Scope creep occurs when project requirements change without approval, often due to a series of small, incremental changes. It’s a common issue that leads to cost overruns, missed deadlines, and project failures.
Project scope creep can stem from clients or internal teams and typically happens when:
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Clients request modifications or additions after project plans are finalized.
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Project stakeholders aren’t aligned, or new ones are added late in the process.
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Project objectives and requirements are vague.
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Project managers overestimate project plans and underestimate timelines, resources, or costs.
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Teams face miscommunications or disagreements during project planning or feedback.
Scope creep happens when project management requirements expand beyond the original plan, often without adjustments to time, budget, or resources. For example:
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A social media marketing team is asked to create new content types, like videos or infographics, not included in the initial agreement.
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A software development team is asked to add features or functionality during the app development process.
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A construction company building a patio is later asked to include an awning or a wall.
Change is inevitable in projects — even the best project plans can be derailed by scope creep. That’s why a plan to manage it is essential.
A strong change management plan helps prevent scope creep by providing the structure to incorporate necessary changes without compromising project quality or profitability.
In this guide, we’ll review best practices for managing scope creep and establishing change control processes. We’ll also highlight Workamajig’s project and change management features so you can see how our tools support best practices and minimize the risk of scope creep.
To learn more about Workamajig, keep reading or request a free demo with our team.
1. Clearly define project scope & get everyone on the same page
The first step to avoiding scope creep is to create clear, detailed project plans that outline specific, measurable objectives, project deliverables, timelines, boundaries, and potential restraints.
By setting measurable objectives in the project plan, it’s easier to identify when proposed changes deviate from the original project scope.
Avoid being too ambitious by ensuring that project timelines and budgets are realistic. It’s always better to underpromise and overdeliver.
Project managers should allocate appropriate hours for each task and deliverable, accounting for feedback processes and aligning project schedules with resource availability.
When finalizing plans and estimates, managers should factor in inflation and secure contingencies to address unexpected budget disruptions.
Project managers should review project plans with key stakeholders to ensure everyone understands and approves the scope of work.
Once client approval is received, managers can meet with team members to confirm that everyone understands their roles and has no questions.
A high-quality project management system like Workamajig supports project planning with tools like templates and automated estimates. You can save workflows, timelines, and resources for projects or services, while our system calculates estimates as you build plans, factoring in overhead costs and contingencies.
2. Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) builds on the first step, helping to speed up project planning and ensure consistency across plans.
A Work Breakdown Structure is a hierarchical list of the specific tasks and resources required to meet project expectations. It helps teams visualize the project scope and the deliverables involved in each piece of the puzzle.
A WBS starts with the overall project goal at the top and breaks down into increasingly detailed levels of deliverables and tasks. The final level consists of work packages, which are specific tasks or activities that can be assigned, scheduled, and tracked.
As an example, let’s consider the WBS for bicycle construction:
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The top level, the final deliverable, is the bike itself.
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The next level breaks it down into bike parts, like the frame, wheels, and brakes.
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The third level specifies the parts needed to build each component: the frame (the handlebar and seat), wheels (front and back), and braking system (brake pads, cables, and mounting bolts).
Creating Work Breakdown Structures for your primary projects and services helps your team implement clear, repeatable processes and eliminates some mental gymnastics for project managers. They can see the typical scope of work, ensure all necessary work is included, and plan the fine details.
Read more: 7 Steps to Mastering Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for Project Success
3. Establish a change management process
One of the most critical pieces is creating a change management process.
A strong change management plan safeguards against potential scope creep by providing structured change controls to adapt in-progress project plans. So it’s not as big of a deal if clients send last-minute requests or tag in new stakeholders after project kickoff, as you have wiggle room for disagreements or miscommunications.
A change management process outlines the steps required to:
- Evaluate proposed changes against the original scope.
- Approve or deny requests.
- Adjust project plans (resources, timelines, budgets) to accommodate approved changes.
The typical steps include:
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Change request: Project managers clearly outline the requested change, defining its objectives and scope.
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Impact assessment: Project managers must evaluate how the change affects stakeholders, processes, and resources.
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Risk assessment & management: Project managers should identify potential risks associated with changes and strategies to mitigate them.
