Scope Creep

Scope Creep

And what to do about it.

Measure it for Success…

According to Weigers & Beatty, 2013, software development projects are normally delayed because of an inaccurate estimate of the project scope, unknown or overinflated productivity of the development team, the lack of a list of scheduled and prioritized tasks, unanticipated changes in the project scope, and a lack of planning experience (p. 372). Having a clear list of tasks to be completed and a detailed architecture of how those tasks will interact is a good first step.  After all, if a programmer is unsure of the exact scope of the project, how can he ensure success? How will he know how his performance is measured? How can he determine when he has completed one portion of the project? Having clear goals and measures of success will help define the project and keep it moving in a positive direction. 

Team Performance…

Also, having good historical data of the team performance is important. In the case of team members that have worked together before, what was the productivity rate? Can one expect to have the same results with the new project? Are there new or uninitiated members on the team? How do they fit in?

Change Management…

Finally, keeping the project scope in mind is important. If changes are made, how will that affect the release date? Is there anything that can be eliminated or delayed for future releases if the change is made? Can the change be a part of scheduled updates, or does it have to be included in the original package? These are all good questions to consider as the project is planned. In his article, Button also indicates that there are environmental changes that need to be considered when scheduling – including sick or vacation time, inclement weather, internet service outages, etc. (Button, 2011). Anticipating as many of these elements in the original timeline as possible will allow the project to stay closer to the anticipated schedule.