Loose Change

  ProjectsAtWork  

Scope changes can be good or bad -- it's up to project leaders to determine the true cost and impact. Then they can be reconsidered or implemented in good conscience.

Scope creep is a major risk to all projects, but its true cost is often overlooked. Managing scope creep starts with understanding it, including its adverse affects-not only on the project itself, but also on the organization's bottom line.

It is important to be able to measure the true cost of creep because not all creep is bad. In fact, some creep is necessary when new market data, relevant insight and other knowledge gained during the project offers an opportunity to make the end result quantifiably better. But even "good" scope creep will cost something. Requirements for an internal development project grow by 2 percent of the original scope every month, according to a study by Software Productivity Research (www.spr.com). As projects progress along their development cycle, accommodating those changes in scope becomes increasingly expensive, with the changes in the latter phases of the cycle costing much more than those earlier in the project.

All changes throughout the project life cycle will affect the budget and schedule. That's why only changes that promise marked improvement to the final result (as measured by financial performance, enhanced market position, customer satisfaction and quality) …

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