Your supplier wants more time, more budget, or both. You want to move fast but hate rubber-stamping requests you barely understand. Here’s a lightweight way to assess variations before you say yes.
The questions to answer every time
- What triggered the change? (Requirement gap, new regulation, vendor delay?)
- What is the impact? (Timeline, cost, quality, team availability)
- Who benefits? (Client, end users, vendor)
- What happens if we do nothing?
If the vendor can’t explain those points clearly, park the request until they can.
20-minute impact template
| Change ID | Description | Effort (days) | Cost impact | Quality impact | Business rationale | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR-15 | Additional analytics widgets | +4 dev | +$2,500 | Improves insight for ops team | Regulatory reporting change | Approve with revised timeline |
| CR-16 | Extend warranty support | +0 dev | +$1,200 | Reduces downtime risk | Vendor resource constraint | Decline – covered in contract |
Decision flow
- Vendor submits the request using the template (no email essays).
- Client lead reviews within two business days.
- If impact > agreed threshold (e.g., +10% cost), escalate to sponsor with recommendation (approve/decline/defer).
- Update the change log and contract appendix once a decision is made.
Guardrails that protect you
- Define approval thresholds in the contract (time/cost %)
- Cap cumulative change value per quarter
- Require evidence (defect reports, user stories, compliance notes)
When to ask for help
Call us if change requests keep piling up, if decisions drag for weeks, or if the vendor pushes work through without formal approval. We analyse the pipeline, reset the process, and coach both sides so change-control becomes a five-step routine—not a firefight.