Make Every Project Predictable
This is v1, published 18th December 2025.
Projects don’t have to be chaotic. This checklist helps agency teams deliver predictably with less stress, more consistency, and fewer surprises.
Use it before or during a project to spot risks, align your team, and stay on track.
Download as PDF, copy&paste to a document, or print this page.
1. Align
“Are we all on the same page before we start?”
☐ Does everyone agree on what success looks like for this project?
☐ Have the client stakeholders signed off on outcomes, not just outputs?
☐ Are internal and external expectations aligned?
☐ Have we surfaced and shared any known risks before starting?
☐ Has delivery reality-checked what sales has promised?
☐ Is there clarity on why this project matters (beyond tasks)?
2. Define
“Are we setting ourselves up for calm delivery?”
☐ Is the scope or the goals clear, documented, and agreed with the client?
☐ Are estimates based on past experience (not just optimism)?
☐ Are roles and responsibilities clearly understood?
☐ Do we have a process to manage change if it happens?
☐ Are we giving clients ranges, not rigid deadlines, where possible?
☐ Are we set up to limit the team’s work-in-progress?
3. Deliver
“Are we building momentum, not managing chaos?”
☐ Have we booked weekly delivery events (e.g. planning, check-ins)?
☐ Is client stakeholder communication happening regularly and with purpose?
☐ Are delivery goals visible and documented?
☐ Does the team know what “good enough” looks like at this stage?
☐ Are we reviewing scope creep signals weekly?
4. Adapt
“Are we learning and improving, not just surviving?”
☐ Are we holding regular retrospectives and structured post-project reviews?
☐ Are we applying lessons from past work into current planning?
☐ Are we tracking and reinforcing small delivery habit experiments?
☐ Have we planned space to reset and recover before each deadline?
Notes for Use:
- Treat this as a conversation starter with your team.
- Review before kickoff, halfway through, and at project close.
- Use it to spot patterns — and build more consistent habits over time.
Want to build habits around this? Check out Tactical Delivery Habits.