Scoping is Everything: How Producers Drive Project Success
We’ve found project scoping emerged as the single most influential factor in project outcomes, both positive and negative. But here’s what’s truly eye-opening: according to the 2024 Producers Landscape Study, 86% of Producers who are decision-makers in scoping report very or extremely satisfied clients. Yet despite this clear correlation, many account teams don’t include producers when scoping as a standard operating procedure.
We want to change that. In the event it’s helpful, we wanted to share some learnings from over the years. If you like what you read, we’d love to set up a friendly intro call to chat more.
The Hidden Cost of Poor Scoping
This isn’t just about getting the timeline right. Poor scoping creates a devastating cascade of issues that ripples through the entire project lifecycle. When expectations aren’t properly aligned with clients from the start, teams find themselves under-resourced and rushing to complete creative work that deserves more time and attention. Client trust erodes as deadlines slip and deliverables don’t meet their envisioned standards. Teams experience burnout trying to meet unrealistic expectations, and ultimately, profit margins suffer as more hours are poured into saving troubled projects. What begins as a simple scoping oversight can quickly spiral into a project-wide crisis that affects both the bottom line and the likelihood of getting hired again.
Why Producers Are Essential to Scoping
Producers occupy a unique position in the creative ecosystem, one that gives them an unmatched perspective on how projects actually unfold. They intimately understand the realistic pace of creative work, having witnessed countless projects from conception to completion. Through constant client interaction, they develop a nuanced understanding of communication patterns and stakeholder needs. This hands-on experience helps them anticipate potential roadblocks and develop solutions before they become issues. Years of observing project patterns across different types of work make them especially adept at identifying what works and what doesn’t. This comprehensive view makes them invaluable in creating realistic, achievable project scopes that set both teams and clients up for success.
The Path to Better Scoping
Here’s how you can leverage our Producers for better scoping:
- Include Producers Early
– Bring them into pitch meetings
– Involve them in initial client conversations
– Get their input on proposals before they’re finalized
- Listen to Their Insights
– Create formal channels for scope feedback
– Trust their experience with timeline and resource needs
- Empower Decision-Making
– Give Producers authority to adjust scopes
– Include them in budget discussions
– Value their client relationship expertise
- Build Scoping Frameworks
– Develop standardized scoping processes
– Create scope review checkpoints
– Implement feedback loops for continuous improvement
– Document and apply lessons from previous projects by doing a post-mortem with each project, archiving everything for future reference
Moving Forward
If you want better project outcomes, our Producers need to be central to your scoping and production process. Before your next project scope is finalized, ask our Producers for input. Their insights might just be the difference between another troubled project and your next great success.