I love attending WordCamp Atlanta because every year, I learn something new. I have new experiences and consistently find things to think about in a different way. Plus, I get to be around a whole bunch of awesome people!
Lately, I’ve been spending more time than ever thinking about proposals, estimates, budgets and scope creep because of my upcoming “Client Onboarding Toolkit.” So Beth Livingston’s suggestion of including a change budget in proposals really spoke to me.
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Consider including a change budget.
Beth Livingston discussed How to Control Scope Creep by Embracing Change. She presented the idea of abandoning the crystal ball approach of estimating a project and including a “change budget.” Beth will estimate a project, and include a line item that will be the change budget at 20-30% of the total cost. This way, if anything happens that is scope creep, you just say, “That would come out of the change budget.” It doesn’t require you to re-discuss the budget, or have an uncomfortable conversation about scope creep. It’s already specified and included. If you stick completely to scope, it’s the original price. But if the scope moves while you’re in the trenches, it comes from the change budget. Business-wise, it was kind of mind-blowing. I like this concept so much that I might implement it myself!
Want to see what else I took away from this amazing conference?
In my latest blog post, I share 8 Tips from WordCamp Atlanta 2019.
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Hi, I’m Jill, a web designer/developer who partners with talented designers, copywriters, and agencies on their websites, and their client’s sites. I’m passionate about crafting beautiful and innovative WordPress websites focused on clear positioning and positive user experiences. See my work & get my free report, Get Your Website Done: 12 Actionable Steps for Designers.
*Atlanta 2019 Wapuu image courtesy of wapu.us