The stats are brutal: 27% of software projects exceed their original budgets (McKinsey), and scope creep is the #1 cause. But here's what nobody talks about: many agencies PROFIT from scope creep through vague SOWs and change order fees.

This playbook reveals the exact frameworks we use to prevent scope creep:

• The "Airtight SOW" checklist that locks requirements before code (Red flag: If your SOW is under 10 pages for a $100K+ project, it's too vague) • 4-step change control process that kills sneaky scope expansion • RACI matrix that prevents "too many cooks" syndrome • Value-based trade-off framework for evaluating legitimate change requests

Key controversial insight: 90% of scope creep happens during discovery, not development. If you're experiencing budget overruns during coding, you already lost the battle in week 1.

The article includes real examples from our projects (anonymized) and free templates you can use immediately.

Happy to answer questions about managing client expectations, preventing project overruns, and spotting agency red flags.