Managing App Timelines and Change Requests

Milestones your client can see

Break the build into milestones the client understands: designs approved, first working screens, connections done, testing, launch. Share a short update every week in your brand, with what was done, what is next and anything you need from the client. Most delays come from waiting on the client for content, logins or decisions, so name those needs early.

A simple change request process

Changes are normal. Handle them with a written change request: what changes, why, the effect on time and cost, and the client's approval before work starts. Send each request to your build partner for an estimate first, then add your margin. Small changes can be bundled into a monthly batch so the project keeps moving.

Never absorb changes silently to keep a client happy. It erodes your margin and teaches the client that scope does not matter.

• Describe the change and the reason
• Estimate time and cost with your partner
• Add your margin
• Get written approval before work starts

When things slip

If a milestone slips, tell the client early with a new date and the reason. Agree with your partner what will be done to recover. Early, honest updates keep trust; late surprises lose it.

Worked example: a change mid-build

Halfway through a portal build, the client asked for a referral discount at checkout. The agency wrote a change request, sent it to the build partner for an estimate, added its margin and showed the client the cost and a one-week effect on the launch date. The client approved it in writing and the work was added to the plan.

Two smaller changes, a new field and a wording update, were bundled into the monthly batch without moving the date.

Common timeline mistakes

Timelines slip quietly unless someone watches them every week. A short update protects both the schedule and the relationship.

• Absorbing changes for free
• Not naming client inputs and their due dates
• Reporting slips at the deadline instead of early
• Skipping written approval for changes

Check your understanding

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