Scope questions that settle extra work before it turns into a dispute
Ask clients why the scope moved, how they want extra requests handled and who can approve them. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What scope change survey questions tell you
Scope change survey questions ask clients about the requests that fall outside what you agreed: why the scope changed, how they want extra work handled, who can approve it and how fair the process felt. Scope creep strains margins and relationships alike, and it is easier to agree the rules once than to argue over each request.
Ask the handling and approval questions early in a project or retainer, before the first extra request arrives, and the change questions when a request comes up. Keep each survey to three or four questions, and add the signature question when the client needs to approve a change in writing. Send the link in the email that raises the change.
Each written answer gets a theme and a sentiment, so the reasons scope moves add up across clients. Give each response an owner in the inbox, and keep the signed approval with the answer.
- Questions
- 13
- Best asked
- When an extra request comes up
- Industry
- Agencies
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 13 out of scope requests questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
Agreeing the rules
Ask how extra work should be handled and who approves it before the first request comes up, so each new request follows a rule you already agreed.
- 03Multiple choice
How should extra work be handled?
Asks how the client wants extra work handled, from a separate quote to case by case. Put the answer in the contract notes, so the whole team follows it.
- 13This or that
When something extra comes up, you would rather we
Two pairs: pause and quote or do it and discuss later, and swap the work or add budget. The split bars give you the client's rule for the next request.
- 10Dropdown
Who can approve extra work?
Who can approve extra work, from the client contact to the leadership team. Ask it at the start, so you know who to send each change to.
- 09Customer effort
How easy is it to get a change approved on your side?
A customer effort score for getting a change approved on the client's side. A low share who found it easy explains slow starts on extra work.
When a request comes up
Record what changed and why, and get approval in writing, so the extra work has a clear start.
- 01Yes / No
Did we tell you this request falls outside the scope?
A yes or no on whether you flagged the request as outside the scope. A No means the client may expect the work for free, so settle it before anyone starts.
- 04Text
What changed since we agreed the scope?
The open question on what changed since the scope was agreed. Each answer comes with a theme, so you can see whether goals, people or budgets move most.
- 05Multiple choice
Why did the scope change?
Lets the client tick every reason the scope moved, including something missed in the brief. When that reason keeps coming up, look at how you run discovery.
- 07Signature
Sign to approve this change to the scope
Collects a signature to approve the change, kept with the answer in the inbox. Use it for any change that adds cost or time. Signature is on every plan, 1 per survey on Free.
How extra work is going
Look back on extra work across a project: how much there was, how much it moved the plan and how fairly it was handled.
- 02Stars
How fair was the way we handled the extra request?
A star rating for how fairly the extra request was handled. Ask it once the request is closed, and read low scores with the open question on what to push back on.
- 06Big scale
How much did the extra work delay the main project?
How much the extra work delayed the main project, on a scale of 1 to 10. A high average is the moment to reset the timeline with the client.
- 08Ruler
How many extra requests came up this month?
How many extra requests came up this month, on a ruler. Results shows the median across clients, which helps you decide when a retainer needs resizing.
- 11Multiple choice
How much of this project is now different from the original brief?
Places the project on a line from none of it to almost all of it changed. When answers reach about half, treat the work as a new project and quote it.
- 12Text
What should we have pushed back on?
Asks the client what you should have pushed back on. These answers show where to hold the line next time, in the client's own words.
Tips for asking about out of scope requests
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Agree the rules early
Ask how extra work should be handled and who approves it in the first weeks, before a request makes it urgent.
- 02
Get approval in writing
Add the signature question to every change that adds cost or time, so the approval sits with the request in the inbox.
- 03
Count requests each month
Track how many extra requests come up, and propose a retainer change when the count stays high.
- 04
Keep each survey short
A survey about a single change needs three or four questions. Ask what changed, why and who approves, and stop there.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about out of scope requests
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
Ask how extra work should be handled at the start of a project, and the change questions when a request comes up. Put the link in the email that raises the change.
Yes, on every plan. Add the signature question (1 per survey on Free), and the signature arrives with the answers in the inbox and in a gallery in Results.
Three or four. Ask what changed, why it changed and whether the client approves, and add the delay score on larger changes.
Yes. Add a tag for the client to the survey link, and the tag stays with each answer in Google Sheets and the API. Each card in Results also compares with the period before.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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