Let’s be real—scope changes are just part of the process. Managing them well is key to maintaining client trust. I always start with clear, transparent communication—explaining how changes impact timelines and working together to make realistic adjustments. Regular updates keep clients informed and feeling in control, even as the project evolves. At the end of the day, it’s all about setting expectations together.

It's important to manage client expectations to keep a good relationship. ?? Set clear rules about the project’s plan from the beginning and share any changes quickly. ?? Keep clients updated on progress and how changes may affect the project. ?? Also, make sure to adjust timelines and agree on new deadlines together.

In a similar situation, I provided a detailed explanation of how the scope changes would affect the timeline, including updated milestones and resource adjustments. This transparency helped realign client expectations and reduced tension by 20%. Offering alternative solutions, such as phased deliverables or additional resources to speed up progress, can also help keep the client satisfied while maintaining control of the project timeline.

Establish a robust communication plan from the start, detailing timelines, roles, and responsibilities. Build flexibility into your timelines to accommodate potential delays and ensure clients understand their impact.

Our project schedules are too optimistic. See if this pattern sounds familiar: 1. We plan every task. 2. We build a logical schedule to deliver on-time. 3. We're encouraged by early progress, meeting initial milestones on-time. 4. We hit a speed bump - scope changes, complexity, etc. 5. Wailing and gnashing of teeth from the stakeholders. Let's save some heartache by adding an "unidentified tasks" task. Make it the final task of the plan, on the critical path, and then borrow from this cost and duration to deal with the inevitable "Unidentified Tasks" when they occur. How long / how much $ should it be? Depends on the type of project. If it's a standard, well-known project: give it 20%. New software development? give it 100%.