How Public Speaking Can Aid Engineers Battling Scope Creep

“If you don’t explicitly control requirements creep, it will control you.”

– Karl Wiegers in Software Requirements

Scope creep is when the original requirements on which the design was based change, requiring redesign.

Sometimes its effects are not felt until it is too late in the design process, resulting in rework and cost overruns.

How can engineers combat the effects of scope creep? Read below to find out how:

Verbal Boundary-Setting

Engineers who clearly say and document what’s in scope—and just as clearly what isn’t—remove wiggle room. Scope creep doesn’t sneak in—it’s invited by silence.

Have you ever heard the saying, “If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist”? Hallway conversations, what is said in meetings, and the latest rumor mill story “go poof” after they are told. Unless the system scope is documented in some form (there are many ways to do this), it is not real.

Spoken summaries at the end of meetings lock shared understanding better than silent nods. However, this summary has to be documented and agreed to by all parties.

For example, an engineer ends every design review with a 60-second spoken recap. Two months later, when a “tiny add-on” appears, the team can point to what was explicitly stated—no archaeology required.

One way engineers can combat scope creep is by setting verbal boundaries.

Another way is to explain trade-offs out loud and to reframe ‘small requests.’

Explaining Trade-Offs Out Loud Reframes ‘Small Requests’

Good public speaking lets engineers narrate consequences, not just data.

The consequences of small scope changes are sometimes hidden. A small scope request can mushroom into an expensive redesign and re-coding. Engineers have to be vigilant in rooting out these consequences early.

When people hear the ripple effects—schedule slip, testing complexity, risk—scope creep stops sounding free.

Over time in system design and production, scope creep becomes increasingly expensive and sometimes cost-prohibitive. An example of this is cost overruns on major weapons systems.

Instead of saying, “That’s out of scope,” an engineer should say, “Adding this feature adds two weeks to the program schedule, introduces a new failure mode, and delays validation.”

Suddenly, the room gets very quiet—in a good way. A reply to scope creep like this makes it clear to everyone that changing scope at this point is a losing proposition.

Two ways engineers can combat scope creep are setting verbal boundaries and explaining trade-offs out loud, reframing ‘small requests.’

A third way is to use meeting facilitation language to distinguish between ideas and commitments.

Meeting Facilitation Language Distinguishes Ideas from Commitments

Engineers with public speaking skills can guide discussions without sounding defensive.

In his famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie suggests we say this when you need to counter an argument: “I could be wrong, I often am, but have you considered…” This diffuses the other person’s defensiveness.

Earl Nightingale said this when trying to influence people: “Use a flyrod, not a feeding tube.” In other words, don’t use brute force to get your idea accepted. Appeal to logic with the other person in a kind and courteous way.

Phrases like “That’s a great idea for Phase 2” or “Let’s log that as a change request” help enthusiasm from silently turning into obligation.

Suggesting alternative places in the program for good ideas is one way to say you are not dismissing an idea, but explaining it may be better considered in a future part of the program.

An example of this is in a stakeholder brainstorm, an engineer captures new ideas on a visible “Future Enhancements” list and verbally labels it as not approved work. This way, ideas are not dismissed, but everyone knows they are not approved yet.

In this way, creativity continues—scope stays intact.

Three ways engineers can combat scope creep are (1) by setting verbal boundaries, (2) explaining trade-offs out loud, which leads to reframing ‘small requests,’ and (3) using meeting facilitation language to separate ideas from commitments.

Scope creep is hideous and can cancel a program.

Don’t let scope creep infect your program.

Call to Action

• During requirements discussions, clearly state what’s in scope—and just as clearly what isn’t to remove wiggle room.

• Ensure people understand the ripple effects of scope creep—schedule slip, increased testing complexity, and increased risk are not free.

• Use phrases like “That’s a great idea for Phase 2” or “Let’s log that as a change request” to keep enthusiasm from silently becoming obligation.

“The major problems of our work are not so much technological as sociological in nature.”

– Tom DeMarco in Controlling Software Projects
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References

• Tom DeMarco, Controlling Software Projects, Prentice Hall (1982)

• Karl Wiegers, Software Requirements, Microsoft Press1999)

• Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference, HarperBusiness2016)

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