Black Belt Cost Control Tips

Aaaaargh! I am watching a budget train wreck happen to a cultural project team. (Not mine. No, really.) And it was avoidable.

It’s too late for my friends. But not for you. You seem nice. Take these tips — and use them.

1. Plan Not to Be Over
Don’t plan, then check. Plan not to be over. An estimate should verify what you know, not reveal what you don’t.

2. Modular Alternates
Plan your entire project from the start around modules that can turn into pricing alternates. 

3. React to Expensive Suggestions
When a stakeholder suggests additions, make it clear then if it might be over budget.

4. The End Is Too Late
If you wait until the end to estimate, the cuts happen with an axe. Estimate early and often.

5. Estimate Repeatedly
Estimate after every phase, even when you barely know what you’re pricing.

6. Adjust As You Go
After each estimate, don’t just file it. Workshop a course correction with the owner immediately.

7. Control the Cuts Yourself
When cuts are needed, the planners should suggest them. Not the owner.

Here’s the thing:
Budgeting and cost control don’t happen to a project. They are the project.

Don't be like my friends. Take these tips — and use them.

Warmly,
Jonathan