A Change Request (CR) is a formal document used to propose and approve modifications to the scope of work, timeline, or price of an active contract. Once signed by both parties, it serves as a legally binding amendment to the original Statement of Work (SOW).
Establishing a clear change control governance prevents the delivery team from absorbing extra requests for free under the guise of customer satisfaction. If the client wants new features, they must sign a Change Request to add budget or shift milestones.
Change Request Audit Checklist
- Baseline Reference: Does the CR cite the specific SOW clause or boundary that the change is modifying?
- Scope Specificity: Is the new scope documented with deliverables, exclusions, and assumptions?
- Commercial Adjustment: Is the price adjustment documented as T&M or fixed fee with rates visible?
- Timeline Impact: Does the CR detail the specific shift in milestone delivery dates?
When should a change request be free?+
Almost never. If the change represents work outside the SOW boundaries, it has a cost. Giving away work for free trains the client to expect unlimited adjustments without discipline.
How do you handle client pushback on a change request?+
Remind them of the agreed-upon boundaries: "We want to deliver this feature for you. In order to do so, we need to deploy extra resources. If you would prefer not to sign the CR, we can deprioritize other tasks or phase this feature for post-launch."