Here's how you can excel in communicating with clients and managing their expectations as a systems engineer.

Understanding your client's needs is a key point in any system. It is important to write down the minutes of each meeting, and solve any doubt you can have. Something that works very well for me is to repeat to my customer, with my own words, what I've understood about a requirement or a definition made by him. You'd be surprised how many times the first impression is not accurate or there is a missunderstanding in any term. The time you spend obtaining user requirements and writing specifications is never a waste of time. A complete and detailed specification can you save a lot of problems later, during project development and implementation.

One thing I have found useful in understanding needs is identification of all relevant stakeholders prior start of project.Once stakeholders are defined clearly communicate with them to understand the requirements.Through this way ,you will be able to complete the project with fully desired results.

Figure out what is it, that your peer actually wants. If a solution is on the table, don't assume that it is set in stone - check what is the driving force behind choosing this solution. Be open to all kinds of little details in the communication for hits about the WHY. If there is the potential for a misunderstanding => ask about it and go deeper. Become an explorer.

Apesar da análise e desenvolvimento de sistemas estar classificada como uma ciência exata, está muito longe da verdade quem acredita que especificar os requisitos de um sistema segue um gabarito ou receita de bolo de como projetar uma solução. Cada empresa em que trabalhei tem sua identidade e você precisa interpretar de forma subjetiva os estudos de casos para transformar as expectativas do seu cliente em uma aplicação bem objetiva e eficaz.

One tip to understand needs is to clearly define the roles responsibilities and association with the project for all stakeholders (SH). When SH constitute a big group then use sampling to gain feedback.

The use of Option Sets as choicepoints, as often discussed in the Set-Based Engineering approach in Lean Product & Process Development (LPPD) has been useful to me. Always have an incumbent (maximum certainty, delivered on time) Set among the options. The project however, would only exist if it provided actual incremental, maybe even revolutionary value over incumbent offerings. So other options must be developed that show a clear contrast in value delivered vs the incumbent. Then given available information during the required integration checkpoints, regularly check in with sponsors and stakeholders to eliminate the weakest options, and converge effort of the team on what's left.

Making boundaries clear is important. If there are limitations, don't stop thinking... work on a solution. If different options are available, it's important to present them - it's great to have the ability to chose as a client. But: Be organised and talk about the most critical boundaries first, not at the end!

Reality is very different from the customer’s expectation. You have to be transparent about your capabilities and your ability to deliver. You might need to sought expertise elsewhere. You have to stay engaged with the customer to ensure the project is on track and any change request is handled quickly.

In einer komplexen Umgebung und insbesondere in der Interaktion von Matrixorganisationen des eigenen Unternehmens mit der des Kunden lässt sich m.E. eine Realität NICHT festlegen. Viel wichtiger erscheint mir ein ehrlicher und gemeinsamer Umgang mit Komplexität, in der Good Practice und Best Practice nicht mehr helfen, sondern Emerging Practice erst gefunden werden muss.

Es importante aterrizar al cliente, de modo que, tenga claro qué se puede construir con la tecnología disponible, y hasta dónde se puede llegar a construir de acuerdo a los tiempos y costos establecidos en el cronograma. Debe quedar claro que no todo se desarrollará en la primera ola. Todo proyecto tiene fases. El concepto de mejora continua debe ser entendido no solo por los participantes técnicos y funcionales del proyecto, sino por los analistas y usuarios finales de lado del cliente.

Establecer un lenguaje "neutro" permite entender mejor la evolución en el desarrollo de un requerimiento, no solo desde el punto de vista técnico, sino también desde el punto de vista usuario/cliente. El desafío es homologar términos del sistema con los utilizados por el cliente en sus procesos de negocio. Por ejemplo, en el sistema una Solicitud de Material se puede llamar Requisition; por otro lado, el cliente lo conoce como SOLMAT. El establecimiento de un lenguaje común es relevante para la interacción entre usuario/sistema.

Lingo should have differences between processes and implementations or constantly upgrades, best is to provide list of activities with its definition and phases as well as accountable contacts , being present for client during upgrades is critical, client will be comfortable by knowing support team is present and always available for any requirement even sometimes everything is mapped, could exists assistance time needed . Technical team should be aware at ALL times status of upgrades and react if needed .

Consistent communication is key to managing client expectations successfully. Providing regular updates on project milestones, challenges encountered, and any adjustments made along the way helps keep clients informed and engaged in the process. Transparency about potential delays or issues allows clients to adjust their expectations accordingly and demonstrates your commitment to delivering high-quality results. Encouraging feedback from clients at various stages of the project also fosters a collaborative relationship built on mutual understanding and trust.

1. Balancing Scope, Time, and Cost: One of the fundamental trade-offs in systems engineering is balancing scope, time, and cost. As a systems engineer communicating with clients, it is important to help them understand that changes in one aspect can impact the others. 2. Managing Technical Complexity vs. Client Understanding: Another key trade-off is managing technical complexity versus client understanding. 3. Quality vs. Time Constraints: Quality versus time constraints is another critical trade-off in systems engineering projects. 4. Flexibility vs. Stability 5. Risk Management vs. Innovation

Careful here, even it seems easy, trade-offs can be difficult in short, mediom or larg term with higher impacts , better is to keep alignment with SOW and deliverables , shortcuts are dangerous and they have huge impact on cost , quality and time extension of project or milestone , again better approach is to stick to the original plan and SOW description otherwise you will have to create a change order and that will represent extra effort on all aspects as team, hours , monitoring .etc. If you are executing a trade-off make sure is completely documented and expectations and deliverables are clear and transparent , the outcome must be agreed with all parties involved usually Governance , IT , Procurement , Legal & Audit should be OK.

É um dos pontos da metodologia ágil que merece maior atenção: entregas contínuas de pequenas funcionalidades até chegar ao objetivo final. Como o cliente sempre participa das entregas é possível manter um ambiente altamente colaborativo, pois tanto a equipe tera feedbacks em tempo real quanto o cliente vai acompanhando a evolução do sistema em desenvolvimento, e contribuindo com pontos de melhorias e com soluções de problemas pontuais.

Active Listening: Actively listen to your clients to understand their requirements, concerns, and expectations. This will help build trust and rapport with them. Regular Communication: Maintain open and transparent communication channels with your clients. Provide regular updates on project progress, milestones achieved, and any challenges faced. Involve Clients in Decision-Making: Involve clients in key decision-making processes related to the project. Seek their input and feedback to ensure that the final solution aligns with their expectations. Set Clear Expectations: Clearly define project scope, timelines, deliverables, and responsibilities from the outset. This will help manage client expectations and avoid misunderstandings.

Im sure we all love challenges otherwise we would not be here.. but in all cases keep in mind that if a new challenge appears during any project phase or milestone be sure to involve and communicate this horizontally and vertically the more people aware of this the less impact on teameffort . Technical documentation will be needed and architect solution should provide recommendations , support team can validate and developer or DBA´s should confirm feasibility.. Keep goal and objectives in mind so you can surfing ideally.

Create mechanisms, which shall trigger communication events, such as weekly reports, meeting invites and agendas, key achievements and launch announcements etc. have templates ready upfront. Maintain a formal RACI and Communication plan it always helps.

I would add "be Honest" with "using good communication". Earning the client's trust is a super advantage that will make your life much easier