7 ways to avoid scope creep

You know your audit has suffered scope creep when your audits have birthdays. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday you horrible project that will never end… Happy Birthday toooo youuuuu!

But you don’t have to take it lying down. Combat scope creep with one or more of these 7 ideas.

Scope creep shows up on every audit. Yech.

1. Narrow that objective

Yes. A broad objective sounds so full of freedom and promise at first. But, man, are you gonna pay later as you try to edit an unwieldy audit report. For more on my favorite soapbox topic, see this post.

2. Put it in writing

Once you have set a course, put the objective and scope in writing and send it to all the stakeholders. Ask them to acknowledge it. Even better, sit down with them for 15 minutes and make sure you are on the same page.

Then, post your scope and objective up on the wall for all to see. Write it on the bathroom mirror. Put it at the top of every email you send the team and the client.

That way, everyone will have to admit that they know the original scope and objective.

3. Repeat! Repeat! Repeat!

After a few weeks, people will forget your original scope and objective. This is just the opportunity the scope creep was waiting for!

Keep the objective and scope in the forefront of the audit team’s mind by reminding your team what they are working toward as frequently as possible. And say (out loud!) the objective and scope to yourself every day. If anyone wants to talk about your project, go ahead and take the opportunity to explain what you are doing (and not doing).

The more you say it, the more likely it is that you, your team, and the client will color within the lines.

4. Just say no

Just because a stakeholder asks for it, doesn’t mean they get it. Remind them what you agreed to in the first place. Show them the memo you sent them at the start of the project that described your objective and scope.

If they still insist, tell them what their new request would mean to the cost of the project and the timeline. Tell them how it will impact other planned projects.

If they still want it, tell them you’ll be happy to do it later, after you finished what you started. Or you could promise to do it, but only if they provide extra resources. You’ve been wanting to hire some more folks for a while, right?

5. Slap yourself and go get a coffee

Sometimes, it isn’t the stakeholder who causes scope creep; it’s the auditor and their insatiable curiosity. If you are looking at a file trying to satisfy a particular objective but then say to yourself, “Well, while I’m here, why don’t I just look at this?…” Stop. Stop!!!

Whenever you hear yourself saying that, slap yourself and go get a coffee. After 10 minutes, come back to your desk and focus on your original objective and scope.

Don’t look at it, no matter how tempting the scope creep is, because if you do look at it, you have just negated your planning process and risk assessment. That means that you now have to go back and change all of your planning documentation. Scary, right? See, I wasn’t exaggerating, you really do need to slap yourself.

6. Formally handle out of scope issues

OK, you just can’t stand it.The client said something or you saw something in the file that you can’t ignore. I get it. You can’t pretend like you didn’t see it, but does it really have to become part of the project you are on? Scope creep likes nothing better than glomming on to a perfectly good project and making it a blobby mess.

Instead of letting scope creep win, can you formally deal with it. Can you instead create another project for it? Or put it into planning for next year? Can you communicate the issue to the client and advise them to take care of it, but explain that it isn’t part of your scope? (Make sure you document that last idea!)

7. Involve your audit leadership earlier

Audit executives are famous for contradicting themselves. On one hand they complain that audits take too long, and on the other hand they demand answers to scope creepy questions at the end of the audit.

Pointing out this contradiction could endanger your job. So instead of accusing them of being duplicitous, take action. Bring the audit executive in as early as possible. After you are finished with the risk assessment and have defined your narrow audit objectives, go ahead and draft a mock audit report.

What is in a mock audit report? A sketch of the executive summary, your conclusions against the objectives and the major findings. Share the mock report with the executive and get their feedback BEFORE you begin fieldwork. Then use the mock audit report to guide and focus your audit methodologies.

I hope you come out of the next encounter with scope creep unscathed!

As always, I welcome other ideas and comments.

Want to learn more about how to keep your team on track? Attend Leading an Audit Project this coming summer!