Scope creep

Is the project on schedule The CPM provides a clear answer to this question. For example, you could look at the status of each activity relative to its LFT. Or, you could periodically update the CPM analysis and compare the revised absolute completion date to the original absolute completion date. 

Closing Thoughts about the Critical Path Method 

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The scope of the CRS validation must be defined. For a stand-alone application on a stand-alone computer system, this maybe straightforward. If there are any interfaces with other systems, however, the scope becomes more challenging. A clear definition of the VMP scope will help prevent misunderstandings and scope creep that can cause significant schedule delays. Consider such questions as... 

Requirements misunderstanding Scope creep Development risk... 

Bndget management, ensnring bnsiness case maintained (beware of scope creep)... 

The first was that LIMS did not meet expectations, simply because the expectations were never stated, just subjectively implied by various users who thought that LIMS could solve any problem they had. There is also an issue of scope creep where added functionality and new wishes will result in delays. 

It is important for the facilitator to keep the team within some boundaries, or the scope of their assignment together. When they start discussing and pursuing improvement opportunities outside of their scope it is called scope creep. 

Risk of scope creep and How reliable are your previous estimates concerning cost, time. 

Often, discussions of Scope lead to the possibility of uncompensated scope creep (USC), that is, work outside of the initially agreed-upon tasks that is requested or expected without compensation. An understanding of the project s Scope by project team members will reduce the likelihood of internally and externally-driven USC. Preventing and resolving USC, which is an important aspect of project management, is addressed in detail in the next chapter. 

Remains alert to changes in scope requested by or attributable to the client, owner, or customer, especially those that will increase the cost of doing the project. The preferred remedy to client-driven scope creep is to seek additional compensation commensurate with the additional services. 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CRITICAL PATH METHOD AND SCOPE CREEP... 

Project Management Critical Path Method and Scope Creep... 

As explained in Chapter 5, project scope describes what you and/or your project team will do, although not necessarily in operational detail. That detail is typically revealed in a list of project tasks which are the result of project plaiming Element 6, Tasks, in the previous chapter. Project scope sometimes includes an explicit list of deliverables. The term scope creep, and its variations, usually refers to a plague on many projects that disrupts schedules, damages budgets, and reduces profit. Scope creep warrants your consideration, beginning as a student. 

Uncompensated scope creep (USC) means doing more than agreed upon and not being paid for it. Doing more usually means being expected to do more tasks than... 

Figure 6.12 Like a snail, uncompensated scope creep, moves slowly and seems innocuous but gradually adversely impacts budgets and profit.

You, as project manager, can anticipate some external scope creep drivers during preparation and use of the project plan (PP), which is discussed in the preceding chapter. For example, you saw that the client, owner, or customer s RFP was flawed— it omitted some essential tasks. Therefore, you and they discussed and resolved this issue prior to entering into a service agreement. 

Some externally-driven scope creep situations cannot be anticipated. For example, a client, owner, or customer wants to capitalize on a just announced federal grant program related to your already-underway project. The client, owner, or customer asks you to help prepare the grant proposal and to do it at no cost. You and they need to deal with this kind of situation using ideas presented later in this chapter. 

Now consider some reasons you or members of your team create USC situations. A common reason is a personal preference for using a costly sophisticated method when a less costly, simple one would suffice. Misunderstanding of the desirable but elusive idea of quality, a topic that is treated in detail in the next chapter, is another cause of internally-driven scope creep. For example, some team members see quality as meeting requirements while others see it as striving for perfection and the latter inevitably sets up USC situations. Sometimes tasks budgets are not shared with those asked to do tasks. How can an individual be held accountable for an assigned task if he... 

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