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Client Risk Precheck Checklist

Use this checklist before you commit to the project, quote fixed price, or move into delivery.

If too many answers are unclear, the issue is not speed. The issue is that the project is not ready for commitment.

How to Use This Checklist

Mark each item as one of:

  • clear
  • unclear
  • red flag

If several items are unclear or red-flagged, pause before committing.

1. Project Definition

  • [ ] Is the core deliverable clearly defined?
  • [ ] Is success defined in observable terms?
  • [ ] Is the first milestone concrete enough to estimate?
  • [ ] Are required assets, inputs, or dependencies already identified?

If these are unclear, review:

2. Scope Stability

  • [ ] Has the scope remained stable during initial discussions?
  • [ ] Are requests converging rather than expanding?
  • [ ] Is there a clear boundary between included and excluded work?
  • [ ] Are revision expectations defined before contract?

If these are weak, review:

3. Stakeholders and Decision Path

  • [ ] Do you know who makes the final decision?
  • [ ] Is there one clear approval path?
  • [ ] Are additional stakeholders limited and named?
  • [ ] Can feedback be consolidated instead of arriving from multiple directions?

If not, review:

4. Commitment Signals

  • [ ] Is the client willing to commit to a deposit, milestone, or equivalent signal?
  • [ ] Is the timeline demanding but still realistic?
  • [ ] Are they willing to clarify requirements before asking for a final quote?
  • [ ] Do they respond consistently rather than contradicting earlier statements?

If not, review:

5. Failure-Path Indicators

  • [ ] Are you being asked to estimate before the work is defined?
  • [ ] Are major requirements still changing before kickoff?
  • [ ] Is urgency being used to skip clarification?
  • [ ] Are “we’ll figure it out later” phrases carrying key delivery risk?
  • [ ] Are you already anticipating unpaid iteration or hidden expansion?

If yes, review:

Scoring Logic

Low Risk

Most answers are clear, and no major red flag controls the path.

Caution

Some items are clear, but key scope, stakeholder, or commitment questions remain unresolved.

Stop or Restructure

Multiple items are unclear or red-flagged, especially around scope, approval authority, deposit refusal, or revision boundaries.

What Not to Do Next

Do not:

  • force a fixed-price quote onto an undefined project
  • treat urgency as proof of clarity
  • assume unclear expectations will become cleaner after kickoff
  • continue only because time has already been spent in discussion

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