How do you manage project scope when clients or users request changes?

1 Define and document scope

The first step to manage project scope is to define and document it clearly and accurately. You should work with your clients or users to understand their goals, problems, and preferences, and translate them into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. You should also create a scope statement that describes the features, functions, deliverables, assumptions, constraints, and exclusions of the project. A scope statement serves as a baseline and a reference point for managing project scope throughout the project life cycle.

2 Communicate and validate scope

The second step to manage project scope is to communicate and validate it with all the stakeholders involved in the project. You should share the scope statement and the objectives with your team, your clients or users, and any other parties that may affect or be affected by the project. You should also solicit their feedback and approval, and ensure that everyone has a common understanding and agreement on the scope. Communicating and validating scope helps to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and scope creep later on.

4 Evaluate and prioritize changes

The fourth step to manage project scope is to evaluate and prioritize any changes that are requested or proposed by the clients or users. You should not accept or reject any changes without analyzing their impact on the project scope, quality, cost, and schedule. You should also consider the value, feasibility, and urgency of the changes, and align them with the project objectives and the stakeholder expectations. Evaluating and prioritizing changes helps to make informed and rational decisions that support the project goals.

6 Learn and improve from changes

The sixth and final step to manage project scope is to learn and improve from the changes that occur during the project. You should collect and document the lessons learned from the changes, such as what worked well, what did not work well, what caused the changes, how they were handled, and what can be done better in the future. You should also share the lessons learned with your team, your clients or users, and any other parties that may benefit from them. Learning and improving from changes helps to enhance your skills and knowledge as a software project manager.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?