The Horrors of Scope Creep
I'm in the middle of a scope creep nightmare. Our clients are notoriously difficult to work with. They never wanted our company to win the contract, but the government overruled them. When we began working on the project, let's just say it was a constant battle to come to agreement.
As the lead instructional designer, I know that it is important to document every decision, especially when dealing with difficult clients. But even though I document and record our meetings, we are still constantly asked to incorporate changes to the courseware we are building that are beyond the scope of work. Our deadline is in less than a month, and there's no way we're going to make it.
Examples of Scope Creep
Issue 1: All agreed and documented that we could build the interactive courseware using our own template/skin. When given the design documents to review and approve, were told that there is a government format that the goverment needs us to use. All design documents were rejected and had to be revised.
Stakeholder Reaction: My PM and his supervisors all agreed that our company does "whatever the goverment needs." We adjusted the documents without adjusting the schedule or the budget. We took one for the team to hopefully help improve the relationship.
Issue 2: The SOW didn't call for any formal approval of storyboards. However, we knew that storyboards were an important part of the process. We told the client that we'd deliver storyboards for review, but they were not an official deliverable (because the were not listed in the SOW or budgeted for). After the design documents were approved, we began sending storyboards. The client began demanding weekly meetings to review and critique each storyboard. Storyboards were rejected and the client demanded to see a revised version of the storyboard before we proceeded any further. What began as a courtesy, became a huge scope creep.
Stakeholder Reaction: The PM constantly reminded the client that the storyboards were a luxury, not a deliverable. Therefore, they couldn't be "rejected" only commented on. By stopping production and demanding re-work, the client put the project months behind schedule. Eventually, my PM caved to their pressure and we were told to treat the storyboards like a professional deliverable.
Issue 3: After approving the lesson design strategies, the client decides that there are entire courses missing. They demand that we create three new courses that were not in the lesson design strategies or in the budget or schedule.
Stakeholder Reaction: Finally, having had enough, my PM demands for more funds and an adjusted schedule. The client begrudgingly agrees to a three month extension and a slight increase in the budget.
Reflection
The list of issues continues, but I'd rather not dwell. We only have two months left in the project and we're currently asking for yet another project extension. This project has been a nightmare and part of it is my own company's fault. Because we were so willing to cave to their inappropriate demands early on, we had little ground to stand on when we were continually asked to work beyond the agreed upon scope. The result of such poor managment has been a destroyed the already volatile relationship with the client.
If I were project manager, I would have perhaps been flexible with the first scope creep request, but I would have certainly put my dissatisfaction with the request in writing. A professionally worded memo to all stakeholders (including the client's boss, the government) could have illustrated that as a gesture of good will we are willing to redesign the courses without charging extra, but any further re-work would be met with a new budget and an adjusted schedule.
Lindsay, the scope creep you described in your post seems to be very critical. According to Portny et al the success in such environment is determined by the combined effort of the project manager and team members in maximizing everyone’s contribution and minimizing wasted time and mistakes through effective and timely communication (Portny et al, 2008). Apart from sharing the right messages with the right people in a timely manner learning to say ‘No’ is one of the project manager’s essential skills in keeping the scope creep under control (Laureate Education, n.d). Some of the effective strategies in documenting communication include strategies like:
ReplyDelete• Beginning with a clear purpose
• Stating the situation
• Including possible solution
• Indicating sign offs
• Specifying the form of response
• Keeping the tone of all communication friendly and respectful (Laureate Education, n.d).
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (n.d). Communicating with Stakeholders. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com.
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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ReplyDeleteBecause ultimately the Project Manager is responsible for scope creep. What you have described is a classic example of an informal process that lead the client to misunderstand the inappropriate nature of the changes that were being requested. A change control system put in place to translate these impacts into alterations of project performance, schedule, and cost is just one argument for its use to avoid the many frustrations and sense of being defeated your PM must be feeling. As you state so eloquently, the manner in which the project has gone way away from what would be considered typical in term of process and communication. Thank you for such a great example of how this can happen without employing successful (tried and proven) project management tools like a change control system to lesson the stressful aspects of scope creep which is inevitable (Portny, et al, 2008).
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Tracking Progress and Maintaining Control. Chapter 11, pps. 346-347 Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Hi Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteI don’t have much project management experience so it’s interesting to hear different perspectives from people that do whether it’s positive or negative, I always learn from it. It makes sense to document every decision especially when working with difficult clients. At what point in the project did you find out that you needed to use the government approved format? Could this of been recognized in the planning phases of the project?
From what I understand planning and communication is the key to improving project success and effectiveness. While our text defines risk as the possibility that a project might not achieve its product, schedule, or resource targets because something unexpected occurs or something planned does not. (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer & Sutton, 2008). With every project there is assumed risk. There is no way to avoid all risk. However, you can certainly minimize your risk factors by adequate planning and effective communication.
Great post Lindsay!
Hi Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteThis project sounds like a nightmare! In most cases, we try to avoid scope creep. But in your case, you allowed the creep in an effort to be more helpful. I have been told several times in the last 6 months of my new job that "no good deed goes unpunished."
Scope creep in unavoidable, but managing it is the key (Portny et al, 2008). Communicating changes is one way to manage it. In your case, the changes were communicated, but the client had way too much say in how the changes were implemented. As the ID, and also the PM, it is okay to say no, if it is what is best for the project.
Thanks for sharing your story.
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.
This is a very interesting story that you shared, especially since you are right in the midst of dealing with a scope creep situation. The PM should identify each of the scope changes and their impact on the overall project plan (Lynch & Roecker, 2007). Not only should he have given a memo to all of the stakeholders, but he needed to gather the relevant team members to brainstorm stress-free ways for handling scope creep (Greer, 2010). Each possible or current impact should also be reported to the client.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Retrieved February 17, 2013 from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201340_02/MS_INDT/EDUC_6145/Syllabus/Syllabus/embedded/pm-minimalist-ver-3-laureate.pdf
Lynch, M. M., & Roecker, J. (2007). Project managing e-learning: A handbook for successful design, delivery, and management. Retrieved February 17, 2013 from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201340_02/MS_INDT/EDUC_6145/Week%206/Resources/Week%206%20Resources/embedded/6145_Wk6_Lynch_Ch5.pdf
Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteA well-controlled, formal process whereby changes can be introduced and accomplished with as little distress as possible would have been quite beneficial in your situation (Portny et al, 2008). Every project change should have been introduced by a change order that includes a description of the agreed-upon change together with any resulting changes in the plan, processes, budget, schedule, or deliverables (Portny et al, 2008). Require changes be approved in writing by the client as well as by a representative of senior management (Portny et al, 2008). I think these steps would have gone a long way in helping to ease the tension of the situation. Everyone would have known the expectations and would have been aware of the requirements necessary for change.
Reference
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.
Lindsay, that project sounds typical for government work (since I work in the government). It sounds like your project manager (PM) has let you down by not sticking to the Statement of Work. Even with the initial change, there should have been good documentation which could have been brought up when they wanted more changes. The PM did not user proper change control. Even if changes are unavoidable, it should be communicated that there would be then be changes in the timeline, budget, or both, and also be clearly documented in an agreement (Lynch & Roecker, 2007). Good luck with the rest of your project!
ReplyDeleteLynch, M. M., & Roecker, J. (2007). Project managing e-learning: A handbook for successful design, delivery, and management. London: Routledge.