What It Takes to Bid a Fixed Price Project

How TIA Work Management Keeps Projects on Track for High Payback Outcomes

AVOID THE TRAP:  "Go, Go, Go... Time & Materials Project... Trouble, Delay... "HOW MUCH AND WHEN??!!"

(vendor can't answer...)

Nearly 30 years ago I learned this lesson the hard way.  I owned a small technology consulting firm in Kansas City and had sold three small "fixed price" programming projects.  I said we would deliver on our promises or die trying.  We died.

Below are extracts from some recent projects that show what we call the "Skinny 5x work management system" that we use to make sure this never happens again.

FIRST - BEFORE YOU CLOSE THE SALE:  CREATE TEMPLATES, POSSIBLY VIDEOS SHOWING DELIVERABLES.  EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL DELIVER.  REQUIRE SIGN OFF THAT DELIVERING THESE COMPLETED TEMPLATES IS COMPLETION.  ADDITIONAL REQUESTS WILL COST MORE.

- SEE SUCCESS STORY 3.36.  SHOWS  DELIVERABLE TEMPLATES FOR A SALESFORCE FIXED PRICE PROJECT.

INITIAL EXECUTIVE PLANNING SESSIONS - "1 PAGE OUTCOMES"

THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE

REQUESTS, WISH LIST, FEATURES, USER STORIES FOR A $600,000 PROJECT - DEFINED IN "AGILE" CHUNKS

(Cards on an electronic KANBAN Board)

WORK CHUNKS ARE LINKED TO THE PROJECT TEAM DAILY ACTION ITEMS, SHOWING RED / GREEN / YELLOW STATUS

REDUCING TASKS TO ACTION REQUIRES USE CASES, SPECIFICATIONS, REQUIREMENTS

REDUCE TO ACTION IN THE DAILY TASK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

83 REQUIREMENTS REDUCED TO TASKS, ACTION, COMPLETED

DAILY EMAIL REMINDERS

PHASE 1, 110 TASKS OF $600,000 PROJECT COMPLETED, EXCELLENT OUTCOME