Before heading into details regarding scope creep, let’s understand the scope.
完成该项目所需的工作被称为scope在项目管理中。
这majority of projects undergo some kind of alteration at some time. These adjustments may be advantageous for the project, but unauthorized changes that go beyond its parameters are damaging and may compromise its goals. It may result in resource waste, decreased efficinecy, subpar products, or even the early failure of the project.
什么是范围蠕变？
定义：Scope creep means extending a project's requirements beyond its set boundaries that lead to unauthorized changes in the project scope. It is the addition of unauthorized features to the product beyond its agreed scope.
有时，范围蠕变称为“需求蠕变”或“特征蠕变”。
这key term here is “unauthorized changes.” Thus, scope creep does not occur when a change is implemented after going through the change management process.
由于项目环境是动态的，并且频繁进行沟通，因此控制范围蠕变可能很困难。因此，项目经理必须掌握范围蠕变的细节，然后管理它们。
How To Identify Project Scope Creep?
这following points can help reduce scope creep in a project:
意识到冲动的明亮的想法
范围蠕变可能是由于项目中间出现的想法而产生的。为了防止范围爬行，您必须以客观性和不情感来审查它们。
是的，当团队成员和利益相关者开始经常使用它时，请注意“也是”。这些建议可以包括诸如“我们可以这样做”之类的东西。他们强烈暗示了项目流程的即兴补充。
What Causes Scope Creep?
Scope creep in projects occurs due to several reasons:
不清楚的范围和要求
不清楚需求范围的主要原因cope creep. It confuses, and each member will assume the project scope from their view leading to non-unanimous project decisions.
您必须有一个明确的书面工作范围供项目团队参考。
Poor Communication
Scope creep can result from improper communication between project managers, stakeholders, and team members.
由于团队成员未收到有关其相互矛盾的项目想法的澄清，因此无效的沟通降低了项目产出的质量。
Setting Unrealistic Deadlines
Project managers often face the temptation of promising heaven and earth to their clients. And to achieve the goal, they force the team to cross boundaries. Unrealistic deadlines demotivate team members and lead to scope creep.
Underestimation of a Proposed Change
项目利益相关者may not want to be fully involved in every tiny bit of the project; this allows team members to make certain decisions that may bypass the formal change request and lead to scope creep.
Over Promising
您必须传达在工作范围内可以做的事情，而不要以虚假的诺言给客户留下深刻的印象。这强调团队成员并迫使他们额外工作。众所周知，疲劳会导致效率低下且无效的结果。
Not Performing Proper Project Analysis Upfront
Project managers frequently rush into initiating new projects without thoroughly assessing the work’s requirements. In the later stages of the project, this led to poor planning and numerous problems, including scope creep.
How To Prevent Scope Creep?
这following tips help prevent scope creep from occurring.
开发明确定义的项目范围
这key step in preventing scope creep is to have properproject documentationfrom project initiation. This allows for referring and reviewing the project requirements when required and monitoring the project’s progress.
Conduct Proper Research
It is important to research adequately before the commencement of work. A project manager must think thoroughly and ask all the questions to avoid making mistakes or overlooking important areas.
建立沟通
与客户，管理层，团队成员，利益相关者和项目经理等保持开放的沟通方式。
缩小信息差距，并确保没有通信故障。这project scope statementcan aid in facilitating open dialogue among project stakeholders on changes and new information.
A Flexible Change Control Process
更改控制过程应具有灵活性以适应变更请求。这些变化可能会影响project baselines（范围，时间表和成本）。在这种情况下，您需要更新项目文档，计划，范围语句，work breakdown structures, etc., and inform project stakeholders.
Manage these change requests through eithercorrective or preventive measuresvia an integrated change management system.
Use a Modern Project Management Software
Project scope creep is reduced with the aid of the project management tool. Effective monitoring and performance measurement of the project’s status and scope baselines throughout the项目生命周期is used to achieve this.
这se programs also aid in tracking the project’s progress by comparing it to the projected progress.
该软件可能包括一种更改请求机制，该机制将简化更新，记录和通知团队成员有关项目范围的信息。
Scope Creep Examples
下面讨论了一些范围蠕变的例子：
Example 1: The 9 years Late New Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
这airport in New Berlin finally opened in 2020, nine years after it had originally been scheduled to do so, with few travelers and a small ceremony.
After 15 years of planning, the project commenced in 2006 with an expected completion date of October 2011. However, a number of technical and planning concerns caused the launch to be postponed six times, which was disastrous.
It is believed that the problems were caused by having many stakeholders with conflicting project ideas, which slowed the project’s progress, propelling the project’s status into becoming a national joke.
该项目成本增加到了原始预算的三倍，高达60亿欧元。
Example 2: The Knight Capital Global Financial Service Firm
High-frequency trading algorithms were used by this company to trade security services. In 2012, the business suffered from scope creep, which cost them 460 million dollars in a single hour.
这是由于工程师忘记升级计算机服务器而发生的。因为只有一个月可以进行必要的改进，所以发生了此错误。项目团队急于工作。结果，造成了相当大的损失。分配适当的时间可以避免这种损失。
Managing Scope Creep
最佳范围管理实践包括：
Keep the Communication Lines Open
Project management is dependent on communication. Set up the channels of communication between team members, managers, and project stakeholders appropriately. This will make it easier to notice little changes and act promptly.
Analyze the Impact of Scope Creep
这project manager must assess the effects of scope creep on the project’s goals.
Analyze whether the impact is beneficial or negative, whichproject objectivesit affects, whether the baselines are impacted, etc. Can you control scope creep, or will you need to submit a change request to fix it?
Set Priorities
After answering the questions in the previous step, it is important to set priorities. Emphasize new scopes to include in the project, but it should not be at the expense of the project goal.
Accept the Scope Creep
由于存在积极的范围蠕变，因此您必须在给予适当的考虑之后接受它们。为了防止延迟，应迅速，精确地完成此接受。
从项目范围爬行中学习
“Experience is a good teacher,” and scope creep provides a goodlesson learned. After effectively managing a scope creep, learn from the mistakes that led to the scope creep to avoid a repeat in future projects.
Conclusion
一个项目的范围爬行是一个可怕的事件。沟通不畅或不精确的范围要求是其主要原因。
项目经理和团队可以通过遵循适当的管理和预防程序来避免范围蠕变。一旦知道范围蠕变将不可避免地发生在一个项目中，应与利益相关者进行讨论，如果对项目有利，则可能会邀请他们参加。
