The best framework to turn your raw idea into a developed plan

Many development projects fail even before they officially start.

Not due to bad intentions, but because of the lack of a strong foundation that provides direction to the development process.

I am specifically talking about a Scope of Work (SoW).

In this article, I will explain why a SoW is so important and what steps we take together with our clients to go from a rough idea to a fully developed SoW.

The Importance of a Scope of Work (SoW)

In practice, we often see that AI solutions, automation projects, and software projects take too long, cost too much, and ultimately do not solve the problem effectively.

This is usually due to a few core reasons. One of them is simply not thinking carefully about the solution before development begins. The other is what we call ‘developer overdelight’: getting carried away in building more than necessary.

These are two extremes; the ideal approach lies somewhere in the middle.

On one side, you have companies that do not adequately prepare their projects. Their projects continue to grow in scope (both in terms of time and budget), drift away from the original goal, and rarely deliver meaningful results.

On the other side, there are companies that keep adding to the plan. They strive for the “perfect” solution and pile on functionalities simply because they can. What were once ‘nice-to-haves’ suddenly become ‘must-haves’, and the project grows until the core problem gets buried under a sea of extras.

Ultimately, you pay the premium for more development time and end up with a solution that can do a lot, but does not effectively solve your main problem.

Neither approach works. Both lead to waste of time, energy, and money.

So what is the right approach?

From experience, we know that a solid, well-thought-out Statement of Work (SoW) according to the framework below, before the start of a development project, is the key to success.

Framework for Strong SoWs

This is how we tackle it:

1. Map the Problem Domain

Without a clear problem domain, a project is doomed to fail from the start.

When you have an idea, thoroughly map out where the pain points lie, which processes are involved, which tools are being used, and how.

Try to describe it in such a way that even someone without knowledge of the context understands the core of the problem just by reading the document.

The clearer this is, the smoother the next steps will go, both for your team and for the developers.

2. Describe the Ideal Solution

The next step is to outline all the functionalities and user experiences that would make the solution ideal for you and your team.

Feel free to think big here. This step is meant for exploration, so don't worry yet about what is technically feasible.

It is important to involve end-users in this phase. Their input ensures that the solution really helps them and that they feel ownership over the final result; both are essential for success.

3. Split the Must-Haves and Nice-to-Haves

Once you have gathered all the ideas, go through the list again and eliminate everything that is not absolutely necessary to deliver real value.

You can divide the functionalities into three categories:

• Box 1: The essentials. These are the indispensable functions that make the solution valuable and functional.

• Box 2: The important improvements. These are not strictly required, but significantly enhance the user experience and overall value. Ideally, you want to realize these as soon as possible, but for this exercise, they are in box 2 because they are not crucial.

• Box 3: The extras. These are ideas for future expansions, nice-to-haves that make the solution even better, but are not necessary to extract a lot of value from it yet.

It is not an exact science, but it is important to work with this priority mindset. It saves you a lot of unnecessary time and costs.

4. Break It Down into Manageable Pieces

Depending on your project, Box 1 may still contain many functionalities.
If the lead time is more than four to six weeks, it is wise to break the project down into smaller phases.

Group related core functionalities so that each phase remains manageable in terms of investment and risk, without losing focus on the core value.

5. Document Everything

The last step is to document everything in a comprehensive SoW.

This should include:

• The problem area (processes, tools, team size, etc.)

• The scope of the solution (defined functionalities + context)

• Timelines, milestones, and investment (including monthly tool costs)

• A clear definition of done

• An estimated ROI (for your own decision-making)

This is a crucial step to create a shared understanding between you and the development team, whether internal or external. Believe me, it will save you a lot of headaches later on.