Individual metrics are useful, but fixed-price decisions become clearer when the results are read together. A project can pay well and still miss its deadline. A large fee can produce a weak effective rate. A viable baseline can become unviable after several apparently small additions.
The examples below use simplified fictional projects. Their purpose is to demonstrate the calculation logic and the decisions each result supports—not to prescribe prices, rates, or capacity targets for every business.
You can recreate these examples and test different scenarios using the Project Decision tool. Adjust the project inputs to see how changes in price, workload, capacity, and deadlines affect the results.
1. How to read the examples
Each complete case follows the same sequence:
- Project contextWhat is being sold.
- Inputs
- Project Details
- Schedule and Capacity
- Project Scope
- Results
- Decision Summary
- Key Findings
- Project Economics
- Schedule and Capacity
- Included Work
- Work Overrun Sensitivity
- Scenario Analysis
Follow the full sequence to see how project inputs lead to the final results.
2. Formula reference
These examples use the same core calculations as Project Decision. For the complete formulas, definitions, calculation details, and special cases, see the Project Decision Documentation.
3. Example 1: A financially healthy project with schedule room
An independent training consultant is evaluating a fixed-price customer-support training program. The deliverables and approval process are clear, the outside expenses are known, and the requested Deadline provides more time than the Current project is expected to require.
This example shows whether the proposed Project price provides enough financial room, whether the Estimated work can be completed before the Deadline, and how much room remains if the work increases.
3.1 Inputs
3.1.1 Project Details
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Project name | Example 1 | |
| Project price | $12,000 | Fixed fee paid by the client |
| External project costs | $1,200 | Printing, training materials, and outside specialist support |
| Estimated work | 120 hours | All work required to prepare, deliver, review, and complete the program |
| Minimum hourly rate | $70/hour | Minimum acceptable rate selected by the consultant |
3.1.2 Schedule and Capacity
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Available hours per week | 24 hours | Time realistically available for this project |
| Start date | Aug 3, 2026 | The date the project starts |
| Deadline | Sep 28, 2026 | The date by which the project should be completed |
3.1.3 Project Scope
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items describe identifiable parts of the project scope. They help explain how the Estimated work is distributed, but they do not increase it.
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items can include units associated with the current project or additional units used to evaluate a separate scenario. Additional units are typically not entered initially and are added only when evaluating extra work beyond the current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 5 | 1.5 hours | |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 4 hours | |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Training modules | 8 | 6 hours |
3.2 Results
3.2.1 Decision Summary
3.2.2 Key Findings
Project price is above minimum
The entered project price is $2,400.00 above the calculated minimum project price.
Effective rate is above minimum
The effective hourly rate is $90.00, which is $20.00 per hour above the entered minimum rate.
Estimated completion is before deadline
The estimated completion date is 21 calendar days before the entered deadline.
Capacity remains before the deadline
72 hours remain available after the estimated project work, representing 37.5% of the calculated capacity.
3.2.3 Project Economics
Supporting details:
$12,000.00
$1,200.00
120 hours
$70.00
3.2.4 Schedule and Capacity
Supporting details:
120 hours
24 hours
Aug 3, 2026
Sep 28, 2026
3.2.5 Included Work
Hours breakdown:
| Item | Included units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 5 | 1.5 | 7.5 |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| Training modules | 8 | 6 | 48 |
| Identified included work | 67.5 |
Examples of Remaining estimated work include planning, program structure, content verification, delivery preparation, and administration.
3.2.6 Work Overrun Sensitivity
| Scenario | Total hours | Rate ($/hour) | vs Minimum hourly rate | Price adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current estimate | 120 | $90.00 | $20.00 above | — |
| 5.0% more work | 126 | $85.71 | $15.71 above | $0.00 |
| 10.0% more work | 132 | $81.82 | $11.82 above | $0.00 |
| 20.0% more work | 144 | $75.00 | $5.00 above | $0.00 |
Supporting details:
$12,000.00
$1,200.00
120 hours
$70.00
3.2.7 Scenario Analysis
Before final approval, the client requests two additional meetings, one additional revision round, and one additional training module. These items are entered as Additional Scope because they are specific additions to the Current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 5 | 1.5 hours | 2 |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 4 hours | 1 |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Training modules | 8 | 6 hours | 1 |
Evaluated scope:
| Item | Additional units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 2 | 1.5 | 3 |
| Revision rounds | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Training modules | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Total additional work | 13 |
The following results compare the Current project with the Scenario project and show the impact of the additional work.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 120 hours | 133 hours |
The scenario increases the total project effort by 13 hours.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| $90.00/hour | $81.20/hour |
The scenario reduces the effective hourly rate by $8.80/hour.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 21 days before deadline | 17 days before deadline |
The scenario pushes the estimated completion back by 4 days.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 62.5% | 69.3% |
The scenario increases capacity utilization from 62.5% to 69.3%, leaving 30.7% available.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 34.29 hours remaining (28.57%) | 21.29 hours remaining (16%) |
The scenario reduces the remaining supported-work margin by 13 hours.
