The case
“Our tools are a mess.”
Tomás Herrera had moved Oda through three project tools in two years. Each one worked for a quarter. He wanted me to choose the fourth.
What we found
Any of three people could agree to a change in a client’s scope: the account lead, the design director and Tomás himself. Clients had learned to ask all three. Every tool had faithfully recorded the overruns; none of them could stop one.
The tool was never the problem. It was the most honest witness Oda had.
What we changed
One person now approves any change in scope: the account lead on that project. Changes over five days of work go to a weekly fifteen-minute review, with a written yes or no. Oda kept its current tool.
What happened next
Project margin rose nine points in twelve months. Tomás says the biggest change is that he no longer reads client email on Sundays.
