Describe leading an end-to-end client project

You are in a behavioral interview for a software engineering role. The interviewer asks you to discuss a full‑stack project you led end‑to‑end for a real client (for example, replacing a small team's ad‑hoc Excel + chat workflow with a proper web application).

They then ask you a series of follow‑ups:

1. Project initiation

• How did this project actually begin?
• How did you approach understanding the client’s real workflow and pain points, and how did you define an initial MVP scope?

1. Vague requirements and scope creep

• When the client’s requirements are fuzzy or keep expanding (scope creep), how do you handle that?
• Give a concrete example of how you clarified the underlying need and negotiated a smaller, more focused first version.

1. Ensuring correct understanding

• How do you make sure you truly understood what non‑technical stakeholders meant?
• Describe specific habits or techniques you use (e.g., summaries, prototypes, diagrams) and an example of when stakeholders corrected your understanding.

1. Bus factor and maintainability

• If you suddenly became unavailable (e.g., left the team or were out for a long time), what would happen to this project?
• What did you put in place so that others could set up, understand, maintain, and extend the system without you?

How would you answer these questions in a structured way?