Comments on: Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/ Technology for creatives Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:14:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Resources for Designers, Post One | Wisecup Design http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-27325 Resources for Designers, Post One | Wisecup Design Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:24:57 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-27325 [...] Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) [...] [...] Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) [...]

]]> By: Web Design Nashville http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-12897 Web Design Nashville Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:11:57 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-12897 Great article! We have been plagued by scope creep for years and now our projects are getting bigger, so is the scope creep problem. We have implemented more detailed estimates on the front end as well as a deliverables document outlining exactly what the client is getting. Definitely need to have good project management and communication. Most delays we have are because no one thought through the website and built it in their head first and asked all the right questions... Details details. We prefer to get more information up-front then pay for it in the end. Great article! We have been plagued by scope creep for years and now our projects are getting bigger, so is the scope creep problem. We have implemented more detailed estimates on the front end as well as a deliverables document outlining exactly what the client is getting.

Definitely need to have good project management and communication. Most delays we have are because no one thought through the website and built it in their head first and asked all the right questions…

Details details. We prefer to get more information up-front then pay for it in the end.

]]> By: Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) / Web Words / WizarDev http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10537 Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) / Web Words / WizarDev Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:12:52 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10537 [...] Read Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) [...] [...] Read Defining Project Boundaries (and Keeping Your Client Within Them) [...]

]]> By: Tidbits » Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10350 Tidbits » Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:37:01 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10350 [...] has a great article on how to prevent scope [...] [...] has a great article on how to prevent scope [...]

]]> By: Brett Derricott http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10349 Brett Derricott Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:28:11 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10349 @Raimond: Agile development techniques are great when they can be used. From my experience most clients (especially those hiring a designer/developer for the first time) are unwilling to begin a project without a set schedule and price, though. The reality is that most of us are bad at estimating accurately and we fail to account for all of the extra tasks that a project requires, like bug fixing or design revisions. Unfortunately it's hard to find clients that are sympathetic to our plight! If you've found a way to convince all of your clients to let you use an agile approach please post a comment and let us know your secret! @Raimond: Agile development techniques are great when they can be used. From my experience most clients (especially those hiring a designer/developer for the first time) are unwilling to begin a project without a set schedule and price, though.

The reality is that most of us are bad at estimating accurately and we fail to account for all of the extra tasks that a project requires, like bug fixing or design revisions. Unfortunately it’s hard to find clients that are sympathetic to our plight!

If you’ve found a way to convince all of your clients to let you use an agile approach please post a comment and let us know your secret!

]]> By: Bookmarkables for 10 September 2007 : FocusMinded.com http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10344 Bookmarkables for 10 September 2007 : FocusMinded.com Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:11:42 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10344 [...] Define Project Boundaries (and Keeping your Client Within Them) - an excellent article on the scope creep (those clients who like to go outside the scope and expect it to have been understood as part of the quote). A Must Read [...] [...] Define Project Boundaries (and Keeping your Client Within Them) - an excellent article on the scope creep (those clients who like to go outside the scope and expect it to have been understood as part of the quote). A Must Read [...]

]]> By: Raimond Garcia http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10324 Raimond Garcia Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:02:25 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10324 Hi, I think we should not have fixed contracts at all. Using agile development techniques such as the ones encouraged by Ruby on Rails, you can show progress to your client in a day to day basis and allow him to guide you through out the whole project. Something like, "what would you like me to work on today?" you do it, get feedback and improve. I personally hate fixed-rate contracts, partly because I suck at estimating costs and I always end up having to explain to my client a whole bunch of tasks that I didn't take into account and had to be completed to achieve a milestone. I rather my client gives me an idea and we polish it day after day without establishing from the beginning everything that needs to be done, its more fun and less stressful, than having to meet deadlines, I hate dealines too :) Hi, I think we should not have fixed contracts at all. Using agile development techniques such as the ones encouraged by Ruby on Rails, you can show progress to your client in a day to day basis and allow him to guide you through out the whole project. Something like, “what would you like me to work on today?” you do it, get feedback and improve.

I personally hate fixed-rate contracts, partly because I suck at estimating costs and I always end up having to explain to my client a whole bunch of tasks that I didn’t take into account and had to be completed to achieve a milestone. I rather my client gives me an idea and we polish it day after day without establishing from the beginning everything that needs to be done, its more fun and less stressful, than having to meet deadlines, I hate dealines too :)

]]> By: » LinkSwitch – A Roundup of Great Links Across the Web http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10307 » LinkSwitch – A Roundup of Great Links Across the Web Sun, 09 Sep 2007 06:27:24 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-10307 [...] from Agency Byte helps us Define Project Boundaries (and Keep Our Clients Within Them). Hooray for [...] [...] from Agency Byte helps us Define Project Boundaries (and Keep Our Clients Within Them). Hooray for [...]

]]> By: » 5 Reasons To Break Projects Down http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-7675 » 5 Reasons To Break Projects Down Tue, 03 Jul 2007 10:40:37 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-7675 [...] Scope creep isn’t caused by long project timelines but is more likely to occur in bigger projects with lengthier schedules. The risk of experiencing scope creep, however, can be somewhat mitigated by establishing frequent milestones and reviewing the project’s progress against the agreed-upon scope at each milestone. [...] [...] Scope creep isn’t caused by long project timelines but is more likely to occur in bigger projects with lengthier schedules. The risk of experiencing scope creep, however, can be somewhat mitigated by establishing frequent milestones and reviewing the project’s progress against the agreed-upon scope at each milestone. [...]

]]> By: Brett Derricott http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/10/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-4232 Brett Derricott Mon, 14 May 2007 14:23:26 +0000 http://www.agencybyte.com/2007/04/16/defining-project-boundaries-and-keeping-your-client-within-them/#comment-4232 @Justin: Thanks for the suggestion. It can be difficult to draw the line and stop doing work for a client when they've spent their budget. Your company's approach tackles that problem head-on by establishing the limit right up front. I think setting proper expectations at the beginning of a project like this is very helpful. @Justin: Thanks for the suggestion. It can be difficult to draw the line and stop doing work for a client when they’ve spent their budget. Your company’s approach tackles that problem head-on by establishing the limit right up front. I think setting proper expectations at the beginning of a project like this is very helpful.

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