Mission Planning: From Job Post to Locked Scope
You found a promising job post. Now what? How do you scope it? Break it into milestones? Estimate timeline? Lock the scope so it doesn't explode?
This guide teaches the 7-step framework from job post → locked AC.md baseline. By the end, you'll know how to plan missions that are properly scoped, fairly priced, and protected from scope creep.
Why Mission Planning Matters
Bad Planning = Money Lost
Vague scope → scope creep → 3x effort → you work for $20/hour instead of $150/hour.
Bad Planning = Time Wasted
Unclear requirements → false starts → rewrites → missed deadlines → angry client.
Good Planning = Fast Delivery
Clear AC.md → Rafael generates correct code first time → Sofia verifies → payment in 1 week.
Good Planning = Protected Scope
Locked baseline → change control (Swap/Add) → no free work → profitable missions.
The 7-Step Planning Framework
Parse the Job Post
Evidence Sprint or Full Mission?
Define Success Criteria
Break Into Milestones
Estimate Timeline & Price
Identify Risks & Dependencies
Lock Scope (AC.md Baseline)
Real Mission Planning Examples
See how the 7-step framework was applied to actual ScopeLock missions.
TherapyKin: Therapy Companion App
KongInvest: Trading Bot
Rescue Mission: Broken E-commerce
Evidence Sprint vs Full Mission: Decision Tree
$3-6K, 2-5 days. Deliver demo + delta. Then quote full work.
Prove value first, build trust, then upsell.
Right-size to budget, upsell later.
$8-15K, 1-3 weeks, 2-3 milestones.
Test Your Planning Skills
For each scenario, decide what you would do. Click to reveal the answer.
Job post: "Need help with my SaaS dashboard." Budget: $3K. Client: 0 hires, payment not verified.
Clear requirements: "Build REST API for mobile app. 8 endpoints, PostgreSQL, FastAPI. Need in 2 weeks." Budget: $12K. Client: 15 hires, 5.0 rating.
After baseline tag, client says: "Actually, can we use MongoDB instead of PostgreSQL?"
Job: "Improve performance of existing React app." No specifics. Budget: $5K.
Mission Planning Templates
📋 Evidence Sprint Template
# Evidence Sprint: [Project Name] ## Client Context - Pain point: [Real problem, not stated requirement] - Client type: [Process-skeptical / Process-friendly] - Budget: $[3-6K] - Timeline: [2-5 days] ## Deliverables - [ ] Working demo (≤90s video) - [ ] Quantified delta (2-3 metrics) - [ ] AC.md baseline for potential full mission ## Acceptance Criteria 1. [Functional: User can...] 2. [Functional: System does...] 3. [Non-functional: p95 response time <Xms] 4. [Non-functional: Handles X concurrent users] ## Verification ```bash npm run test:e2e -- [test-file].spec.ts # Expected: All tests pass (green) ``` ## Upsell Path If Evidence Sprint succeeds: - Full Mission: $[8-15K], [1-3 weeks] - Scope: [Extended functionality...]
🎯 Full Mission Template
# Full Mission: [Project Name] ## Overview - Budget: $[8-15K] - Timeline: [1-3 weeks] - Milestones: [2-3] ## Milestone 1: [Name] ($[X]K, [Y] days) ### Acceptance Criteria 1. [Functional criteria...] 2. [Non-functional: p95 <Xms, uptime >99%] ### Verification ```bash npm run test:e2e -- m1.spec.ts ``` ### Dependencies - None (first milestone) ## Milestone 2: [Name] ($[X]K, [Y] days) ### Acceptance Criteria 1. [Functional criteria...] 2. [Non-functional criteria...] ### Verification ```bash npm run test:e2e -- m2.spec.ts ``` ### Dependencies - Requires M1 complete (auth, database) ## Change Control After baseline (`ac-baseline_[name]_2025-XX-XX`): - Swap: Equal/lower complexity, same price - Add: New milestone, new price ## Risk Register 1. [Risk]: [Mitigation strategy] 2. [Risk]: [Mitigation strategy]
Mission Planning Checklist
Before Writing Proposal
- ☐ Parse job post: Pain point identified (not just stated requirements)
- ☐ Red flags checked: Payment verified, reasonable budget, clear scope
- ☐ Client type detected: Process-skeptical or process-friendly
- ☐ Engagement type decided: Evidence Sprint, Full Mission, or Multi-Milestone
- ☐ Portfolio match selected: Which past project proves relevant capability
Before Starting Work
- ☐ AC.md drafted: Functional + non-functional criteria defined
- ☐ Verification method specified: Test command + seed data + expected output
- ☐ Milestones defined: Each milestone = vertical slice = 1 payment point
- ☐ Dependencies mapped: What requires what
- ☐ Risks identified: Technical, scope, timeline risks with mitigations
- ☐ Timeline estimated: Account for code gen + testing + edge cases + 20% buffer
- ☐ Price locked: Fixed price per milestone
After Proposal Acceptance
- ☐ AC.md co-written with client: They approve criteria
- ☐ DoD checklist created: From Inna's BEHAVIOR_SPEC + VALIDATION
- ☐ Baseline tagged: `git tag ac-baseline_[name]_2025-XX-XX`
- ☐ Change control explained: Client understands Swap vs Add
- ☐ Handoff to Rafael: Complete 6-level docs ready for code generation
6 Common Mission Planning Mistakes
❌ Mistake 1: Quoting hours instead of outcomes
Why it fails: Hours are unbounded. Client hears "40 hours" and expects it, then scope creeps to 80 hours.
Fix: Quote fixed price for defined outcome. "Milestone 1: Auth flow working and tested, $6K." Not "40 hours at $150/hour."
❌ Mistake 2: Horizontal milestones (layers not slices)
Why it fails: M1 = Database, M2 = API, M3 = Frontend means nothing works until M3. No value delivered until end.
Fix: Vertical slices. M1 = Auth (DB + API + UI working). Client sees value immediately, pays sooner.
❌ Mistake 3: No baseline tag = invisible scope creep
Why it fails: Client changes requirements mid-work. You do extra work for free because no baseline to point to.
Fix: `git tag ac-baseline_auth_2025-11-06` after AC.md approval. All changes after = Change Request (Swap/Add).
❌ Mistake 4: Vague acceptance criteria
Why it fails: "Auth should work" is not testable. Client says "not done" even when it works.
Fix: Executable AC. "User can signup with email. Verification: `npm run test:e2e -- signup.spec.ts` passes."
❌ Mistake 5: No buffer for unknowns
Why it fails: Estimate 5 days, quote 5 days. Edge case appears, now it's 7 days. You work for free.
Fix: Estimate 5 days, add 20% buffer, quote 6 days. Unknown appears, still profitable.
❌ Mistake 6: Ignoring red flags in planning
Why it fails: Payment unverified, vague scope, "urgent"... you quote anyway, waste time on NO-GO client.
Fix: Red flags in Step 1 = stop. NO-GO and move to next opportunity. Time is your most valuable resource.
Summary: Mission Planning in 3 Sentences
1. Parse job post → Evidence Sprint or Full Mission decision.
2. Break into vertical-slice milestones with executable AC.md and fixed prices.
3. Lock baseline with git tag → change control (Swap/Add) protects scope.
Good mission planning = fast delivery, happy client, profitable work. Bad planning = scope creep, unpaid hours, angry client.
Use the 7-step framework. Use the templates. Use the checklist. Lock the scope. Get paid.