01
Confirm the baseline
Reference scope, fee, rate assumptions, planned effort and approved changes. Use the same baseline in delivery and finance.
Accountable team: Project manager
USE-CASE PLAYBOOK
Protect project margin
Connect the remaining work to the cost of completing it.
Explore the workflow
THE OPERATING QUESTION
When the next decision cannot wait.
Effort is rising, scope has changed or the expected cost at completion diverges from the approved baseline.
A green milestone status does not establish financial health. Teams can meet dates by consuming more senior effort or unplanned support. Review delivery progress, remaining effort and commercial context together to understand the action required.
For Delivery leaders, project managers and finance teams.
WORKED EXAMPLE
Put the decision in context.
Illustrative scenario: a fixed-fee engagement has a fee of 20 lakh and expected total cost of 14 lakh. If the cost estimate rises to 16 lakh with no approved fee change, expected margin falls from 30% to 20%. The useful decision concerns the cause of the additional cost and the options still available.
A PRACTICAL WAY FORWARD
Four steps. An owner at every handoff.
02
Re-estimate remaining work
Review actual effort alongside the work still required for acceptance. Explain material changes in the estimate.
Accountable team: Delivery lead
03
Choose a viable intervention
Consider scope agreement, technical review or a different staffing approach. Include handover and quality risks in the comparison.
Accountable team: Delivery and account owners
04
Review the effect
Record the approved action and expected result. Check both delivery and financial consequences at the next review.
Accountable team: Finance and delivery
HANDLE THE EXCEPTION
The path is rarely a straight line.
A lower-cost staffing plan may increase delivery risk. Do not improve the cost line by assuming a handover or capability gap has no consequence.
WHAT SHOULD CHANGE
A decision people can act on.
An explainable estimate at completion and a documented recovery decision, rather than a margin percentage without a cause.
Explore the Clousys capabilities →EVIDENCE, NOT ACTIVITY
Know what you will measure.
Expected margin
Expected revenue less estimated total cost, expressed using the agreed calculation.
Remaining effort movement
Changes to the work estimate since the previous review.
Unapproved scope
Requested work awaiting an explicit delivery and commercial decision.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Make the next operating review more useful.
Take the framework to your team. Bring one live workflow, its owners and the evidence behind the next decision.