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Planning for changes: Project managers should identify who is responsible for implementing and supporting changes. They should also plan timelines and project milestones, providing a schedule for implementing and tracking changes.
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Determine (new) required resources & request additional funding: Project managers must determine the new requirements to support the change and secure approval for updated estimates.
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Communicate the plan: Project managers should have a method for communicating changes with all project stakeholders to promote transparency and reduce miscommunications.
You can use a Change Log to track all proposed changes throughout the project lifecycle. This is especially handy when managing multiple change requests on a single project and prioritizing them based on their value and overall impact.
Most project management systems include change management features, such as change request forms and tools for updating estimates and project plans.
4. Establish cost thresholds for projects, services, or resources
You can also avoid overruns by setting cost thresholds and assigning a dedicated person to oversee project budgets. Cost thresholds are predefined budget limits or checkpoints to monitor and control expenses effectively; they help project managers detect early warning signs of overruns and step in before issues arise.
Here are a few tips for setting thresholds:
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Review past projects to understand typical cost patterns and variances. This will help you set realistic thresholds based on historical benchmarks.
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Consider industry benchmarks and stakeholder input to ensure thresholds are practical and aligned with expectations.
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Use bottom-up, parametric, or analogous estimation methods to forecast costs for tasks, phases, or resources.
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Determine acceptable cost variances both for the overall project and for specific elements (e.g., materials, labor, and phases). For instance, set a limit on total project expenses, as well as separate limits for project phases or individual line items.
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Adjust thresholds based on the complexity of the project and its associated risks. More complex projects require tighter thresholds.
You’ll want to develop a cost management plan that lists:
- Each threshold amount.
- Action steps when costs approach limits.
- Response plan if thresholds are exceeded.
After the project kickoff, project managers (or those overseeing budgets) should monitor project performance against the thresholds. A good way to do this is with project management software that allows for real-time budget tracking — more on this later.
5. Maintain clear, open lines of communication with all project stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle
Establish clear communication protocols to stay connected with all stakeholders, clients, team members, freelancers, and vendors throughout the project. Define who communicates with whom, how, and when.
It can be helpful to provide resources for stakeholders that outline the following:
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How often to expect updates during projects.
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Points of contact and their information.
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Instructions for checking project progress.
Most project management tools, like Workamajig, include client portals where users can view active projects and their status.
This transparency keeps clients informed, reducing back-and-forth emails and preventing them from feeling left in the dark. It also helps set expectations on when they’ll hear from you and how to contact you with questions.
To further promote transparency among teams, hold weekly status updates. Project managers can provide updates on active projects (and any changes), while project teams can share what they’re working on, project progress, and how they feel about workloads.
These weekly check-ins foster accountability and create a culture of collaboration where teams can discuss work freely and solve problems early.
6. Manage stakeholder expectations
Managing stakeholder expectations is crucial for constructive collaboration, ensuring everyone stays aligned from project planning through to feedback and final sign-off.
In addition to sharing resources on what to expect after project kickoff, managing expectations involves:
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Getting client approval on all project details before starting.
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Being transparent about timelines and how changes affect them.
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Monitoring feedback to keep requests within the original scope statement (and implementing change controls when needed).
It’s also important to remind project managers that it’s okay to say no to clients and change requests.
While project managers often aim to be agreeable and accommodate clients, there are situations where the risks or costs don’t justify the potential benefits (e.g., the customer isn’t always right).
In these cases, project managers should communicate their reasons candidly. They can explain their rationale for rejecting changes and request alternatives instead. Clients appreciate this upfront honesty, as it typically prevents more significant issues or cases where teams overpromise and underdeliver.
7. Get feedback from project stakeholders early & often
Involving clients in early feedback rounds helps prevent major revisions, extra work, and wasted time. It allows clients to raise concerns or questions when changes are still manageable, rather than after teams have invested significant time in the wrong direction.
Project managers and clients can address miscommunications or modifications to the original plan and determine the best next steps as early as possible.
8. Use project management software to monitor real-time progress & deviations from the original project plan
Project managers absolutely need to support themselves with project management software. These systems provide essential functionalities that help structure project workflows, maintain project boundaries, and ensure stakeholder alignment.
