What is scope creep?

Scope creep refers to the gradual and uncontrolled expansion of a project’s scope without proper authorization or formal change management processes. This phenomenon typically occurs when new requirements or features are added to the project after its initial planning and approval stages, often leading to challenges such as increased costs, extended timelines, and complexity.

When a project manager or team allows changes without documenting them or assessing their impact, it results in scope creep, significantly diverging from the project's original objectives. This uncontrolled growth can hinder a project's success by creating misalignment between stakeholder expectations and deliverables.

In contrast to scope creep, the other options describe scenarios where changes are either planned, controlled, or within budget, which do not align with the concept of scope creep. For instance, expanding project scope within budget is a controlled adjustment, while a strategic alteration of project objectives implies deliberate planning and agreement. A well-planned project adjustment indicates that all parties involved have agreed upon the changes, unlike scope creep, which occurs without proper documentation or consensus.