4. Example 2: A high-price project with a low effective hourly rate
A small studio is evaluating an $18,000 branding and campaign package. The Project Price appears substantial, but the project requires extensive work and significant External Project Costs.
This example shows whether the Project price can support the required work while preserving the selected Minimum hourly rate and whether the project fits before the Deadline.
4.1 Inputs
4.1.1 Project Details
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Project name | Example 2 | |
| Project price | $18,000 | Fixed fee paid by the client |
| External project costs | $4,500 | Photography, printed samples, and outside specialist support |
| Estimated work | 210 hours | Strategy, production, reviews, coordination, and delivery |
| Minimum hourly rate | $75/hour | Minimum acceptable rate selected by the studio |
4.1.2 Schedule and Capacity
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Available hours per week | 30 hours | Time realistically available for this project |
| Start date | Aug 3, 2026 | The date the project starts |
| Deadline | Oct 12, 2026 | The date by which the project should be completed |
4.1.3 Project Scope
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items describe identifiable parts of the project scope. They help explain how the Estimated work is distributed, but they do not increase it.
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items can include units associated with the current project or additional units used to evaluate a separate scenario. Additional units are typically not entered initially and are added only when evaluating extra work beyond the current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 8 | 1.5 hours | |
| Revision rounds | 4 | 6 hours | |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Branding and campaign deliverables | 5 | 20 hours |
4.2 Results
4.2.1 Decision Summary
4.2.2 Key Findings
Project price is below minimum
The entered project price is $2,250.00 below the calculated minimum project price.
Effective rate is below minimum
The effective hourly rate is $64.29, which is $10.71 per hour below the entered minimum rate.
Estimated completion is before deadline
The estimated completion date is 21 calendar days before the entered deadline.
Capacity remains before the deadline
90 hours remain available after the estimated project work, representing 30.0% of the calculated capacity.
4.2.3 Project Economics
Supporting details:
$18,000.00
$4,500.00
210 hours
$75.00
4.2.4 Schedule and Capacity
Supporting details:
210 hours
30 hours
Aug 3, 2026
Oct 12, 2026
4.2.5 Included Work
Hours breakdown:
| Item | Included units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 8 | 1.5 | 12 |
| Revision rounds | 4 | 6 | 24 |
| Branding and campaign deliverables | 5 | 20 | 100 |
| Identified included work | 136 |
Examples of Remaining estimated work include strategy, coordination, production preparation, quality review, and delivery.
4.2.6 Work Overrun Sensitivity
| Scenario | Total hours | Rate ($/hour) | vs Minimum hourly rate | Price adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current estimate | 210 | $64.29 | $10.71 below | — |
| 5.0% more work | 220.5 | $61.22 | $13.78 below | $3,037.50 |
| 10.0% more work | 231 | $58.44 | $16.56 below | $3,825.00 |
| 20.0% more work | 252 | $53.57 | $21.43 below | $5,400.00 |
Supporting details:
$18,000.00
$4,500.00
210 hours
$75.00
4.2.7 Scenario Analysis
Before the agreement is finalized, the client requests two additional review meetings, one additional revision round, and two additional campaign assets. These items are entered as Additional Scope because they are specific additions to the Current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revision rounds | 4 | 6 hours | 1 |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Review meetings | 2 hours | 2 | |
| Campaign assets | 8 hours | 2 |
Evaluated scope:
| Item | Additional units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revision rounds | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Review meetings | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Campaign assets | 2 | 8 | 16 |
| Total additional work | 26 |
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 210 hours | 236 hours |
The scenario increases the total project effort by 26 hours.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| $64.29/hour | $57.20/hour |
The scenario reduces the effective hourly rate by $7.08/hour.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 21 days before deadline | 14 days before deadline |
The scenario pushes the estimated completion back by 7 days.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 70.0% | 78.7% |
The scenario increases capacity utilization from 70.0% to 78.7%, leaving 21.3% available.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 30 hours above supported work (14.29%) | 56 hours above supported work (23.73%) |
The scenario moves the project further beyond its supported work limit.
5. Example 3: Strong financial support but insufficient time before the deadline
An independent data consultant is evaluating a fixed-price data preparation project. The financial results are strong, but the client's Deadline provides less time than Estimated work requires at the consultant's realistic Available hours per week.
This example shows whether the project is financially attractive, if the Project price supports the Estimated work, and if the available calendar time is sufficient to complete it before the Deadline.
