How To Handle Scope Creep In The Middle Of The Project

Project Management / By

Scope creep shouldn’t be “handled” in the middle or anywhere during a project. By its definition, scope creep is uncontrolled change or growth in a project. This occurs when the project wasn’t defined, documented, or controlled properly. At the beginning of the project, the plan must include documented requirements and a project schedule to which all stakeholders agree. There must also be a formal change control process. Change will occur of that you can be certain. It is how you manage the change that is important. Any requested change is vetted through and approved by key stakeholders. The proposed change request must include, as a minimum, a definition of the new scope, the additional resources required, and a new schedule. Then it is not creep, but part of the plan. A project manager should define a risk in the register for the project that would address the potential for change and outline mitigating strategies.

Check if it is implicit or a real change and then follow the Project Change Management Process.

Two important rules to keep in mind

  1.  Scope is bound to cost: All scope changes are expected to affect project cost. If you are including new scope without increasing the overall budget, then be prepared to justify it.
  2. Mitigate the chain of pain: Scope changes affect other project parameters. There is a possibility that the project manager gets fired as a result of too many changes.

If the supplier concedes that a “clarification” should have been included – the impact must still be agreed with the stakeholders. If the client insists that “new functionality/requirements” must be included then the impacts (including cost) must be agreed.

It is quite normal and, in several cases, healthy to receive a “request to evaluate change” during the execution phase. In order to objectively handle it, there must be a Change Management Process in place. This Change Management Plan/Process should be defined upfront at the beginning of the project. A typical sequence of events would be:

  • Change Request (to evaluate impact) is issued
  • Impact is assessed by the team and presented to the CAB (Change Advisory Board)
  • Change Request is approved or rejected
  • If approved, requested change becomes part of the scope and project plan

When a request for change is issued, its impact (schedule, cost, resources, and risk) must be evaluated and presented to the stakeholders and decision makers/sponsors. If the impact is acceptable and the change request is approved, it should become part of the revised scope and project plan must be updated accordingly. Scope “creep” implies that a scope change was sneaked in, without evaluation of impact and the project team is being held to original schedule/cost projection. This is highly undesirable in a project that is well managed.
Scope creep is essential some time for successful delivery, but this should come into Change Request Management Plan. Best way is to stick as much as possible to the scope, however with readiness to deal with new requirements through Change Request Management.

Stakeholders always think and want something more in a project resulting in scope creep during any phase of the project. The best way to handle is to evaluate the change, estimate the cost and effort and let the stakeholders decide if they want to include it or not. At the same time the project manager have to highlight the risk to the schedule and cost. If the scope is critical to the success of the project, then bring that up in the right forum and follow the change management process for its inclusion.

About Aditi Malhotra

Aditi Malhotra is the Content Marketing Manager at Whizlabs. Having a Master in Journalism and Mass Communication, she helps businesses stop playing around with Content Marketing and start seeing tangible ROI. A writer by day and a reader by night, she is a fine blend of both reality and fantasy. Apart from her professional commitments, she is also endearing to publish a book authored by her very soon.

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