In recent weeks I have spent a lot of time communicating back and forth with some of our clients who are in the “thick of it” as project deadlines approach. As mentioned before here, a good deal of our internal processes revolve around web based collaboration tools, but sometimes picking up the phone to touch base is simply the best way to keep the wheels greased.

The key to these conversations is another topic we’ve touched on before, open and honest communication. In short, being transparent and “communicating obsessively” makes all the difference when you get down to crunch time on a project.

Here are the steps we take to make sure we remain transparent during the busy times when development workloads can sometimes push standard communication practices down in priority.

• Our client managers take the lead on providing daily Basecamp posts that detail the day’s plan in the morning and recap accomplishments at the end of the day.
• We also push individual developers to provide detailed comments within the clients chosen ticketing system whether it be Sifter, Lighthouse, Pivotal Tracker, or Jira so that clients have a better wide view of the project’s velocity.
• Whether through Skype or IM, we like to provide the option for quick chats a few times a week to discuss paint points, breakthroughs, or feedback.
• Finally, we have the actual voice or video chat where we set an agenda, discuss the broad points down to the fine details. These can happen weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, and allow everyone to say exactly what they mean to the whole group.

If you’ve got your own thoughts on how best to keep the lines of communication open and transparent on your own projects, we’d love to hear them. We’re always looking to improve our efficiency and learn from our partners.