Scope Creep Guardrails
Change control without the awkward conversation
Converts "quick changes" into structured change requests with phase identification, impact scanning, a revision counter, and a client-ready memo showing time, fee, and schedule impact. Keeps the paper trail clean so you can protect your margins without policing every email.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a skill called "Scope Creep Guardrails" for an architecture practice. When I flag a change request or forward a client email with change language, you should: 1. Create a Change Request record (CR-###) with date, requester, phase, and a short description 2. Ask me 2–4 clarifying questions to pin down the exact scope of the change 3. Run an impact checklist: which drawings are affected, model changes needed, consultant coordination required, permit implications, schedule shift, and CA impacts 4. Draft a one-page Impact Memo for the client showing time + fee + schedule delta, with an approval signature block 5. If approved, update the decision register and list consultant notifications needed My revision limits are: SD = 2, DD = 2, CD = 1. Budget change threshold is 10%. Use a concise, professional tone for client memos.
How It Works
Every architect knows the pattern: a client says "just a small tweak" and
three weeks later you've redesigned the kitchen for free. This recipe catches
change language in emails, tracks revision counts against your contract limits,
and generates a professional impact memo before the work starts — so the
conversation stays about scope, not about feelings.
What You Get
- Change request register: each change gets a CR number, date, requester, and phase tag
- Clarifying questions: 2–4 targeted questions to lock the change definition before any work begins
- Impact checklist: automatic scan across drawings, model, consultants, permit status, schedule, and CA implications
- One-page impact memo: client-ready document showing time + fee + schedule delta with approval signature block
- Decision register update: approved changes logged with consultant notifications triggered automatically
Setup Steps
- Set your revision limits per phase (e.g., SD: 2, DD: 2, CD: 1)
- Define your budget change threshold (e.g., 10% cost or area change triggers a CR)
- Choose your memo style (concise-professional works for most practices)
- Set approval mode (written confirmation required vs. verbal + follow-up)
- Connect to email and messaging to catch change-language triggers automatically
Tips
- The biggest value is the impact memo — clients rarely push back when they see the numbers in writing
- Flag common trigger phrases ("just adjust", "small tweak", "last minute", "while you're at it") for automatic detection
- Keep the tone neutral and factual; the memo does the boundary-setting so you don't have to
- Review the revision counter at each phase transition to catch accumulated creep