Client Collaboration: How Much is Too Much?

Collaboration is great… to a point.

Too much collaboration can be detrimental to the success of a project.  Whether you’ve been hired by a client to execute a website, a marketing campaign, paint a portrait or remodel a kitchen, too much input from your client will slow the process and likely eliminate any chance at delivering a great product in the end.

Consider the last time you hired an electrician to install or repair something in your home.  The process probably worked something like this:

1. The electrician is selected based on a recommendation or a proposal/estimate process.
2. You and the electrician work together to identify the work that needs to be done.  For example, you explain that you would like four recessed light fixtures installed on a dimmer switch above the kitchen counter.
3. The electrician acknowledges what needs to be done and goes to work; cutting holes into the ceiling, rewiring existing electrical work, installing the lights and testing them.

That’s pretty much it. Step two (the discovery phase) is really the only collaborative part of this process.  A good electrician (or any contractor) will check in with the client to communicate their progress, but they are not asking for constant client approval as they execute the work.  The client shouldn’t be standing in the kitchen second guessing which wires need to go where because they hired an expert to do the job. If you hire an electrician who is frequently asking your advice on wiring, amperage and voltage, you ought to reconsider whether you’ve really hired a competent electrician.

Remember – communication and collaboration are two different things!  Keep the lines of communication open with your clients; tell them what you’re working on and why, but avoid seeking constant feedback and input.  Soliciting client feedback too often will have them wondering who the expert really is, and you certainly do not want a client who thinks that they know more than you about the project you were hired to do.  You are the expert.

To further illustrate how too much collaboration can detract from the end product check out this video that made the rounds recently.  If you haven’t seen it, it’s an excellent example of how too much client collaboration (even the most well intentioned) can derail any project.

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