Skip to main content
The implementation scope should be narrower and more concrete than the diagnostic recommendation.

​
Start with the business outcome

Define what should improve, for example:
  • reduce proposal drafting time;
  • eliminate duplicate CRM entry;
  • shorten ticket triage time;
  • reduce invoice-processing exceptions.

​
Define the production boundary

Specify:
  • users and teams;
  • workflow start and end;
  • systems involved;
  • inputs and outputs;
  • environments;
  • integrations;
  • human approvals;
  • data requirements;
  • security constraints.

​
Define acceptance criteria

Good criteria are observable. Examples:
  • approved data is transferred into the CRM without manual re-entry for the defined case types;
  • generated drafts contain all required fields and require named human approval before release;
  • exception cases are routed to a defined queue;
  • agreed audit events are recorded.

​
Identify dependencies before pricing

Check:
  • client access and credentials;
  • APIs and vendor limitations;
  • data quality;
  • security approval;
  • process ownership;
  • testing availability;
  • training and rollout.

​
Separate discovery from build

If the technical design is still uncertain, use a short paid design phase rather than pretending the full implementation can be fixed-price with no discovery.
Do not absorb material production design, data remediation or change management into the original diagnostic unless it was explicitly included.