Scope is one of the key
elements that needs to be monitored, controlled and managed during project
management because scope creep (uncontrolled changes in project scope) is inherent
in most projects and is a major cause of cost and time overrun (Lynch & Roecker, 2007) and
even project failure. In this article I will discuss a project that failed due
to poor project management and issues to do with scope creep.
Failed computerization project
The National Social Security Authority
(NSSA) is a quasi-government organization established by the Zimbabwean
government to provide social security services and benefits to members
contributing to schemes under its administration. A newspaper article by Mambo
(2012) reported that NSSA lost about $4.5 million to a service provider after
terminating the service provider’s contract citing incompetence and failure to
provide a functioning system to agreed specifications. The matter ended up in
court after the service provider disputed NSSA’s claims of incompetence and
NSSA lost the court case. The project, which was scheduled to take eight
months, was terminated after twenty four months. NSSA’s internal managers who
were assigned to manage the project were blamed for the project’s failure. The
disagreement between NSSA and the service provider on the deliverables has been
attributed to scope creep.
Causes of scope creep
The
following are some of the main causes of scope creep that have been highlighted
by de Sousa (2009):
- Poorly detailed project
scope statement in the project initiation document
- Poor requirements analysis
- Poor control of the
project by the project manager
- Indecisive project
stakeholders
- Too many project stakeholders with differing priorities and objectives
How NSSA’s issues could have been handled
If I were the project manager
for the NSSA project, I would ensure that the project scope (detailing all
major deliverables and boundaries) was clearly defined at the beginning of the
project, documented and agreed upon by all major stakeholders (Villanova
University, 2013). This helps to minimize the chances of scope creep and
disagreements as the project progresses. I would also ensure that thorough requirements
analysis has been done and users are involved throughout the project.
However, it should be noted that
scope creep can still occur even when the scope has been clearly defined. For
example a change in vision can result in scope creep (Lynch & Roecker, 2007). In
situations where changes have to be made to the project scope as a result of
requests by the client, Dr. Stolovitch (n.d.) has suggested that there is need
to formally capture the proposed changes using a change of scope document and
then determine the effect of the changes on project variables such as the
budget and timeline before seeking client approval to effect changes and then
finally communicating the changes to the project team and other stakeholders.
Conclusion
While the project manager
should make an effort to guard against scope creep throughout the project by,
among other things, discouraging requests for changes from various
stakeholders, the project manager should be prepared to manage scope creep when
it becomes inevitable.
References
de Sousa, S. (2009). What are the causes of scope creep?. Retrieved from
Lynch, M. M., & Roecker, J. (2007). Project managing
e-learning: A handbook for successful design, delivery, and management. London
Chapter 5. Retrieved from
Mambo, E. (2012, July 27). NSSA loses US$4.5 million in botched computer
deal. Zimbabwe
Stolovitch,
H. (Walden University
