Ideal for projects with well-defined requirements, fixed budgets, and clear timelines where businesses need dedicated expertise to deliver specific outcomes without scope creep.
Use a scope-locked model when the business objective, feature set, and success criteria are already well understood.This works best when there is minimal ambiguity around “what” needs to be built and “why” it matters.
Choose this model when the project must fit inside a specific budget and delivery window.Because scope is locked upfront, planning, staffing, and milestones can be aligned to strict commercial and time constraints.
When stakeholders want tight control over changes and limited deviation from the original plan, scope-locked delivery is ideal.
Evaluate your project’s clarity around goals, budget constraints, and flexibility needs. If requirements are stable, timelines fixed, and scope changes minimal, a scope-locked model provides the structure and predictability to deliver successful outcomes on time and within budget.
A scope-locked engagement is chosen only after discovery confirms that requirements are concrete, testable, and traceable to business outcomes. If more than 70–80% of the scope is clear upfront, it usually qualifies for this model.
The model is favored when expected change during execution is low to moderate. If stakeholder feedback is unlikely to completely reshape features mid-project, scope-locked delivery becomes a safe and efficient choice.
Scope-locked works well when upstream and downstream systems, APIs, and third-party tools are stable and accessible. If core dependencies are still evolving or not yet finalized, a more flexible model might be recommended instead.
Validate business goals, user journeys, feature list, and constraints.
Estimate effort, timelines, and capacity required for each module or milestone.
Break the project into phases (e.g., design, implementation, hardening, UAT, release).
Any new change requests are evaluated through a formal impact analysis and handled via change orders or next-phase planning.
Conduct UAT sessions with stakeholders and address issues within agreed boundaries.
Run a short stabilization window to fix any high-priority issues in production.
A structured model designed for organizations that need predictable timelines, financial clarity, and controlled delivery execution with minimal risk.
