Friday, April 12, 2013

Scope Creep


Scope creep is as disturbing as the term implies.  Like ivy creeping up the sides of a brick wall, it clings to the project with invasive threads and winds itself about as if to suffocate the original structure.  Drama aside, scope creep can negatively affect any project. 

According to Villanova University, scope creep occurs when an area of a project begins to expand in need for resources, time, or tasks (2013, p.1).  Regardless of whether you are a project manager or not, you have likely experienced this to some extent.  I certainly have.  It starts small and little by little creates a larger impact on your project.   You could always add a step, include one more person, insert some interesting tidbit or interactive piece.  There is always room to expand and this is where scope creep can rear its expensive head.

The most recent experience I have noticed scope creep is with a classroom incentive plan I have designed for my middle school students.  I started with raffle tickets that would entice students into choosing appropriate behaviors and improve student learning by reducing distraction and off-task time.  Soon I noticed that my bank balance was dwindling due to an over-eager desire to feed this project and the reward stash of prizes in my classroom.  Villanova University explains that it is important to set parameters for the project (2013, p.1), which I certainly did not in this situation.  As a joke, I wear a string of raffle tickets like a boa around my neck.  The middle schoolers laugh and think what a nerd their teacher is, but they do so while effectively completing their assignments.  That raffle-boa may as well be a creeping ivy, slowly tightening and constricting my wallet.  A small example of scope creep, but a real example of how a simple project can go way over budget- especially when there is no budget established.  The time at the end of class to reward the raffle winners could also easily creep into instructional time.  What am I to do?

I have to refer to the wise guidance of those who know more about scope creep than myself.  One such individual has described seven steps we can all use to avoid scope creep.  One piece of advice offered is to clearly define your vision (Doll, 2001, p.1).  My vision for this project is to improve student behavior, safeguard instructional time, and do so without going bankrupt.  Therefore, I must set a budget for tickets and prizes.  Ten dollars a week sounds reasonable.  Believe me, that is not what I have been spending.  I must set a timeframe for the raffle at the end of class, five minutes before class ends while students are cleaning up should suffice.  I must also set a time limit on how much time I can spend hunting for incentives.  One trip, once a week, to a location in my own city should do. 

The example of scope creep I have shared is small-scale, but on a larger more formal project it can cost millions instead of hundreds.  It can cost the time and effort of dozens or more individuals instead of one.  Developing a budget and a timeline for a project is critical.  Do not let it take over, like the invasive ivy.  Although ornamental, it can be very costly.

References

Doll, S. (2001).  Seven steps to avoid scope creep.  Retrieved at http://tinyurl.com/btmb5xy

Managing scope creep in project management. (2013). Villanova University Online.  Retrieved at http://tinyurl.com/clth9bc

8 comments:

  1. Aubrey,
    I love analogy you make at the beginning of the entry about “invasive threads.” It is quite apt in this case. You are also quite right about the size of scope creep. Anything that adds to the timeline, cost or resources of the project can be considered creep, no matter how small it is. Honestly, when I wrote about the assignment, I tried to think about experiences in my past where large additions effected the project. I never really considered the small additions that can just as easily cripple the success of a project. In your case, you never really figured out what the scope of your raffle was nor did you determine an appropriate closure. Limiting the scope and not overpromising results will lead to the success of a project (Van Rekom, n.d.). You recognized this issue and have made strides to rectify it. You also need to know when the project is at an end. Here is where you have begun to go over budget on the prizes for the kids. You only have a finite amount of funding and you need to plan for the time when it is gone. Great post. It was very well written and enjoyable to read.

    References

    Van Rekom, P. (n.d.). Practitioner voices: Barriers to project success. [video]. Lecture presented for Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved March 5, 2013 from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2652514_1%26url%3D

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    1. Take a look at your bank statement. I did this recently and made a connection with what we are learning in this course. I saw a lot of little things, like a trip to a drive thru, an unplanned grocery store shopping trip, a coffee stand trip, and other costs not included in our family budget. This can happen anywhere to any project. I added up these miscellaneous costs and they were the cost of my car insurance, energy bill, and water bill combined. Think of this on a larger scale and consider the potential impact. Did you know that some corporations run credit checks on potential employees? I guess they think there is a connection! Yikes.

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  2. Hi, Aubrey

    I loved reading about your tale of scope creep in your middle school classroom. I can so easily imagine the predicament you are in. You are aware of the scope creep, and its cost to you, both in terms of time and money, but your emotions – wanting to do something that you know will work for your students – keeps motivating you to continue. I think that most scope creep stems from an emotional desire to do more, and give more, to the client, whether the client is a middle school age students, one’s own child, or a professional client. Scope creep often comes from wanting to make someone else happy. It’s hard to resist that emotion. I can easily picture you with that boa of raffle tickets around your neck, and I can easily imagine how much that amuses your students. Humor is so important in middle school. Kids this age respond to readily to humor, and they LOVE teachers who are funny. Good for you. I just hope that the scope creep doesn’t choke you, to continue the metaphor of the ivy vine. :) Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton & Kramer (2008) do advise taking into account the “expected value of the risk” (p. 379). In your case, I think the value of the risk is high and worth mitigating.

    April

    References

    Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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    Replies
    1. April,

      I definitely agree about scope creep having a connection with the desire to do a job well. We have to remember that while there is always potential to do better, we have to weigh the cost. Perhaps we can improve the project without adding to the price tag.

      Thanks!

      Aubrey

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  3. You gave a wonderful analogy to this subject and enjoyable read on your experience. In your experience I wonder if including another teacher from another class to help you monitor your task would have been helpful also. Not necessarily to include them in the project but as someone to bounce your thoughts and ideas off of. "Require changes be approved in writing by the client..." (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2008) In this case you could have your coworker help you understand and justify the changes or help you watch your budget with you even if they are not directly involved. Its always good to have more than two eyes on a project. Great post.

    Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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  4. Excellent post! I absolutely loved your ivy simile. It reminds me of another comparison I read recently. Butler (2012) compares scope creep to loading up your plate with a little bit of everything and before you know what happened you have a heap of food that is way too much to eat. Butler (2012) writes, “Scope creep is the kind of thing that accumulates so slowly and subtly that you don't realize it's happening until it's too late, like when you've already promised it or, worse, when you're already building it.”

    I can relate to your raffle ticket incentive project. When you find something that works in the classroom, it is hard to let it go. For some classes, it may even seem as precious as gold. Motivation is tricky and your project worked. Rewards that do not cost any money, like free time, first pick on an activity, or a homework pass may be more alternatives that are easy on your bank account.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Reference

    Butler, C. (2012, April). Why scope creep is your fault (and what you can do to prevent it) . Retrieved April 13, 2013, from Newfangled: http://www.newfangled.com/why_scope_creep_is_your_fault

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  5. Thank you! The outcome has been great with students. Since it was a small-scale project, I didn't anticipate how expensive it could turn out to be. We really have to cap these smaller expense items, since they can really add up!

    Aubrey

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