Managing Scope Creep, the DSS Way

In the world of project management, one thing is constant: the scope will creep. The job you started on will grow into something different, whether it is through the addition of software features, extra marketing materials or any of a million other ways to expand the original brief.

At DSS Asia, we are no strangers to this phenomenon, and we write our project plans with scope creep in mind. Here’s one example:

The DSS Project Management Plan

A Singapore-based outsourcing business engaged us for a software development and testing project. After establishing the expected output, timeline, logistics and other contract details, our team prepared for the first sprint with the use of the agile methodology and the scrum framework.

Halfway through the sprint, the client identified extra features it wanted to include, along with new materials that could help with its current campaign.

Scoping Out The Value: Keep Or Skip

The new requirements introduced a challenge: How do we keep the project on track? Which parts should we prioritise?

This is where an effective project management plan comes in. DSS teams always do two things in response to scope creep: communicate and investigate.

In this case, the project team first established formal communication with the client. Using the ticket system and email, it got the client’s agreement to defer less important components of the project and to prioritise bigger or newer features. This helped with accountability, putting both the client and the DSS team on the same page.

Second, the team investigated the added tasks. This meant breaking them down into small tickets and inserting them into the current ticket board and calendar. This lets us easily spot any tasks directly affected by the new tickets.

With the help of the constant communication of the project managers and the team’s coordination, the extended scope was easily accommodated into the sprint without any problem.

The Result: Great Management For A Great Project

After a few sprints, our team was able to accomplish everything in the contract, including the client’s additional requests. It was a reminder that, with effective management, scope creep doesn’t have to derail a project.

We believe that we can reproduce this amazing effort for other clients as well. Here are a few ways we do it.

Ready to start a new campaign? Leave us a message and let’s get started on managing your project plan for success!