Scope creep: what it is and how to manage it

Managing scope creep is one of the most critical activities for a project manager.

Defined as an "uncontrolled expansion of the project scope or product specifications" (PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition, Project Management Institute, 2017), represents the consequence of all those small or large changes we make during the project without adjusting times, costs and resources.

Simplifying, it represents the "yes" that, in good faith, we said in the face of requests from customers and other stakeholders, not evaluating how much all those consents, apparently small and insignificant, slowly took us out of the scope of our project.

The consequence?

More work, unexpected costs and schedule delays.

How to manage Scope Creep?

Setting up an effective integrated change control process is the first step.

▪Determine what are the limits within which changes can be made;
▪define the procedures for requesting a change;
▪record and monitor every single change request;
▪evaluate each request in light of the effects it could have on the project baselines.