My client asks "How's it going?" referring to a project using one of my recommendations. I think I know the answer, but am not quite certain of the project's ultimate prospect for success. How do I best handle this inquiry?

Reserve judgment and resist the temptation to simply respond, "Great" or "Actually, not so well.", unless you are truly certain of the current status and expected outcome. A better answer might be, "It's a bit too early to tell. I'm going to reserve judgment until I can look a little closer at [the current results]." Why respond this way? It shows you're thoughtful and don't easily leap to conclusions. It also provides you with some extra time to look more closely at the results thus far and determine:
1. How, in fact, it truly is going and
2. At what point you will be able to make an accurate judgment on the project's success or failure (a critical evaluation point or milestone).
Let the informal question serve as a subtle reminder that it is the consultant's duty to keep their client informed at all times (and that this duty might have been slightly neglected!)

Tip: Next time you are asked "How's it going?" think twice before answering immediately and "off the cuff" and consider reserving judgment until you have looked at the results a little more carefully.

P.S. Work hard to keep your client well informed throughout project implementation so that the question will not need to be asked in the first place!

Source: institute of Management Consultants – USA