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Freelance as a pro - avoid client's creep

Freelance as a pro - avoid client's creep

The talk is targeted at freelancers and Project Managers alike. It covers Project scope, project creep, control change process etc.

Also talks about Ekobits in Nigeria and how it's powering Youths from Under-developed community around the country.

Wale Ayandiran

March 31, 2018
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  1. Freelance like a pro
    without the Hasstle -
    avoid client’s creep

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  2. What i will attempt to cover
    ★ Project scope
    ★ Project creep
    ★ Control change process
    ★ Scoping requirements
    ★ Good scoping
    ★ Things to consider when
    scoping
    @walecloud
    forloop Abuja March 2018

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  3. Hello!
    I am Wale Ayandiran
    @walecloud
    ➢ Web Development Engineer & Facilitator @Ekobits
    ➢ Quality Assurance Supervisor @tunga.io
    ➢ ALC mentor in Web Development with Google & Microsoft
    ➢ Aspiring cloud rockstar

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  4. Have you ever had
    scenarios like this;
    Client: It’s just a static website with 4 pages.
    You: Okay, the prize is 100k.
    Client: Oh cool, I will send you 50% and work begins.
    You: Yeah sure.
    Only for you to end up creating an ERP app or
    dropped the project because of too much work to be
    done in the project.
    Sound familiar?

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  5. Client: How long will the project take?
    You: I will be done in a weeks’ time.
    One month later…
    Client: The site is not live yet?
    You: The homepage is built, everything else
    will be ready next week.

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  6. PROJECT SCOPE
    Project scope is the part of project planning
    that involves identifying and documenting a
    list of specific project goals, deliverables,
    features, functions, tasks, deadlines, and
    ultimately costs. In other words, it is what
    needs to be achieved and the work that must
    be done to deliver a project.

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  7. Project Scoping
    Scoping isn’t something that you can spend a
    day on during the project and never think about
    again. In fact, to scope a project accurately, you
    need to pay attention throughout the project
    Phases.

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  8. Scoping takes place during;
    ✖ The planning phase
    ✖ The scoping phase
    ✖ The execution phase

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  9. The early stages of defining
    the project and its goals
    the planning phase

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  10. The scoping phase
    This is where you try to
    ➢ List out the work that needs to be done
    given the project goals
    ➢ Estimate how much time will be
    required to do them.

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  11. when you are actually implementing the
    project.
    The execution phase

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  12. KNOW your strength & skill-set
    Don’t attempt to be a Rockstar
    dev..

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  13. WHAT IS PROJECT CREEP
    Project creep is the seemingly relentless inflation of work
    requirements that take hold soon after a project has begun.
    Try as you might to guard against its worst ravages, the
    optimal way of dealing with it is through effective change
    control processes

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  14. WHAT CAUSES PROJECT CREEP
    ➔ Lack of proper documentation (deliverables)
    ➔ Varying Client’s & Developer’s Perspective
    ➔ No change control process

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  15. HANDLING PROJECT CREEP
    HOW DO YOU HANDLE ADDITIONAL FEATURE REQUEST FROM A
    CLIENT?
    40
    80
    200
    240
    CHANGE CONTROL
    PROCESS

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  16. CHANGE CONTROL PROCESS
    The change control process ensures that each
    change proposed during a project is: DRA
    ➔ Defined adequately,
    ➔ Reviewed and
    ➔ Approved before implementation.

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  17. Change request form
    There are two documents used during the
    process:
    1. Change Log: used to provide a record of
    all changes requested and decisions made
    2. Change Request Form: used to document
    details of the change, including the
    business case

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  18. Good software scoping
    Boils down to a consultative questioning and
    listening process.
    This is more than standard client-developer
    chitchat, or collecting a documented wish list of
    demands. It will be intensive and purposeful.
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in
    most cases is the challenge you will face and
    communicating to your client how and why they
    should pay XYZ amount. Sound familiar?

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  19. Scoping as a developer
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in most cases is the challenge
    you will face and communicating to your client how and why they should pay
    XYZ amount. Sound familiar?
    Identify the project needs
    When you are clearly able to identify the needs
    of a project, you are more likely to set a sound
    benchmark from the beginning.
    Understanding the ‘what and why’ of a project
    will enable you to set specific goals and
    objectives. It also sets the groundwork for
    what tasks are to be performed and how they
    are to be performed.

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  20. Scoping as a developer
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in most cases is the challenge
    you will face and communicating to your client how and why they should pay
    XYZ amount. Sound familiar?
    Define your objectives and goals of the Project
    The basis of the project scope should entail your
    goals and objectives to be one that follows a
    SMART guideline.
    That is, to be
    Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and
    Timebound.

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  21. Scoping as a developer
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in most cases is the challenge
    you will face and communicating to your client how and why they should pay
    XYZ amount. Sound familiar?
    Project scope description
    You need to be clear about the features and
    functionalities required for your product or
    service.
    For example, you are building a website. You
    need a list that provides how you will build your
    website, the type of branding required and so on.
    In other words, what certain qualities will
    increase achieving your project’s success.

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  22. Scoping as a developer
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in most cases is the challenge
    you will face and communicating to your client how and why they should pay
    XYZ amount. Sound familiar?
    Expectations and Acceptance
    Successful projects are ones that take into
    account the satisfaction of the client. Whether
    they meet the client’s expectations and accept
    the product, service or process.
    You need to know what your client’s
    expectations are on a project, manage it well
    and agree on Acceptance level.

