Commercial Strategy | Risk Management | Enterprise Consulting
Bringing Transparency to Commercial Management
Custom software engagements involve uncertainty.
These examples describe my approach and contributions alongside the work of wider teams.
The challenge
Custom software engagements involve uncertainty.
Third-party integrations, evolving requirements and technical dependencies can create risks that are difficult to communicate through traditional proposals.
When those risks aren’t identified early, customers may experience unexpected costs and delivery teams may absorb additional work.
My approach
I introduced a more visual and transparent approach to commercial proposals.
This included:
Visual mind maps to explain scope and functionality.
Risk matrices to highlight dependencies and potential challenges.
Early identification of risks such as third-party API integrations.
Realistic cost and timeline ranges.
Time-and-materials estimates with indicative lower and upper ranges where appropriate.
I also changed how change requests were presented.
Rather than treating them as difficult commercial conversations, I positioned them as choices.
Customers could decide whether to fund additional requirements immediately, defer them to a later release or consider them for a future phase.
The outcome
Improved visibility into project risks and commercial assumptions.
Clearer expectations around scope and potential costs.
Reduced project absorption and revenue leakage.
Better commercial predictability.
More constructive conversations about future phases.
Key takeaway
Commercial transparency isn’t about protecting a vendor from a customer. It’s about helping both sides make informed decisions.