How do you deal with ambiguous or unrealistic stakeholder requirements or scope changes?

1 Clarify and validate

The first step to deal with ambiguous or unrealistic stakeholder requirements or scope changes is to clarify and validate them. This means asking questions, seeking feedback, and confirming understanding with your stakeholders to ensure that you have a clear and accurate picture of what they want, why they want it, and how it fits with the project scope and objectives. You can use various tools and techniques to facilitate this process, such as interviews, surveys, workshops, prototypes, use cases, user stories, or scope statements. By clarifying and validating the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, you can avoid misunderstandings, assumptions, or gaps that could lead to problems later on.

2 Negotiate and prioritize

The second step to deal with ambiguous or unrealistic stakeholder requirements or scope changes is to negotiate and prioritize them. This means discussing and agreeing with your stakeholders on the feasibility, value, and impact of their requests, and finding a balance between their needs and the project constraints. You can use various methods and criteria to negotiate and prioritize the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, such as the MoSCoW technique, the Pareto principle, the Kano model, or the RACI matrix. By negotiating and prioritizing the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, you can manage their expectations, align them with the project vision, and deliver the most important and beneficial outcomes.

3 Document and communicate

The third step to deal with ambiguous or unrealistic stakeholder requirements or scope changes is to document and communicate them. This means recording and sharing the agreed-upon stakeholder requirements or scope changes with all the relevant parties, such as the project team, the sponsor, the steering committee, or other stakeholders. You can use various formats and channels to document and communicate the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, such as the project charter, the scope baseline, the change log, the status report, or the stakeholder register. By documenting and communicating the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, you can ensure that everyone is on the same page, avoid confusion or conflicts, and track the progress and performance of your project.

4 Monitor and control

The fourth step to deal with ambiguous or unrealistic stakeholder requirements or scope changes is to monitor and control them. This means measuring and evaluating the impact and outcome of the stakeholder requirements or scope changes on your project, and taking corrective or preventive actions if needed. You can use various tools and metrics to monitor and control the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, such as the scope verification, the quality assurance, the risk management, the earned value management, or the stakeholder engagement. By monitoring and controlling the stakeholder requirements or scope changes, you can ensure that your project meets the quality standards, delivers the expected benefits, and satisfies the stakeholder needs.

6 Celebrate and appreciate

The sixth and final step to deal with ambiguous or unrealistic stakeholder requirements or scope changes is to celebrate and appreciate. This means recognizing and rewarding the achievements and contributions of your project team and stakeholders, and expressing your gratitude and appreciation for their support and collaboration. You can use various ways and gestures to celebrate and appreciate your project team and stakeholders, such as the project closure meeting, the thank-you note, the recognition award, the feedback session, or the celebration event. By celebrating and appreciating your project team and stakeholders, you can foster positive relationships, build trust and loyalty, and motivate them for future projects.