Dealing with Scope Creep in a Project

 

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Scope Creep refers to the adding of additional features and functionalities in a project without considering the impact on time, budget, and resources, or without obtaining approval from the customer (M, 2023).

To handle changes in scope, Greer (2010) advises project managers to start by staying calm and recognizing that adjustments are natural as new information emerges. Pinpoint the exact change needed, then analyze its impact on the project’s schedule, quality, costs, and team assignments. Discuss the change with your team to explore alternatives that minimize disruptions. Report the implications to the project sponsor and update the project scope and plan, documenting all conditions and decisions. Finally, obtain written approval from the sponsor to ensure clarity and agreement on the revised scope and plan.

When I was hired to build a school website for a client, the project seemed straightforward at first. The initial scope was to create a user-friendly site that included basic pages for school information, a calendar, and a contact form. However, as the project progressed, the client started requesting additional features, including a parent portal, an online payment system, and an integrated learning management system—all of which were outside the original project plan. This added complexity and extended the timeline beyond what was initially agreed upon.

The specific scope creep issues stemmed from unclear boundaries and evolving client expectations. Initially, I was eager to accommodate the client’s requests, believing that these additions would enhance the overall project. However, as more features were added, the project started to exceed the budget and timeline. This strained the relationship between the client and the project team, as the client expected the added features to be included within the original cost.

At the time, I dealt with these issues by communicating with the client and attempting to negotiate extensions to the timeline and budget. While this helped in managing some of the additional requests, it did not fully address the ongoing changes. Looking back, had I been in a better position to manage the project, I would have implemented stricter controls to prevent scope creep. Specifically, I could have created a more detailed scope statement, outlining not only the deliverables but also what was not included in the project. This would have helped manage client expectations and provided a clearer basis for negotiating changes (Project Management Institute, 2021).

Additionally, I should have formalized a process for handling change requests. By documenting every requested change and its impact on the timeline, budget, and resources, I could have ensured that both the client and I had a shared understanding of the consequences of scope changes. Using formal approvals for each change, as suggested by Kerzner (2017), would have made the process more transparent and protected the project from unnecessary disruptions.

In conclusion, scope creep is a common challenge in projects, especially when the initial scope is not clearly defined or when clients have evolving needs. Implementing strategies such as detailed scope statements, change request procedures, and formal approvals can help prevent scope creep from derailing a project.

References

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects: (Laureate custom ed.). Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (12th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

M, T. (2023). What does Scope Creep mean? Project Management Dictionary of Terms. Stakeholdermap.Com. Retrieved October 12, 2024, from https://www.stakeholdermap.com/project-dictionary/scope-creep-meaning.html

Project Management Institute. (2021). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (7th ed.). Project Management Institute.