5.1 Inputs
5.1.1 Project Details
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Project name | Example 3 | |
| Project price | $15,000 | Fixed fee paid by the client |
| External project costs | $1,000 | Data tools and outside specialist review |
| Estimated work | 140 hours | All work required to review, prepare, validate, document, and deliver the data |
| Minimum hourly rate | $80/hour | Minimum acceptable rate selected by the consultant |
5.1.2 Schedule and Capacity
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Available hours per week | 20 hours | Time realistically available for this project |
| Start date | Aug 3, 2026 | The date the project starts |
| Deadline | Sep 14, 2026 | The date by which the project should be completed |
5.1.3 Project Scope
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items describe identifiable parts of the project scope. They help explain how the Estimated work is distributed, but they do not increase it.
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items can include units associated with the current project or additional units used to evaluate a separate scenario. Additional units are typically not entered initially and are added only when evaluating extra work beyond the current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 6 | 1.5 hours | |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 5 hours | |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Data batches | 8 | 10 hours |
5.2 Results
5.2.1 Decision Summary
5.2.2 Key Findings
Project price is above minimum
The entered project price is $2,800.00 above the calculated minimum project price.
Effective rate is above minimum
The effective hourly rate is $100.00, which is $20.00 per hour above the entered minimum rate.
Estimated completion is after deadline
The estimated completion date is 7 calendar days after the entered deadline.
Estimated work exceeds available capacity
The project requires 20 more hours than the capacity available before the deadline.
5.2.3 Project Economics
Supporting details:
$15,000.00
$1,000.00
140 hours
$80.00
5.2.4 Schedule and Capacity
Supporting details:
140 hours
20 hours
Aug 3, 2026
Sep 14, 2026
5.2.5 Included Work
Hours breakdown:
| Item | Included units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 6 | 1.5 | 9 |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 5 | 15 |
| Data batches | 8 | 10 | 80 |
| Identified included work | 104 |
Examples of Remaining estimated work include source review, preparation setup, validation, documentation, and delivery.
5.2.6 Work Overrun Sensitivity
| Scenario | Total hours | Rate ($/hour) | vs Minimum hourly rate | Price adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current estimate | 140 | $100.00 | $20.00 above | — |
| 5.0% more work | 147 | $95.24 | $15.24 above | $0.00 |
| 10.0% more work | 154 | $90.91 | $10.91 above | $0.00 |
| 20.0% more work | 168 | $83.33 | $3.33 above | $0.00 |
Supporting details:
$15,000.00
$1,000.00
140 hours
$80.00
5.2.7 Scenario Analysis
Before the project begins, the client requests one additional meeting, one additional revision round, and one additional data batch. These items are entered as Additional Scope because they are specific additions to the Current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 6 | 1.5 hours | 1 |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 5 hours | 1 |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Data batches | 8 | 10 hours | 1 |
Evaluated scope:
| Item | Additional units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Review meetings | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Data batches | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Total additional work | 16.5 |
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 140 hours | 156.5 hours |
The scenario increases the total project effort by 16.5 hours.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| $100.00/hour | $89.46/hour |
The scenario reduces the effective hourly rate by $10.54/hour.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 7 days after deadline | 13 days after deadline |
The scenario pushes the estimated completion back by 6 days.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 116.7% | 130.4% |
The scenario increases the capacity excess from 16.7% to 30.4%.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 35 hours remaining (25%) | 18.5 hours remaining (11.82%) |
The scenario reduces the remaining supported-work margin by 16.5 hours.
6. Example 4: Additional scope pushes the project beyond its original limits
An independent web designer has an approved fixed-price website design project. During the project, the client requests two additional meetings, two additional revision rounds, and four additional page layouts.
This example shows whether the Additional Scope can be completed under the existing Project price and Deadline, and whether changes to the price or schedule are required.
6.1 Inputs
6.1.1 Project Details
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Project name | Example 4 | |
| Project price | $10,000.00 | Fixed fee paid by the client |
| External project costs | $500.00 | Fonts, stock assets, and project-specific services |
| Estimated work | 100 hours | All work required for the Current project |
| Minimum hourly rate | $75/hour | Minimum acceptable rate selected by the designer |
6.1.2 Schedule and Capacity
| Input | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Available hours per week | 20 hours | Time realistically available for this project |
| Start date | Aug 3, 2026 | The date the project starts |
| Deadline | Sep 14, 2026 | The date by which the project should be completed |
6.1.3 Project Scope
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items describe identifiable parts of the project scope. They help explain how the Estimated work is distributed, but they do not increase it.
