The moment you hire your learning agency, both you and the agency are at a disadvantage.
Almost all custom learning projects are fixed bid. That means the agency had to come up with a static price that is based on a whole lot of assumptions and that is not subject to change. At the same time, you, the buyer, have had to agree to their terms and description of the end solution that seems directionally sound but described in only the vaguest terms.
We should all want mid-project changes, right?
If you set aside the fixed price, it’s easy to see why making changes mid project is best for both parties. Everyone begins the project with an incomplete set of information on which to base decisions. Yet as the project progress, more and more information gets uncovered and everyone’s the understanding of the true and the ideal solution deepens. Much of the time, this fully justifies revisiting prior decisions in the name of getting the solution right. In fact, it’s most of the time, getting to the best solution actually requires making adjustments along the way. Since everyone is aligned around getting the best possible outcome, being able to make such adjustments is not only ok – it’s ideal.
And then reality sets in
But ideal states don’t really exist in the real world, do they? In almost thirty years of building learning solutions, I’ve never once seen or even heard of a project that has been gifted the benefit of unlimited time and money. And it’s when these constraints enter the picture that making project pivots and adjustments becomes more complicated. The fact is that every time you change your plan, it adds time, which translates into more money. Or at least that seems to be the reflexive thought of everyone on the project team (especially the project manager).
The room to flex
But is that actually true? It is certainly going to be the case that if you have to go back and rework a section of a course, or rethink the instructional strategy, or alter the visual style, or add on an additional module, if nothing else changes, that will undoubtedly require more time (and hence money). But it’s the “if nothing else changes” clause that casts doubt on the absolute necessity to increase scope (i.e. need more time or money). The fact is that not all changes affect scope. But even for changes that do affect scope, very often, you can compensate for those issues by making adjustments in other parts of the project. You can rob Peter to pay Paul. In other words, while time and budget constraints do create a box that you have to work in, there is usually a lot of room to move around in that box.
How you deal with changes comes down to skill and attitude
You can only work in this way if several conditions have been met. The first is that the client and the project team alike need to regard changes as beneficial, while also appreciating the finite nature of the time and budget box you’re operating in. The second is a willingness to engage in the frequent horse trading that is involved in good faith, with the presumption that all involved have the same goal in mind. The third is that the project team needs to have the knowledge and consultative acumen to lead such conversations. And the fourth and final condition is that the authoritative voice on the project team must not be the one whose primary goal is maintenance of the timeline and budget (i.e. project management or operations).
When it comes to changes, deal with it – that’s the job
Project changes are a fact of every single project regardless of how people approach them. They are simply unavoidable. If someone looks on them as a negative, not only does it up the chances you will end up with a suboptimal solution, it also introduces tension into the client-service-provider relationship and can make the job of creating solutions unpleasant. Because change are a fact of life, managing them is one of the biggest parts of the job and in fact can become a bit of an art. For the experienced, mature learning team, changes are the opportunity to flex their experience and consultative skill. Artfully handling changes is one of the most valuable things a service provider can bring to a client.