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  23. Scoping as a developer
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in most cases is the challenge
    you will face and communicating to your client how and why they should pay
    XYZ amount. Sound familiar?
    Identify Constraints
    There are always roadblocks to achieving what
    you were set out to do. Being aware of possible
    limitations along the way can help you minimize
    problems that may delay or constrain your ability
    to achieve your project’s outcome.

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  24. Scoping as a developer
    As a software engineer, getting the price right in most cases is the challenge
    you will face and communicating to your client how and why they should pay
    XYZ amount. Sound familiar?
    Identify necessary changes
    It is always best to avoid reworking the scope of your project, as it
    means investing in more time, money and resources.
    However, at times these changes are inevitable and necessary.
    Limit changes and always use the change control process to save
    time and resources.

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  25. Scoping The right way!
    A well scoped project work with
    features in mind will help make this
    process easier and more convincing

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  26. Scoping The right way!
    ❖ Document everything:- not just the
    code but the agreed upon features.
    ❖ Be disciplined:- avoid performing
    magic, focus and deliver in the MVP.
    ❖ Communication is key!
    ❖ Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
    ❖ Have a sense of deadline.

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  27. Successful Project Scoping takes into account the
    following considerations:
    Quality
    level
    Timeframe
    A budget
    ❏ An agreement on the acceptable quality level of the output of
    the project.
    ❏ A budget for the costs that would be incurred to deliver the
    project. (per feature)
    ❏ An accepted time period during which the project should be
    completed.

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  28. SAMPLE SCOPING REQUIREMENTS
    ❏ Functional requirements or general requirements
    ❏ Stack requirements
    ❏ Current code base (if applicable)
    ❏ Workflow preferences
    ❏ Designs (screens, wireframes, UI elements)
    ❏ User stories
    ❏ Hosting
    ❏ Deployment

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  29. WHY GOOD SCOPING IS GOOD
    ❏ Getting the price right (for both parties)
    ❏ Showing your expertise before starting a project
    ❏ Big part of the work is already done
    ❏ Thinking about solutions critically
    ❏ Limit project creed
    ❏ Don’t slave
    ❏ Making sure you get paid well ;-)

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  30. TIPS WHEN PLANNING ON GETTING A PROJECT
    wORK
    ● If you’re a core php/laravel developer and the job coming requires a
    node/express expert, Please don’t tell the client yes! you can also code node
    too.
    ● Rather tell the client, i can achieve your result better with php laravel,
    however if you insist on nodeJs, then i can recommend a
    colleague/friend/partner (someone else) with the stack capability.
    ● Don’t use a paid client’s job to learn new stacks especially short time bound
    ones. Pick a side project to develop your skills.
    ● There’s no shame in saying i can only code one language, as long as you
    are great at it.
    ● Attempting to be a SuperStar, Ninja Rockstar freelance developer, you end
    up having unhappy clients because you couldn’t deliver or you delivered a
    shitty software.

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  31. EKOBITS
    What is Ekobits?
    Ekobits is a youth based social enterprise that uses ICT multimedia creatively
    to improve the lives of less privileged youth from the non-formal
    settlement.Among these challenges is Lack of employment which leaves the
    youth idle and despaired and leads them to engaging in vices such as drug
    abuse, prostitution, theft among others. The major cause of unemployment
    among these youth is their inability to access skills and funds.
    We offer ICT training for these youth to give them skills to enable them engage
    in gainful income generating activities. The training is conducted in three
    levels/stages which include taught theory and practicals’ and hands on training
    through internship. The training curricula is based on creativity and
    encompasses marketable applications including web-design and development.
    Learn more: ekobits.academy

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  32. Introducing Ekobits Gigster
    Ekobits Gigster is a Software and
    Digital Design Service Agency
    which provides you with the best
    digital and software skills so that
    you can focus on building great
    products.
    LAUNCHING SOON!!!
    Follow
    @ekobits on twitter to stay
    updated.
    EKOBITS GIGSTER

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  33. Software Managment Documents
    Implementation Plan - An Overview of the project
    containing general costs, what the project should
    achieve.
    Feature Scope with Description - A technical listing of
    features to be built into the system with duration.
    Change Request Form - To handle changes from clients
    mostly.
    Change Log Form - To properly document each changes
    requested and status of the change.

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  34. SAMPLE SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION
    DOCUMENT
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ytPDgzrkXBZriuCjkgA28ENiA
    4wx4sxoyW6i0_7tORg/edit?usp=sharing

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  35. SAMPLE SOFTWARE SCOPING DOCUMENT

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  36. SAMPLE SOFTWARE CHANGE REQUEST FORM

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  37. SAMPLE SOFTWARE CHANGE LOG FORM

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  38. Any questions?

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  39. Thank you for your time!
    You can find me at:
    @walecloud
    [email protected]

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  40. Credits
    ✖ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
    ✖ Photographs by Google
    ✖ Tunga.io
    ✖ Ekobits Academy
    ✖ https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/d-scope-softwar
    e-agile/index.html
    ✖ https://www.brighthubpm.com/project-planning/57950-exampl
    e-and-evaluation-of-project-scope-statements/
    ✖ https://medium.freecodecamp.org/how-to-effectively-scope-yo
    ur-software-projects-from-planning-to-execution-e96cbcac54b
    9
    ✖ https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/what-is-change-control.php

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