Accepting that this is a "change"

We are finishing the build phase of a project, starting the test phase of the project and know the client has noticed that there is the need to add a functionality.

We have need one week to let them recognize that this is a change request due to the requirement was out of scope. The formal process has been launched today but I would like to review the emotional process that the client has covered.

First, they was annoyed because the functionality was not there: what’s happen? why the application does not do this?

Second, they have saying, hey just take note of other bug and add to the bug tracking list, so that afternoon they seem to be comfortable.

Third, in the revision meeting we classified this bug as “improvement” and told to them. Again they were upset.

Four, they were reviewing the project plan and the gaps of this in order to suggest how to adapt this plan to add the functionality without affecting the plan. No way, the plan was explained, and that was not the solution.

Fifth, the project manager of the client (that belongs to the IT department of the client) and the main contact of the final client (other department) complaint each other: the first says “there’s no more budget you have to use the application without this functionality…”, the answer is simple “…we are not going to pay nothing and accept any application that does not cover the mentioned functionality”. In summary: stress, displeased…

Sixth, the project manager of the client escalates the situation internally in their department. The action is to request formally an estimation of the required functionality.

All this process has been handled by the analyst that is assisting the test phase, the project manager and myself that have been working very hard the communications (so many hours on phone, in meetings and in the corridor… making the message smoother).

Let’s see how it works, there’s still a lot of things to do.