Here's how you can ensure stakeholder satisfaction as a project manager in cybersecurity.

I have moved into Cyber security from the Project Manager domain. Delivering a project in any domain requires a full understanding of stakeholders' requirements. when it comes to Cyber, the requirements are even more varied. The project might originate from a compliance point of view such as PCI-DSS, ISO27001, or GDPR, etc. Instead of directly jumping into just looking at any task as just a 'task' one needs to understand why this task is in place to begin with. In cybersecurity, the project is contributing to control implementation - that control in turn is reducing risk in some way or another. So unless the PM doesn't get to "WHY" - it wouldn't be as effective.

As a cybersecurity project manager, ensuring stakeholder satisfaction involves understanding their needs, clear and frequent communication, and effective expectation management. Begin with initial meetings to gather requirements and document them. Provide regular progress updates and maintain open communication channels. Define project scope and realistic deadlines, and deliver high-quality results by adhering to rigorous standards and continuous feedback. Identify and mitigate risks proactively, engage stakeholders in key decisions, and remain flexible to adapt to changes. Use project management tools for tracking and reporting, conduct regular check-ins, and gather feedback to continuously improve.

Many customers tend to focus on the technical aspect when creating a project, and forget about how the project is going to add business value. Therefore, stakeholder satisfaction begins with understanding what the customer is trying to accomplish, not just fulfilling their requirements. The key is asking the right questions - start with understanding why the project is initiated, and then ask questions that helps to clearly define the scope. Example: customer orders an AS-IS report, since they want to be future-proof. In this scenario, the report will not necessarily meet their expectations/provide value, and it might be more valuable for the customer to spend time defining TO-BE and then do the AS-IS with recommendations and a roadmap.

Stakeholders want to know too things 1) Is the project going smoothly ? 2) If not then what can be done to set things right ? Build everything around these two principles by providing transparent updates. Ring the alarm early if something is not right Project Management principles do not change whether it is cybersecurity or anything else

It is impossible to manage satisfaction without understanding needs. How can we make a client happy if we have not properly understood the problem they are trying to solve and have mapped their expectations. Clear communication here is essential as is active communication. What do I mean by active communication in this context? It is common in a cyber security, especially in the deeper technical world, to not communicate if there is "nothing to say / no update". BUT we are all human too and sometimes we feel a greater sense of "you've got this" if we know and see and sense there is active communication. But having regular updates, it provides assurance that our teams have and are maintaining an understanding of our needs and are aligned.

98% of Project management is all about communication. whether it is delivering bad news or good news, effective communication always wins. In the world of Cybersecurity, you are dealing with threats, adversaries, and constantly evolving risks. If you do not communicate risks at the right time, to the right people, the implications can be far-reaching than just the project NOT meeting the deadline because these delays or updates might cause actual security risks to the organization.

Consistent, timely and clear communication is a fundamental part of the trust and maintenance of relationships in cyber. We should work out the most effective communication flows with our people and clients and invest in using them well. I advocate for open communication even if there is nothing material to share. There is nothing worse than not knowing that someone is active on a task because we simply have not heard from them. The phrase "no news is good news" perhaps may not work in cyber security. Updates however in regular communication can share a sense of progress. It is very interesting to see our industry accept that technical speak is not always required. Yes there is a lot of tech depth but plain language is also effective.

Goodness isn't cyber security one giant Jenga and Tetris game / process? A juggling act of competing demands and a deluge (or torrent) of information flow. That's what also makes it exciting. But we must not forget why we are doing it and ultimately its all about risk management and the business problem, context or issue to solve. Cybersecurity needs us to engage proactively and address risks openly, transparently, continuously. Yes, its a game without end but that's the joy of it right? The best cybersecurity programs are the ones where we are close to our stakeholders and bring them close to us. We need to understand them and then translate that into our work. It also can provide a strong grounding effect and ensure we stay on course.

I really believe that cybersecurity is a value driver when executed cleanly and with thought and consideration. One way of delivering this is around controls efficacy. There is so much waste and spend in cyber and as such, we can dramatically shift the risk needle if we think about efficiency and the tangibility of what we are doing. I love tools if they are appropriate, well deployed, solve a problem and are tuned. It is very satisfying to ask the question "is this really needed" or "is this actually protecting us"? By doing this we can create visibility and make tangible ROI in the world of cyber especially at a time where people are looking at their spend and future investment. We must approach cyber as a value-first and ROI first.

Communication is key! From the outset of a project, establish norms for ongoing communication, avenues to share feedback, and formal feedback processes. If people know the best way to communicate before any issues arise, it can help them from escalating in the first place. Plus clear expectations will build credibility and trust with stakeholders. As you are closing out a project, seek feedback in both quanititative and qualitative ways from your stakeholders. The goals here are twofold -- to ensure that the project scope has been fully satisfied and to identify opportunitites for improvement for future projects. Remember, feedback is a favor!