Scope creep - Definition and Overview

Scope Creep in Project Management refers to uncontrolled changes in a project's scope.

Typically, the scope increases by adding both new products and new features of already approved products (see feature bloat). As a result, the project drifts away from its original purpose. Because of the tendency to look at only one dimension of a project, scope creep can also result in a project overruning its original budget and schedule, as more is to be done at the same cost and in the same time (which is usually unrealistic, given a stretched original budget and schedule).

Scope creep can be a result of:

• poor change control or
• lack of proper identification what products and features are required to bring about the achievement of project objectives in the first place.