Scope Creep is Inevitable
Scope Creep is Inevitable
Scope creep in project management is continuous or uncontrolled growth in a project’s scope at any point after the project begins (Wrike.com, n.d). Managing a project’s capacity can be difficult. An inexperienced project manager can feel overwhelmed quickly if they are not adequately prepared to handle scoop creep. With experience, a plan, and a supportive team of stakeholders, scoop creep can be managed by controlling things in scope with a change control process.
Background
I was
working at a school that was preparing for school picture day. It consisted of
all students and staff getting a headshot and group pictures that would later
be used in the school’s yearbook. Students were allowed to purchase pre-ordered
sets of photos before the day of picture taking. Pre-ordering picture packages
would allow the project manager to schedule the lineup of students who needed
prints from students who did not. All photos were to be stored in a digital
folder using a cloud-based program. The project manager has never conducted
this project before. However, it had been done in the past by other teachers.
The photography company does not know the students’ names; therefore, having a
paid picture package, students have their photos taken in a specific order
helps the photographer to organize and adequately label by name prints with the
help of a teacher and give a particular day of delivery of when the collection
of prints would be ready for pick-up. Digital copies of all pictures could be
used for the school’s yearbook on the agreed date. Approved scheduling was a
critical component of this project.
Scope
Creep
The due
date for pre-ordering picture packages had passed, and all orders were
communicated to the project manager and photography company. A timeline of all
events was scheduled based on the information provided. According to Dr.
Stolovich (n.d), the key to successful project management involves intelligent
flexibility in creating a plan to accomplish the project. On picture day, a
handful of students wanted to buy picture packages. The photography complained
agreed to accept these orders as they confirmed even with these few additional
orders, they could stick to the agreed timeline of having the digital edits and
prints ready for use and delivery. Throughout the project's life cycle after
picture day, more and more students had changed their minds and wanted printed
picture packages. Midway through a project, the school’s needs changed,
prompting a reassessment of the project requirements (Wrike.com, n.d). Although
there was a due date to complete pre-paid orders, the photography company was
being flexible by allowing late charges. It reached a point for them when the
deliverable date had to be changed and agreed upon with the school’s project
manager to accommodate new demands. It was also decided that the school would
not entertain any more late charges to be considered for printing.
According
to Kuprenurs and Nasr, (2003),
scoop creep is a process where additional work is added to the project after
the established scope. In this project, scope creep manifested itself in more
print orders.
Managing
Scope Creep
Change
is inevitable. The project manager had to identify the scope creep as it
manifested in small and numerous changes to the scope. As the project manager,
a decision had to be made to ensure the project quality and the new timeline
was adhered to (Walden, n.d). Effective communication with the photography company
was vital to keeping sight of the goal: to have printed and digital copies of
pictures by a set date. To better manage the issue of students wanting to order
photos after the due date, the project manager could have used the previous
year’s ordering timeline of events as a reference guide.
Suggestions
If I
were the project manager, I would have researched what worked well in the past
and built on that template (Kuprenurs & Nasr, 2003).
I would have considered all stakeholders' roles and used that data as a
baseline. I would also plan for leeway for late payments. Having buffer time
for students to pay late needed to be a part of a contingency plan just in case
a student was absent, for example, when the payment was due. After the
deadline, I would not accept any more orders to be submitted to the photography
company. Taking orders would ensure the project deliverables are completed on
time.
No
matter how it occurs, scope creep is bound to happen in every project. How you
manage scope creep will determine the success or failure of the project.
References
Kuprenas,
J. A., & Nasr, E. B. (2003). Controlling design-phase scope creep. AACE
International Transactions, CS11.
Walden
University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (n.d.). Project management and
instructional design [Video file]. Retrieved from https://waldenu.instructure.com
What is
scope creep in project management?. Versatile & Robust Project Management
Software. (n.d.). https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/faq/what-is-scope-creep-in-project-management/
Donika I enjoyed reading your take on project scope. We both come from education backgrounds and your example was very relatable. Your title says a lot in regard to projects; scope creep is inevitable. I find that to be very real and honest. Something is going to always come up that throws off the original plan. There's a common Christian joke; we make plans and God laughs. It is always important to plan for things to not always work in our favor, not to be pessimistic but to be proactive. Your suggestion to fix the issue is similar to what I would say; what was done previously? If it worked well, then don't detour far from it. The well known phrase, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" comes to mind. When you are doing something that is done continuously instead of reinventing the wheel, look at what has been done before.
ReplyDeleteDonika,
ReplyDeleteA significant challenge that novice project managers often encounter is a lack of assertiveness. Inexperienced project managers may hesitate when dealing with scope changes, as they may avoid pushing back against stakeholders or clients who request additional work. This hesitation can stem from concerns about potential conflicts or a desire to appear flexible.
For example, the photography company allowed a few students to purchase printed packages on photo day, ultimately leading to word-of-mouth advertising. This type of advertising can wield a substantial influence on customers' purchasing decisions. When a message or recommendation spreads rapidly through social networks, it can trigger a viral effect, rapidly reaching a broad audience. Thus, many other students requested printed packages. As a result of these additional tasks, it became inevitable that the project timeline could not be met. According to Thompson (2023), the costs associated with scope creep can significantly vary depending on the project's size, complexity, and the unique circumstances related to the scope changes.
Your recommendation for the photo project to base its best practices on historical data and to refrain from accepting additional payments after the deadline is a wise decision. According to Thompson (2023), modifications to the project scope may necessitate additional materials or equipment, resulting in increased costs. Amendments to a project's scope can influence the timeline and budget, posing challenges to the effective planning and execution of the project.
References
Thompson, J. L. (2023, February 15). Scope creep. ELearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/scope-creep