Why Developers Should Be Involved in Scoping, Not Just Delivery

Too often, developers are handed features and deadlines they had no say in then expected to "just build it." But here's the truth: involving devs early, during project scoping, doesn’t slow things down. It prevents chaos later.

As a Digital Project Manager, I’ve seen how dev input at the earlyplanning stage saves time and avoid delays and mistakes:

Exposes assumptions before they become blockers

Surfaces smarter, simpler technical solutions

Helps avoid overpromising and underestimating

Builds shared ownership between product and engineering

I try to create space for developers in sprint planning, roadmap reviews, and even at early stage ideation when possible. Their insights on feasibility and edge cases save so much time and frustration down the line.

If you're a developer do you feel sometime looped into scoping discussions, or just pulled in when the "fun" starts?
If you're a PM or product lead, how do you include devs early without slowing progress?

Let’s talk. 👇

Comments

[Dotallio]

100% agree, the best solutions and biggest time savers always came up when I was looped in early on feasibility chats. How do you keep those discussions productive without turning them into architecture deep dives?

[sonnia okoye]

well I try as much as possible to keep early feasibility meetings focused on goals, blockers, and quick sanity checks, not full on architecture. If things get too deep, I just note them and spin off a follow up. That way, devs still help shape the scope without derailing planning. Still fine tuning the balance, but it’s made a big difference. i hope this helps.

[david duymelinck]

It depends on the briefings. The vaguer they are, the harder it is to do estimations. Then you have to make assumptions to make better estimations.

For deadlines, the closer they are the harder it is to create a sustainable solution. We have to accept that sudden opportunities can happen, and than it is best effort work.

But yes involving developers as soon as possible is a good thing.

[sonnia okoye]

I hear you. Vague briefs and short timelines are a tough combo. I believe when we don’t have enough detail, developers are forced to estimate based on assumptions, and that can introduce risk early.

I try to tackle this by pushing for just enough clarity upfront: clear goals, known constraints, and where we’re still guessing. Even if we’re working against tight deadlines or unexpected opportunities, that early input from devs helps set realistic boundaries and avoid surprises later.

Appreciate your point, it really is about creating space for better thinking, even in messy situations.