By understanding and addressing the factors that contribute to scope creep, project managers can mitigate its impact.
Engineering consultants see it all too often. An agreed upon project scope expands as the project progresses, putting strain on time and resources. Uncontrolled or unauthorized changes to a project scope can easily compromise a project’s overall success or sour relationships among clients and consultants. At the very least, failing to properly manage project scopes results in a consistently lower return on effort and investment for consultants. Recognizing the specific patterns that lead to a wandering scope allows us to address the situation early and adhere to project targets.
It’s usually just a few small changes – no big deal, right? Slight additions or alterations seem harmless in isolation, but the cumulative effect of these frequent changes takes a toll on project resources, and the resulting impact can lead to distrust or unease among stakeholders. Expanding project requirements without amending the contract increases consultant workload while compensation and timeline remain unchanged. This strains project budgets and may also pull resources from other projects, compress timelines, and compromise the quality of work completed.
How do we end up in this situation in the first place? Scope creep is not all created equal, and it’s not always preventable either. Most often, unexpected changes in project requirements can be traced back to inadequate planning, insufficient communication, failure to implement or uphold change control processes, or legitimate changes in project circumstances. When one or more of these factors exists, it provides opportunity for a scope to drift out of control.
How do we recognize and stop scope creep? Clarity is king when considering potential scope changes. A thorough understanding of project details and clear communication among all parties in the initial phases sets the tone for the duration of the project. When all parties know what is included and not included in the scope, changes can be easily recognized. Establishing change management policies upfront provides a structured process to address future scope changes.
As the project progresses and scope changes emerge, maintaining open communication regarding the project status among all parties is imperative. Project managers should follow change management procedures to assess the necessity, impact, and feasibility of scope changes without delay. With clarity in expectations and procedures, everyone can work in unison to achieve the project goals.
Here are my top 10 tips to mitigate scope creep:
- Your approach matters. Respectfully approach the client openly and honestly about the situation. Avoid phrases or renouncing terms like “We are not completing another task until you provide a supplement.”
- Do your homework. Never approach a client with a supplement request for additional scope without confirming that the task was not included in the scoping document, contract language, or applicable client manual.
- Don’t waste time. Addressing scope creep can be uncomfortable at times; however, avoiding this conversation could lead to a worse outcome. In certain cases, supplements can take time to process. Delaying the discussion could lead to overall project delays.
- Clients make mistakes too. Our industry is fast paced. Engineers have a lot on their plates. This includes client contract and project managers. A client’s request for additional work can be made unknowing of the fact that it wasn’t included in the original scope of services.
- A detailed scope is invaluable. Spend the front-end project time to clearly define scope, assumptions and exclusions. Your scoping documents should become more detailed each year as you learn from past mistakes.
- Additional fee is not the only solution. Keep an open mind when discussing the requested additional work. To the client, it may be of higher value than tasks in the executed contract, and additional fee may not always be available for new tasks. If scope is changed, be sure client acceptance is in writing.
- Be a team player. The stakeholders, owner, client and consultant are a team with a shared goal of successful project completion. Being a team player and creating solutions to scope creep will be remembered by clients and may lead to future selections.
- Prepare an estimate. When an out-of-scope request is made, price it. Telling a client that an additional request is out of scope will typically lead them to ask, “How much will it cost?” When high-level estimating, be conservative, identify key assumptions, and add contingency.
- Don’t be surprised. Projects rarely go precisely according to plan. Additions and variations to scope are normal. Project success relies on how you react and adapt to them.
- Not all scope creep is created equal. Too often, scope creep gets a bad rap. When handled properly, it can lead to higher project revenue, more comprehensive designs, and better client-consultant relationships. Be open-minded and reasonable.
Won’t my clients be upset? Clients, consultants, owners, and stakeholders all benefit from clear expectations and properly organized projects. By understanding and addressing the factors that contribute to scope creep, project managers can mitigate its impact to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and most importantly, to the desired quality standards. As an added bonus, strong communication and clear expectations yield the most collaborative and high-quality solutions – strengthening relationships with clients and bringing more work to your firm.
Matthew Miller, PE, PLS is the Department of Transportation Market Lead at Prairie Engineers. Contact him at mmiller@prairieengineers.com.
