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A client from Austin said my project updates were too vague and now I send a 3-line summary with the next step and a clear deadline every Friday.
Has anyone else found a simple update format that keeps clients from micromanaging?
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tara_palmer5mo ago
Charles is totally right. I learned that the hard way with a client who just wanted more excuses to nitpick.
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charlesowens5mo ago
Your method just trains them to expect a weekly ping. Vague updates are a symptom, not the problem. The real issue is a lack of trust built into the working relationship. A three line summary won't fix that, it just gives them a new schedule to hassle you about. You need to set clear rules from the start about how and when you communicate progress.
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ward.piper4mo ago
Three lines every Friday is solid. I started doing a one-line status and one-line next step at the end of each day after a client group texted me at 9pm asking if a bathroom was done. @tara_palmer is right that some people just want to find stuff to complain about, but a tight, predictable update shuts that down fast. I keep it to "what was finished today" and "what gets done tomorrow morning" with no fluff. If they ask for more detail, I just repeat the same format and say I'll include it in the next update.
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