Dealing with Project Scope Creep
I’m just going to say it… scope creep is a pain in the ass. No matter who you are, your experience level as a project manager, or your industry, we’ve all dealt with scope creep. AND if you are in the web development or Internet marketing business in particular… scope creep is horrible. Read this article if you are looking for ways to deal with scope creep and find out why SCOPE CREEP CAN ACTUALLY BE BENEFICIAL TO YOUR BUSINESS!
What is project scope creep?
The change of a project from it’s original planned objectives is termed scope creep. Often this creep happens in a small way through the project team accepting additional requests that seem reasonable without formal change control to assess the impact it will have on the project as a whole.
Unchecked, scope creep can result in a poorly defined project that doesn’t have clear outcomes to determine project closure or success.
Scope creep might happen due to:
- Little or no project change control
- Poor management
- Unclear project objectives
Scope creep is a fundamental cause of project failure so its possibility has to be tackled from the outset. Awareness and control of scope creep starts on the very first day of the project and continues throughout its lifetime.
Ways to deal with scope creep
Dealing with scope creep is all about controlling change. Make sure you are clear about the objectives an priorities of the project and you understand the deliverables that will result. Broken down, the deliverables will give you a good indication of the project activities that are needed to complete them. Make sure you have key milestones and that these are supported by minor milestone, in between. Monitoring these will give you a clear view that your project is going to target.
An alternative strategy is to simply not allow changes to the project to happen. Potential changes could, maybe, be collated and included as a later project. This will allow the project to deliver on time and within budget as originally intended.
By having a clear vision of your project’s purpose and outlining in tight terms, the activities, timescales and resources to achieve that purpose, you will recognise scope creep for what it is and will be in a strong position to assess the proposed change and implement it, if it is justified, rather than it just creeping it’s way in!
Can scope creep be positive?
Yes! Consider a contract project manager, for example, perhaps on a daily rate, where their project is extended and this results in more contractor days! Where scope creep could result in beneficial additional functionality or outputs, that may be welcomed but, again, only if it’s introduction is carefully considered and appropriate.
Irrespective of any potential benefits of scope creep, the cost of your project is the bottom line that matters, and you need to control that cost and deliver on time for your project to be considered a success.
In Summary…
Make sure you set the expectations correctly when the project begins. Clearly define the scope of the project and work with the key stakeholders to set their expectations when the project begins. Keep a documented record of the agreed scope so there can be no dispute.
If a change to the scope arises, assess the business benefit and impact to the project and manage the change in a controlled what to ensure it is correctly documented and communicated.
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