It’s called the Early Scope Definition Phase, and is becoming a non-negotiable for high-performing project engineering teams. Yet despite its growing adoption, some decision-makers still hesitate. Is it worth the investment? Will it slow things down? And who really needs it?
In this blog post, Jake Carr, Project Engineering Manager, reframes the conversation as he responds to some of the common objections he’s heard from across the industry.
Because it’s not an extra - it’s insurance.
Think of Early Scope Definition as a risk reduction tool, not an added expense. For a modest investment upfront, you gain clarity, reduce uncertainty, and prevent costly rework later. Deliverables include a well-defined scope, risk analysis, and feasibility insights you can use with any vendor, not just us.
And here’s the bonus: if you choose to move forward with Northern Engineering Solutions, we credit the cost of this phase toward your full project. That means it’s effectively risk-free. You're not paying more, you're choosing to be more prepared.
Then you really don’t have time not to.
We understand the pressure to move fast. But here’s the reality: skipping this step almost always results in delays down the line. Gaps in scope, misaligned expectations, unclear responsibilities - these are the friction points that drag timelines and drain budgets.
Taking just a few weeks to align early means that when the purchase order is placed, the project hits the ground running. No scrambling. No backtracking. Just momentum.
Perfect. Let’s make sure nothing critical slips through.
If you have a well-formed vision, that’s a great start. Our role isn’t to second-guess your direction - it’s to stress-test your assumptions and identify any hidden risks before they become expensive problems.
We bring a second set of expert eyes and proven tools to the table. Even the most experienced teams benefit from structured feasibility checks and peer-level scrutiny.
You still win.
This phase is built to be stand-alone. You own all deliverables and can use them with any engineering firm, contractor, or internal team. There’s no lock-in. No pressure.
That said, many clients do choose to continue with us because they’ve already seen the value we bring and trust our process. But whether or not we move forward together, your investment in scope clarity pays off.
You stay in control - we just sharpen the lens.
We’re not here to take over. We’re here to partner. Your team brings the vision, constraints, and context. We bring engineering rigour and delivery experience.
Together, we co-develop a buildable, executable scope. You maintain ownership. We just help you document and test what you already know before it gets handed off to execution teams or external vendors.
We can help with that.
Our Early Scope Definition phase is packaged cleanly for procurement teams as an upfront planning service. We’re happy to collaborate with your procurement department to frame this as a value-added, risk mitigation tool.
This isn’t a sunk cost. It’s a strategic investment in your project’s success.
Early Scope Definition isn’t bureaucracy, it’s smart project leadership. In a world where timelines are tight and budgets are scrutinised, the ability to de-risk, align, and accelerate from day one is a competitive advantage. Let’s build better, from the beginning.
