Every single first-time project we take on has the same preventable mistake. It is not technical. It is not expensive to fix. And once you know about it, you will see it everywhere.
The mistake: starting work before the scope is locked in writing. Every change after kickoff is more expensive than it would have been before. Most clients do not know this, and most vendors do not say it out loud.
The fix is boring: write the scope down, get it signed, and hold the line.
