A Sharper Scope Cut the Development Estimate in Half
A website search project started with a 60-hour development estimate. We worked with the delivery team to define a focused first phase they confirmed at 30 hours.
Scope and budget · An anonymized client case study.
Development estimate: 60 hours to 30. The revised first phase used a narrower scope and an agreed set of tests.
A broad estimate for an evolving brief
The client's expectations for website search results had evolved. The proposed first phase included broad planning and diagnostic work, including an analytics audit, alongside the search behavior they wanted to explore.
We returned to the original request to define a focused first phase for the client's review.
Define the smaller phase with the delivery team
We brought specific examples of the desired search behavior to the developers and challenged the estimate against that scope. Together, we limited the work to an agreed test set and removed the broad analytics audit from that phase.
The delivery team reviewed whether the narrower plan was executable. They confirmed a 30-hour development estimate, with the next phase to be estimated after the first phase's findings.
A smaller, confirmed estimate to review
The initial development estimate moved from 60 hours to 30 because the first phase had become more focused. The revised proposal was then sent to the client for review.
The client had a smaller first-phase proposal with clear boundaries and a delivery team that had confirmed the estimate. Decisions about later work could follow what the first phase revealed.
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We can help compare an estimate with the actual need and work through a practical scope with your delivery team.