How to Prevent Scope Creep | Video

One of the most insidious problems project managers face is scope creep. Scoping is hard – perhaps the hardest discipline within project management. So, knowing how to prevent scope creep will be critical to protecting all of your hard work.

You need to lock in your project scope as early as possible. So, in this video, I’ll show you how to prevent scope creep on your project.

…What is Project Scope?

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This is learning, so, sit back and enjoy

Lock in your project scope this with a 2-step process…

1. Define the boundary with precision
2. Get sign-off

Yes, you need to deal with ‘Autograph Top-trumps’. But, even if you have to negotiate, at least you have a baseline for negotiation.

Get it right in the first place

1. Good requirements gathering
   …What is a functional specification?
2. Careful stakeholder negotiation
3. Tool: MoSCoW Analysis
   …What is MoSCoW Analysis?
4. Thorough documentation of requirements and scope

Preventing Scope Creep is not always the right thing to do

1. Prevent Scope Creep with a strong Change Control process

Stops scope creep by exposing costs and risks vs benefits

…What is Change Control?

2. Prevent Scope Creep when you have a lot of uncertainty:

Use an Agile or Hybrid approach .

…What is Agile Project Management?

Your objective is not to prevent change.

It is to manage it. You need to keep it under control and good governance The key is value

You can also extend the ideas of Change Control and an Agile approach, but stop creep and gain even greater clarity… A Phase 2 project.

We also recommend these ‘what is…’ videos. What is:

• …Project Scope?
• …Functional Specification?
• …MoSCoW Analysis?
• …Change Control?
• …Agile Project Management?

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For more of our videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management.