These systems include tools to:
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Guide project planning (like templates and estimates)
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Manage project teams and work assignments
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Track projects, timelines, and budgets in real-time
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Facilitate smooth collaboration between all project stakeholders
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Handle change request workflows
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Implement stricter controls over projects and feedback processes
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Monitor actuals vs. estimates through the project lifecycle and report on outcomes after project completion
Most high-quality creative project management software includes additional tools to manage resources, clients, and back-office processes — like CRM software, native time tracking, automated invoicing, and financial reporting — so managers can consolidate project stakeholders, activities, labor hours, and costs into a single system.
Project management software specifically helps teams avoid scope creep by:
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Facilitating the creation of detailed project plans and scope statements, including deliverables, timelines, and boundaries. Project managers can reference original plans through the project lifecycle and avoid unauthorized deviations.
Note: Many tools offer reporting to review past projects for trends in scope changes, helping managers anticipate and prevent similar issues in current projects.
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Allowing project managers to enforce strict change management processes where every change request is formally submitted, reviewed, and approved before implementation. This ensures that changes are assessed for their impact on time, budget, and resources and are deliberate, well-thought-out, and well-documented.
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Providing real-time project tracking and alerts to notify project managers of any deviations from the planned scope. These tools also alert managers of potential project delays or budget overruns so they can take corrective action.
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Centralizing stakeholder communications. This ensures regular updates and promotes alignment among stakeholders, reducing miscommunications or misunderstandings that could lead to scope creep.
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Promoting real-time collaboration to keep all team members updated on changes to the original project plan — fostering alignment and minimizing resistance to change.
How Workamajig supports scope creep management
Workamajig’s all-in-one project management platform allows you to manage projects throughout their entire lifecycle. With 20/20 visibility into project health, it centralizes all activities, helping you strategically avoid scope creep and achieve greater project success.
Our system packs a variety of advanced features all in one platform:
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Project planning tools: Templates, intake forms, estimates, and task management to start projects with a clear scope.
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Real-time project monitoring: Budget status notifications and project health meters.
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Budget tracking: Detailed budget drill-downs (by item, type, task, or person) to monitor project progress.
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Daily feeds: Role-based notifications and activity tracking.
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Staff scheduling tools and utilization reports: Optimize resource allocation.
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Native time tracking: Real-time labor cost calculations to accurately tie work hours to specific project activities, preventing scope creep.
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Team collaboration tools: File sharing, internal proofing, commenting, and version history for seamless teamwork.
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CRM software: Includes sales reports for client insights.
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Client management tools: Dedicated client portals for easy access to project progress.
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Vendor management tools: Request quotes, assign work, and compare invoices to estimates.
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Full GL accounting software: Automates invoicing and supports accounts payable and receivable workflows.
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Financial reporting dashboard: Monitors key metrics with customizable reports for financial insights.
We’ve developed Workamajig to support our project management best practices. Your dedicated account manager will guide you through the “Workamajig way” of managing projects and change requests, helping you leverage our features effectively.
Our combination of tools protects against the common causes of scope creep by allowing project managers to:
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Develop solid project plans and estimates and share them with clients for approval.
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Kick off projects with team members and communicate all roles and responsibilities.
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Implement change control processes with change request forms, approval workflows, estimate adjustments, and updates to project plans.
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Set cost thresholds and purchase limits, which helps to prevent overspending and keep projects on budget.
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Invite internal and external project stakeholders to participate in feedback discussions and collaborate in parallel.
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Control feedback processes by setting time allocations and limits on the number of revisions.
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Communicate (and keep a history of communications) with all project stakeholders. Managers can even grant others permission to view conversation threads.
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Share access to Workamajig so clients can check project status anytime.
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Monitor projects against original plans — through the full lifecycle — to keep projects on course and maintain profitability.
Check out a brief demo of Workamajig below:
We offer packages for agencies and in-house teams of all sizes, with budget-friendly, per-seat pricing, and dedicated onboarding to help you manage more successful projects in Workamajig.
Curious to learn more about our solution? Contact us for a free demo to see how Workamajig minimizes scope creep and supports your teams and projects.
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Originally published on 12/6/22, updated on 2/25/25.
