Scope creep can be disastrous for your company: it can lead to project failures and lots of time and money lost if left unchecked. Even small projects have a higher probability of success if their implementation is preceded by the issue of a formal change request and impact assessment.
As well as detailing the nature and reason for the change, change orders also serve as a useful communication tool between client and agency, documenting the budgetary and timing implications of making changes to the scope of the project. You can then request formal approval of this before implementing a change, ensuring there’s an audit trail when it comes to the budget reconciliation at the end of the project.
What Can a Change Order Look Like?
Not every change requires a change order. You can decide to include small, quick changes at no cost. These would be changes to the text/content, photos, adding buttons, and changing the order of items in a carousel. New ideas or significant changes (e.g. app integration or layout change), or small changes that add up to a lot of time spent would call for a change order.
As far as timing goes, you have two options: you can fold the change order additions somewhere into the current project timeline or you can save the changes for post-launch. It’s up to the client and what their priorities are.
Presenting a Change Order to the Client
Provide them with a form to gather the necessary information:
- Type of request (bug fix, typo, content addition, content edit, design element, functional element, other)
- URL/where to find what’s changing
- Purpose/reason for the request
- Request details/explanation of what needs to be done
- Supporting documents/screenshots
Once you’ve estimated how long the changes will take, having a visual timeline to show the client so they can see how things line up and how the changes could extend the schedule can be very beneficial in your conversations. This can help solidify the plan and keep everyone on the same page as far as expectations go. They may change their mind at this point as to whether they want to do the changes now or post-launch once they see how the schedule lays out.
Getting Paid for Change Orders
A change order will require adjustments to the contract price or contract schedule for the changed work. You will provide an estimate on cost and schedule adjustments to the client after receiving their change request. After they approve the change request, changes will be carried out, ensuring you get paid for your time.
Change orders are a great tool for project managers in any industry to keep everyone on the same page. You can ensure that everyone gets compensated for their time and that your other projects will not get sidetracked as you will be always aware of the timeline/budget - making this an essential practice for any team.