What is meant by "scope creep" in project management?

"Scope creep" in project management refers specifically to the gradual expansion of a project's scope without making concomitant adjustments to time or budget. This phenomenon typically occurs when new features, tasks, or requirements are added to a project after the initial planning and approval stages, often without proper control or assessment of the impact on resources.

When scope creep happens, projects can quickly become unmanageable, leading to potential overextension of available time, funding, and manpower. It often arises due to insufficient change control processes, lack of clear project boundaries, or changes in stakeholder expectations. Understanding and managing scope creep is vital for project managers to ensure projects stay on track and meet their initial objectives effectively.

The other answer choices focus on different aspects of project management and do not accurately define scope creep. For instance, introducing new risks tackles risk management rather than scope changes, removing tasks is the opposite of scope creep, and strict adherence to an initial plan suggests preventing scope changes rather than recognizing their unintended increases.