“Could we just…?”
“Could we maybe…?”
“How long to…?”
If you’ve been asked (or are asking) these questions then it sounds like you are suffering from scope creep!
But, not to fear, there are ways to prevent this condition derailing all of your projects!
- Make sure you’ve got a dedicated project manager to keep new requests under control
- Prepare for changes from the start by putting together a process for managing, reviewing and approving them
- Make sure you understand what you, or your client, wants before you start – and get both parties to sign off on it (so document it!)
- Know when to say “no”
In all seriousness, scope creep can be a genuine problem. It can derail your project and set you down a destructive and unproductive path wasting time, money, and resources. Scope creep can pull apart a team when the goalposts are moved frequently – your team will become demotivated and tired of being pulled in every which direction. We’ve all worked somewhere or on something where the end goal seems to change every day, hour or minute. Ultimately, colleagues could walk away from the project entirely if you keep moving the goalposts. So is the change you’re asking for worth losing someone?
Resources to help with scope creep
The Project Management Institute has lots of really great (free!) resources for all things project management. We’ve found a couple of specific articles which can help you. You can learn more about the top five causes of scope creep on their website, and also more about controlling it.
Every project we take on has a dedicated project manager to help keep it on track. Contact us if you need help with your website or bespoke cloud software – or if you just need some advice (our advice is free!).
Do not let the scope creep monster creep into your projects!