Sin #1. Thou Shalt Not Flirt with the Scope Creep

Sin #1. Thou Shalt Not Flirt with the Scope Creep. 😝

“It’s not very difficult for someone as awesome as you to do, is it?”
“While we are waiting for approval … can you fit this littlesomthing into the sprint?”

Cue much eyebatting perhaps with a huge platter of 🍩 as bribery.
🙄

Here are a few things a strong Project Manager has in their toolkit to deal with scope creeps:

🍩 Use Empathy to understand the pain that the other party is facing.

🍩 Use Active Listening to really understand requirements.

🍩 Use Socratic questioning to get to the heart of the discussion, to gently and tactfully peel back layers of assumptions, bias and perception.

🍩 Ensure requirements articulated are clear and accurate.

🍩 Mutually agree change control procedures.

🍩 Enforce change management, clearly articulating if allowing a small scope creep to happen (because there’s capacity, or if accruing goodwill) “just this one time” and clearly setting boundaries and managing expectations.

How do you manage #ScopeCreeps?
With mace and a karate chop? 🥋
😁

#OnThePeiroll
#ManagingExpectations


This is part of the “Sins of #ProjectManagement” series started off on the Salesforce Ben webinar I did with Ben McCarthy.
Link in comments 👇🏻

I’ve been busy running discoveries and creating and delivering unique training and workshops, as well as talks (I am doing 5 at Midwest Dreamin’ and WITness Success, four of which are brand new topics!) so I have not had much bandwidth to post.

There are so many more Project Management ‘sins’ I can think of, so you’ll be seeing a few more of these 😁
However if you’re here in Minneapolis for the Dreamin events, please come and say HI!

I’d love to meet you! 🥰