Glossary
By the Glue Team
Scope creep is the uncontrolled expansion of a project's scope beyond its original definition. Features are added, requirements expand, and the project grows without corresponding timeline or resource adjustments. Scope creep causes missed deadlines, budget overruns, and team burnout.
Scope creep occurs when:
Scope creep is different from intentional scope expansion. It's the unmanaged, uncommunicated growth of work.
Missed Deadlines: More work = more time. Without timeline adjustment, deadlines are missed.
Budget Overruns: Expanded scope costs more money.
Team Burnout: Constant expansion causes unsustainable pace and burnout.
Quality Degradation: Rushing to meet deadline with expanded scope reduces quality.
Morale Impact: Missed deadlines demoralize teams.
Unclear Requirements: Vague initial requirements lead to interpretation differences. "Is this in scope?" becomes unclear.
Stakeholder Requests: Stakeholders request features mid-project. Hard to say no.
Changing Market: Market changes mid-project. New competitors emerge. Scope adjusts.
Perfectionism: Team wants to perfect things. Scope expands.
Poor Communication: Scope changes not communicated. Work expands invisibly.
Clear Requirements: Define scope clearly upfront. What's in? What's out?
Tradeoff Discussion: "We can add that or cut that." Make tradeoffs explicit.
Change Control: Changes require approval. Must discuss impact and tradeoffs.
Regular Review: Review scope regularly. Are we expanding? Why?
Communication: Keep stakeholders aligned. No surprises about what's happening.
Acknowledge It: If scope has expanded, acknowledge it. Adjust timeline or cut scope.
Quantify It: How much work was added? What's the impact?
Make Tradeoffs: What gets cut or delayed to accommodate expansion?
Learn From It: Why did scope creep happen? How prevent it next time?
"Scope creep is the team's fault." False. Often it's organizational. Unclear requirements, changing priorities, poor communication.
"Saying no prevents scope creep." Partly true. Sometimes saying yes is right. But require conscious tradeoff.
"More features is always better." False. Expanded scope delays delivery of core features.
Project Management: Managing scope is core project management.
Estimation: Clear scope enables accurate estimation.
Requirements: Clear requirements prevent scope creep.
Q: How do you handle scope creep requests? A: List impact: timeline delay or feature cut. Let stakeholder choose.
Q: Can scope expansion ever be good? A: Yes, if intentional and resourced. Add people, extend timeline, or cut other scope.
Q: How do you communicate scope? A: Define clearly. "Project includes X, Y, Z. Does not include A, B, C." Be explicit.
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