Why do I get so many change requests?

[Paul]

It
is a very common problem with many projects, to have high levels of ‘scope
creep’ or change requests. There can be
very many reasons for this, technology advances, strategies change,
organisations reorganise, competitors do all sorts of weird and wonderful
things.

[Toby]

Is
there any one cause that stands out?

[Paul]

Yes, by far the most common cause of high levels of change requests is not being clear, in the first instance, what the project is about and, therefore, what it’s scope needs to be.

If we aren’t clear on that when we start then the only real option is that we gain clarity as we go along, but, that clarification will lead to scope change, or change requests.

[Toby]

So,
how would we overcome that?

[Paul]

Well,
if you really want to reduce change requests, you must spend more time in
initiation, with the stake holders gaining clarity, and agreement, as to what
the project is, and isn’t about.