ABSTRACT
Statements of work, commonly referred to as SOWs, are the heart of any professional services engagement. It is critical that the SOW clearly describe all services and deliverables the customer expects to receive. Without that clarity, the customer may not receive what they expect, cost overruns may result, and delivery schedules may be missed. Remarkably, even though SOWs are keys to the success of a professional services engagement, they are frequently written at the last minute, seldom given the time they deserve to perfect, and generally fail to provide the level of detail necessary to clearly define the services and deliverables to be provided. SOWs
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are also frequently drafted by contractors with little or no input from the customer’s business.
