Scope creep is a sneaky thing. It starts when a project begins and slowly grows over time, like a fungus. It can make a project feel like it’s going out of control and it can make your team feel like they’re not set up for success.
But, you can avoid scope creep. You can control it and keep it from growing. Here’s how.
1. Have a Detailed Project Plan
A project plan is a detailed document that outlines the scope, objectives, deliverables, deadlines, and budget of a project. The plan should also include information about the project team, stakeholders, and any risks or issues that could impact the project.
Having a detailed project plan is key to avoiding scope creep. When everyone involved in the project has a clear understanding of what is expected of them, it is easier to stay on track and prevent any changes to the project scope.
If you do not already have a project plan, you should create one before you start working on the project. If you do have a plan, make sure it is up-to-date and that everyone on the team has access to it.
2. Set Clear Expectations With Your Team
When you bring on a new team member, make sure they understand the scope of work and goals of the project. You can do this by incorporating team-building activities to improve communication and align everyone on project goals and responsibilities. You may have to repeat yourself a few times, but it’s important to ensure your team members are on the same page.
If someone on your team is consistently taking on too much or too little work, it’s a good indication they don’t fully understand the scope of the project. Regularly check in with your team to see how they’re feeling about the project and ensure they have the resources they need to be successful.
3. Use a Project Management Tool
Secure Project management tools are a great way to keep your team on track and avoid scope creep. These tools help you organize your projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, and more.
Using a project management tool can help you keep everything in one place, which makes it easier to see if the scope of your project is growing. It can also help you identify potential issues early on, so you can address them before they become major problems.
There are a lot of project management tools out there, so you’ll want to find the best one for your team. Popular options include Trello, Asana, and Basecamp. Additionally, for e-commerce projects, Shopify referral apps can help streamline workflows and integrate referral tracking into your project management processes.
4. Set Clear Expectations With Your Client
One of the most common reasons for scope creep is that clients simply don’t understand what they’re asking for. They might have a general idea of what they want, but they don’t realize the implications of adding extra features or making changes to the project.
That’s why it’s so important to set clear expectations with your client from the beginning. Make sure they understand what’s included in the project, what isn’t, and how much it will cost to make changes.
You should also make sure they understand the potential impact of scope creep on the project timeline and budget. If they know that asking for extra features will mean the project takes longer and costs more, they may be less likely to ask for those features in the first place.
5. Use a Detailed Statement of Work
The statement of work (SOW) is one of the most important documents in a project. It outlines everything that needs to be done, who will do it, and how much it will cost.
A good SOW is detailed and specific. It should include things like project objectives, deliverables, milestones, assumptions, and constraints.
If your SOW is too vague, it leaves room for assumptions and misinterpretations. This can lead to scope creep. Be as specific as possible in your SOW to avoid any confusion.
Be sure to get your SOW approved by all stakeholders before you start your project. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that you won’t have any surprises down the road.
6. Know When to Say No
There will be times when your client asks for something that you simply can’t do. Maybe it’s a matter of time or budget, or maybe it’s just not something you’re able to do.
In those cases, you need to be able to say no. If you don’t, you could end up wasting a lot of time and energy on something that’s not even possible.
It can be hard to say no to a client, but it’s important to be honest with them about what you can and can’t do.
7. Be Prepared to Say Yes
We’ve talked a lot about saying no so far, but sometimes you’re going to want to say yes.
If a client asks if they can add a new feature to a project, or if you can take on a small piece of work that’s outside the original scope, then you’ll need to be ready to say yes.
That means you’ll need to have a process in place for evaluating these types of requests, and for pricing and scoping the work if you decide to take it on.
If you just say yes to everything without evaluating the impact on the project, then you’re going to end up with a lot of scope creep.
Conclusion
Scope creep is a project manager’s worst nightmare. It can lead to missed deadlines, unhappy stakeholders, and lost revenue. But with the right tools and strategies, you can avoid scope creep and make sure your projects are completed on time and within budget.