Meetings, Revision rounds, and Custom work items can include units associated with the current project or additional units used to evaluate a separate scenario. Additional units are typically not entered initially and are added only when evaluating extra work beyond the current project.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 4 | 1.5 hours | |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 4 hours | |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Page layouts | 10 | 5 hours |
6.2 Results
6.2.1 Decision Summary
6.2.2 Key Findings
Project price is above minimum
The entered project price is $2,000.00 above the calculated minimum project price.
Effective rate is above minimum
The effective hourly rate is $95.00, which is $20.00 per hour above the entered minimum rate.
Estimated completion is before deadline
The estimated completion date is 7 calendar days before the entered deadline.
Capacity remains before the deadline
20 hours remain available after the estimated project work, representing 16.7% of the calculated capacity.
6.2.3 Project Economics
Supporting details:
$10,000.00
$500.00
100 hours
$75.00
6.2.4 Schedule and Capacity
Supporting details:
100 hours
20 hours
Aug 3, 2026
Sep 14, 2026
6.2.5 Included Work
Hours breakdown:
| Item | Included units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 4 | 1.5 | 6 |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| Page layouts | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Identified included work | 68 |
Examples of Remaining estimated work include planning, shared visual elements, review prototype, quality review, and delivery preparation.
6.2.6 Work Overrun Sensitivity
| Scenario | Total hours | Rate ($/hour) | vs Minimum hourly rate | Price adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current estimate | 100 | $95.00 | $20.00 above | — |
| 5.0% more work | 105 | $90.48 | $15.48 above | $0.00 |
| 10.0% more work | 110 | $86.36 | $11.36 above | $0.00 |
| 20.0% more work | 120 | $79.17 | $4.17 above | $0.00 |
Supporting details:
$10,000.00
$500.00
100 hours
$75.00
6.2.7 Scenario Analysis
During the project, the client requests work outside the approved Current project. The additions are entered separately so the original project remains visible for comparison.
| Input | Included units | Hours per unit | Additional units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 4 | 1.5 hours | 2 |
| Revision rounds | 3 | 4 hours | 2 |
| CUSTOM WORK ITEMS | |||
| Page layouts | 10 | 5 hours | 4 |
Evaluated scope:
| Item | Additional units | Hours per unit | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | 2 | 1.5 | 3 |
| Review meetings | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Page layouts | 4 | 5 | 20 |
| Total additional work | 31 |
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 100 hours | 131 hours |
The scenario increases the total project effort by 31 hours.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| $95.00/hour | $72.52/hour |
The scenario reduces the effective hourly rate by $22.48/hour.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 7 days before deadline | 4 days after deadline |
The scenario pushes the estimated completion back by 11 days.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 83.3% | 109.2% |
he scenario moves the project beyond available capacity, changing from 16.7% available to 9.2% above capacity.
| Current project | Scenario project |
| 26.67 hours remaining (26.67%) | 4.33 hours above supported work (3.31%) |
The scenario moves the project beyond its supported work limit.
7. Frequently asked questions
Does a high fixed project price always mean the project is profitable?
No. External project costs and the Estimated work determine the Effective Hourly Rate. A high fixed fee may still produce an hourly rate below the selected Minimum hourly rate when the project requires substantial work or project-specific expenses.
What is the difference between Work Overrun Sensitivity and Scenario Analysis?
Work Overrun Sensitivity tests percentage increases in Estimated work without identifying a specific cause. Scenario Analysis evaluates identified work added after the Current project has been approved, such as extra meetings, revision rounds, additional deliverables, or other requested work.
Can a project be financially viable but impossible before the deadline?
Yes. Financial results and schedule results are evaluated separately. A project may preserve the selected Minimum hourly rate while still requiring more weekly capacity than is available before the Deadline.
Why can Project Scope exceed Estimated work?
Usually because some activities have been counted twice, because Hours per unit already include meetings or revisions that were entered separately, or because Estimated work was not updated after the project changed. Project Scope explains the Current project and should not exceed Estimated work.
What should I do if Project Scope exceeds Estimated work?
Do not interpret the financial or schedule results until Estimated work and Project Scope are consistent. First identify whether activities have been counted twice, whether quantities or Hours per unit are incorrect, or whether some work belongs to Additional Scope instead of the Current project.
Why doesn't Additional Scope replace the Current project?
Keeping the Current project visible allows you to compare the original project with the proposed change. Replacing the Current project would make it difficult to understand how additional work affects price, schedule, financial position, and project capacity.
Should Deemzo make the final project decision for me?
No. Deemzo calculates the financial and schedule results of the information you enter. The final decision also depends on the project, the client, payment terms, business priorities, and other factors outside the calculations.
Evaluate Your Own Project
Use Deemzo to apply the same analysis to your own project and see whether it is viable before you accept it or remains viable as conditions change.
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