priorities<\/a> and timelines. Then, talk to your team about how much time they can dedicate to your project. Understand their workflow and be informed of the distractions they face due to other projects.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep all these things in mind, and come up with a pragmatic solution. Be systematic in your approach. Craft a strategy that allows your team to seamlessly switch between projects without affecting their performance.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"set-milestones\"><b>7. Set Milestones Accurately&nbsp;<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting the right milestones is imperative when you start working on a project.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They give clarity on how a project will progress and keep things transparent between both parties. Your clients can visualize the time each milestone will take and the path your project will follow, making it easier for them to give suggestions even before the actual work starts.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milestones also act as a <\/span><b>driving force for project members<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Your team members do not get overwhelmed when they see the entire project divided into easily-achievable milestones. Achieving one milestone makes your team confident about their abilities and keeps the project development on track.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meeting customer expectations gets a lot easier when your project, no matter how big or small, is divided into manageable milestones.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few tips that can help you with milestone setting:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify critical tasks on which project success depends and set them as milestones. Have a proper deadline for each task.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not label every task as a milestone.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time your milestones. Don\u2019t keep them too close to one another, as that will make the work burdensome for your team.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To set milestones and track their progress, consider using a decent project management tool that offers features like Shared Calendar and Gantt Charts. They help you set, manage, and track milestones on a single dashboard. You can easily check milestone progress and monitor who is working on which milestone &#8211; all from a single place.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"schedule\"><b>8. Create a Practical Schedule<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing project expectations is a breeze, provided you have a realistic schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last-minute hassles or making important changes at the twelfth hour can impact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/project-deliverables\/\">final deliverable<\/a>. If you want things to move at a smooth pace and some buffer time to make urgent changes, consider creating a practical schedule.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, if the deadline for a project is after five weeks, create the schedule for four weeks.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give your team a buffer of 1 week so that they can make final changes, finetune the project, and stay relaxed as the deadline nears. It is also possible that your team completes the project well before time, i.e., within four weeks.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If that happens, nothing like it. If not, they will still have enough time left to make final tweaks without being in a rush.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"guide-team\"><b>9. Guide Your Team<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expecting your team to meet project management expectations without proper guidance is unfair and can only lead to poor project performance.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soon as the project expectations are set, and deadlines are decided, pass this information to your team. Do rush to get started with the project. First, <\/span>have a briefing session with the team<b>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where you explain and discuss everything about the project in detail.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be honest and transparent about what kind of performance you expect from your team. Convey communication requirements, the kind of risks involved in the project, and the quality standards you personally want to achieve.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guide your team on how they are expected to work, collaborate, and communicate while working on the project. For instance, if you want a team member to send weekly reports to the client, convey it clearly during the meeting.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assign tasks and sub-tasks to each team member, initiate discussions to keep things transparent and give feedback on team performance regularly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ProProfs Project can help you achieve this. It allows you to divide your projects into tasks and sub-tasks, assign them to relevant team members, and get real-time updates on project progress.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manage_Project_Expectations_Get_Ready_for_a_Successful_Take_Off\"><\/span><b>Manage Project Expectations &amp; Get Ready for a Successful Take Off<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expectations are an inevitable part of a project&#8217;s progress and delivery. In fact, having certain expectations from a project is a good practice. It keeps you driven and focused throughout the project scope.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problem arises when expectations aren\u2019t managed well, or there is a significant mismatch between your and your clients\u2019 expectations. That is when the downfall begins, leading to dissatisfied stakeholders, demotivated teams, and a dent in your credibility.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can avoid this by doing some simple things right. Before you start working on a project, talk to your customers. Try to keep everything transparent. Show them what your team is adept at and what falls beyond the range of your team\u2019s capabilities. You should not over promise and under deliver. Make practical commitments that you are confident that your team can achieve.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set your project expectations right today to avoid confusion and misunderstandings in the future. Opt for ProProfs Project &amp; get ready for a successful take-off!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><b>Frequently Asked Questions<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4><b>What are the expectations of a project manager?<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customers expect project managers to deliver projects on time and with exceptional quality. They require a project manager to:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prevent time sinks<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/creating-a-project-budget\/\">Creating a project budget<\/a> under control<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Utilizing resources effectively&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mitigate risks<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be honest and transparent about project progress<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4><b>Is a project manager accountable or responsible?<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project manager is responsible for overall project delivery. He or she assigns tasks, communicates goals, and guides the team on how to work on different tasks. The top 3 responsibilities of a project manager are:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project planning and execution<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Completing projects within the promised time<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensuring high-quality deliverables<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing conflicts<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing project expectations<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4><b>What are some team expectations?<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some of the things that teams expect from their project managers:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clarity related to each assignment<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feedback after each achieved milestone<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proper guidance&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confidence and trust in the team<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular communication with the team<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work-life balance<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Has it ever happened to you that even after working on a project with all your might, all you receive in the end is &#8211; client disappointment?\u00a0 This can be disheartening, especially when the final output is high quality and within the anticipated time and budget.&nbsp; A situation like this can seem out of the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[22],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Project Expectations: A Driving Force Leads to Success<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you find it challenging to meet unrealistic project expectations? Learn how to set and manage project expectations in the right way.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/managing-project-expectations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Project Expectations: A Driving Force Leads to Success\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/managing-project-expectations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ProProfs Project Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-10-30T09:55:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-04T10:40:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.proprofsproject.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Setting-and-Managing-Project-Expectations-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"758\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"335\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Miller\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Project Expectations: A Driving Force Leads to Success","description":"Do you find it challenging to meet unrealistic project expectations? 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