INSIGHTS

Developing a best-in-class Scope of Work is the joint responsibility of both client and agency.

As any client will tell you, when working with external suppliers and agencies a well-written Scope of Work will result in a successful project with effective communication and timely delivery. After all, there is a common interest in getting it right from the outset given the usual focus on ROI – as an agency you are managing your client’s investment accordingly, and as the client you are prioritising multiple success metrics for your brand campaign and marketing activity.

But what exactly goes into making an effective Scope of Work document? In this article, we’ll explain the various elements that need to be considered and included as a prerequisite.

1. What is a Scope of Work?

A Scope of Work, often abbreviated to SoW, is a formal agreement that covers all the work that you and your agency partners will undertake on a project. It sounds basic, but it is an integral part of any partnership that defines how both teams will achieve each their set goals for a given project.

In the Scope of Work, every single task should be documented and explained, and there should be a breakdown of everything that will happen throughout the project. This will include assigning a time frame for each task and notifying all parties.

Above all, the Scope of Work should be written in a clear and concise language, be well structured, and avoid ambiguity at all costs.

2. Why write a Scope of Work?

A Scope of Work is an essential document for any client when working with external suppliers and agencies. A well-written one explains everything that an agency or supplier will need to fulfil for the project to meet the expectations of the client. It is a detailed action plan with a timeline, it is a definition of expected outcomes, and it outlines the terms you are working under.

It should provide the client and agency with promises of what will be delivered, and it should help you when additions and changes are requested. For an agency a good SoW can be considered a safeguard against demanding clients and protect it against any potential legal action.

3. How to structure the Scope of Work?

When creating the Scope of Work, it is always vital to consider the other party. If written well, the SoW can ease negotiations and clear up any grey areas. There are several factors to keep in mind that are crucial for your project’s success.

Clarity: your Scope of Work needs to be written in clear and concise language, and be very specific with no vague explanations or stretched deadlines etc. The best Scope of Work is the one the agency understands what is required without asking further questions.
Agency Involvement: everything that you add to the Scope of Work should include your agency’s agreement. It might initially seem like a nightmare to spend hours writing emails and calling, but it will be worth the wait.
Follow-ups: it’s one of your main Scope of Work requirements to confirm that both parties are satisfied with the Scope of Work, and that you can proceed with the other details from the Statement of Work. It should happen before you sign the contract and is something like a “double confirmation.”

4. What to include in a Scope of Work?

There is a whole list of things you could include in your Scope of Work. Some are essential, others are going to depend on the nature of the project, and even the methodology and strategies you are using to complete this project. It is important to remember this is an agreed document and both sides need to know what each other has promised. It would help if you considered including the following:

Objectives/aim and outcomes– What the project will achieve and how you aim to showcase the results.
Requirements – Establish what precisely the needs of the project are.
Schedule/timeline– The starting date, expected completion date, and key milestones showing progression.
Breakdown and task priority – An ordered action plan of the different elements that will produce the fully completed project.
Deliverables – What your project will produce, such as media delivery or the creation of an ad.
Reporting – How you will report progress and who you will report to.

When writing a Scope of Work, it is not only a detailed document of promises and agreed-on outcomes, but also a sign of your professional standards as a client. It is a demonstration of your organizational skills and a symbol of your business identity. How you put this information across is as important as the information it contains, with an emphasis on the business mission, vision, and strategy intended.

Your Scope of Work document template needs to be set out with a clear purpose of what the project is before signing the agreement, what the project will look like after the contract ends, and all the stages in between.

5. Scope of Work Tasks

In this part, we are looking at the specific tasks and the breakdown, demonstrating how you plan to attack this project.

Action plan: the Scope of Work action plan is crucial for the overall success. What work needs to be done to complete the project, and how do you plan to break it up into sections or stages? Each task must be specific and quantifiable. This will help agencies to demonstrate value and justify their fees.
Task & Deliverables: you can combine this with the action plan depending on how you want to set up the document. This is the real Scope of Work, the part where you match your tasks with the deliverables requested. Each deliverable may be made up of numerous tasks, so you can get creative with how you draw these together in your Scope of Work. If the client and agency can see a direct relationship between the tasks and the results, it’s fine.
Task Details List: again, this can be linked to the other task sections. You just give some detail of how the task will be achieved, the specific action, and it may be appropriate to state the staffing resources needed. The point should be helpful for the clients to see what will happen in each stage and for the agency team working on the tasks to know what is required.
Putting into Action: the value of this section is that you demonstrate exactly how all the separate deliverables will combine to produce the completed project.
Project Timeline/Schedule: whenever possible, you should try to give an estimated timeline for events. These should be done in the expected time taken rather than exact dates unless, of course, you know the precise starting date of the project in advance. This gives all the stakeholders, including your own team, a time frame to work within. It is where milestones come into place. Instead of being rough with assessments, you can break down the biggest tasks into smaller ones (usually with checklists) which can help you identify the estimated time much more precisely. It will be helpful for both your team members and the agency and will avoid any scope creep.

6. Scope of Work Administration

Administrating a Scope of Work is just as important as writing it. Let’s touch on some of the most important things:

a) Roles & Responsibilities: there is plenty to cover here, and it’s worth taking some time to decide on the parts that both client and agency play in this process to avoid the dreaded scope creep.

Who is responsible for signing off the stages of the project and the final project, in other words the project owner?
Who is responsible for agreeing or adding to the previously agreed Scope?
Where do you report progress, to whom, and by what method? How often do you report progress?
How do you expect to receive feedback?
Do you have set meeting times? How much stakeholder input do you require or want? Does this differ by market if the SoW is cross-regional?
Who is responsible for maintenance and support after the project sign-off, and what does this include?

Think of all the potential problems that could come up during this project and specify who the person to contact in every situation is. These may seem like minor details but getting them in writing from the outset will make your life so much easier.

b) Standards & expectations be clear about the standards you will apply. Certain projects may require legal standards; others could be down to your professionalism. Set a paragraph aside to make note of what the agreed actions are from both parties and what extras are not covered by the previous agreement.

c) Criteria for success and project sign-off: what are the agreed criteria to show that the project is complete? And who decides whether they are fully completed to a satisfactory level? Make sure there is a project owner who is both responsible and accountable at the same time. This is important to get in writing at the outset, as it will reduce potential problems later. Make these criteria clear and specific and establish the terms with the key stakeholder in question before embarking on the project. Take as much upfront information as possible to avoid misunderstanding and unwelcome surprises.

d) Signatures: all that’s left is to leave a designated space for the signatures of the representatives of both parties.

In Summary

Defining a good Scope of Work is critical for any project’s success. It sets the boundaries between agency and client and manages expectations on both sides. A well-written SoW can help you negotiate better terms with your agency and can serve as a shield if you come across unrealistic demands that haven’t been mentioned beforehand. Taking the necessary time, care, and due diligence in the process from the get-go will ensure that a mutually beneficial commercial partnership between client and agency is the end product.

Nick Sparey

Managing Partner, Illumino Partnership