"Can I adjust my feature set and specifications as we go?"
Client: "Now, this TODO list app is great, but we want something more like Facebook and Linkedin combined"
This is exactly how you get feature creep and is a really bad idea for fix bid projects. But of course it depends on how big a pivot it is and how big a contract it is.
"Can I meet and work directly with the designers and developers on my project?"
Sure, you can meet and get advice from them, but you may not work directly with them. There are some pretty crazy clients out there, and it is the management's job to keep them from driving developers insane. That is why management gets the "big bucks". They have to deal with the crazy.
Actually the only answer to feature creep regardless of project size is "we'll get back to you with a new quote". Simply because you dont know how much effort is involved on the spot.
People who buy things from you know how to screw things out of you as a rule and this is a well known tactic usually disguised as ignorance.
I've been handling offering flexibility in fixed big projects by sharing my Pivotal Tracker story board w/ feature estimates and letting them choose which features to axe to get their new priority scheduled.
In addition I've also been offering a fixed amount of "freebie points" for 'not yet discovered features'. That helps define that yeah, I'm going to do a couple extra things not defined in the scope, but it's fixed amount and when you've used them up, there's none left.
I'd consider it a positive thing if a client asks if they can change specifications mid-project. I could explain to them how the price will also need to be flexible and possibly talk them into doing the project using an agile methodology.
That's one thing that's difficult with fixed bid projects is that you often have to resort to BDUF with client sign-off on everything in order to protect your own butt. Even though agile may be much better for some projects. Clients are understandably squirrelly about open-ended prices.
Client: "Now, this TODO list app is great, but we want something more like Facebook and Linkedin combined"
This is exactly how you get feature creep and is a really bad idea for fix bid projects. But of course it depends on how big a pivot it is and how big a contract it is.
"Can I meet and work directly with the designers and developers on my project?"
Sure, you can meet and get advice from them, but you may not work directly with them. There are some pretty crazy clients out there, and it is the management's job to keep them from driving developers insane. That is why management gets the "big bucks". They have to deal with the crazy.