What is
scope creep?
What is it, what causes it, and how to overcome it? Read on…

Scope creep could be costing you 10-15% of revenue
Scope creep is a common problem in project management and it can have serious consequences for a project's timeline, budget, and overall success. It occurs when the scope of a project, or the amount of work that needs to be done, begins to expand beyond the original plans and specifications.

Several factors lead to scope creep
There are many variables at play, so scope creep can be difficult to identify, watch out for:
Ambiguous scopes of work
Poor communication
No formal process for changes
Client/team relationships
Scope creep can be difficult to quantify
Changes in scope are often gradual and may not be immediately apparent to everyone involved in the project. This can make it difficult for those leading the project (e.g. project managers in large teams, freelancers, or agency owners) to recognise when scope creep is occurring – and take action to prevent it from becoming a bigger problem.
Scope creep can also have a domino effect on other aspects of the project. If the scope increases, more resources such as time, money, and personnel will be needed to complete it. Leading to delays, cost overruns, and stakeholder management challenges with your team and particularly with your client.
Scope creep is either indicative of, or can be the cause of, a lack of focus and direction. Without clear project objectives it’s difficult to measure success, and delivering on unclear expectations can make it impossible to satisfy your customers. This can negatively impact the quality of project deliverables, compounding the problem of client dissatisfaction.
If you’ve owned or worked for a company that delivers products and/or services, you’ve felt this pain.
So, how do you overcome a foe that can be difficult to detect, is caused by a myriad of different factors and is challenging to quantify the cost to your business (i.e. making it hard to prove this is a priority to solve)?!
For the lucky teams with dedicated project managers:
Strong communication and planning skills are paramount. Project managers must be proactive in communicating with stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that project requirements are clearly defined.
They should use project management tools and techniques to create detailed plans and schedules that outline the work that needs to be done and the resources that will be required.
Clear project objectives are critical so that project managers know when to adapt to changes in project requirements, and when to push back. This may involve revising plans and schedules, or making adjustments to the project team to ensure that the project stays on track.
Importantly, if the project scope does need to change, capturing the value of these changes is critical to ensure the work is correctly invoiced and the team does not do more work for the same investment.
It’s trickier for smaller teams where the people delivering the work are also managing the project.
Again, project objectives must be front and centre to act as a reminder to both client and business that additional requirements don’t always serve to improve project outcomes. Processes for change requests should also be in place – it’s hard when you have rapport and just want to jump on the phone or send a quick message. But a chain of custody for project requests and approvals will make it so much easier to ensure decisions are made purposefully and invoiced accordingly.
But Scope creep doesn’t have to be a bad thing!
Enter, Scopey.


Join the waitlist,
and try the beta for free
FAQ: Your Guide to tackling
Scope Creep
No, we created Scopey because Project Management software is overly complicated for managing project scopes and change requests with clients. Scopey is Scope Management software, think of the project scope as a menu while the busy kitchen is project management.
Scope creep is when your projects start growing uncontrollably, adding extra work or features without proper planning or compensation. It's a real business killer, costing you around 10-15% of your yearly revenue. So, if you want to save money and keep your projects on track, dealing with scope creep is a must.
Scopey empowers you to succeed in your projects and keep scope creep at bay. It helps you create detailed scopes of work, making sure everyone's on the same page. Plus, it provides a simple platform for clients to request and approve additional stuff that they're willing to pay for.
Absolutely! Scopey has some awesome features to boost your revenue. Instead of doing change requests for free, you can upsell your services to clients. Plus, Scopey helps you discover other services that would benefit your clients, giving you more opportunities to expand your scope of work and make extra dough.
With Scopey, your clients will feel like the VIPs they are. They'll have a dedicated space to request any extras they want, see quotes for those requests, and decide whether to include them in the project scope. Say goodbye to misunderstandings and unexpected bills. Happy clients, happy you!
Definitely! You can join the waitlist for Scopey. As an early user, you'll have access to exclusive pricing. Don't miss out on this all-in-one platform for proposals, scope management, and approvals. Get ready to rock your projects like a boss!