During COVID, I started building a simple webinar marketing site for an events company. Basic stuff. A landing page, some registration forms, maybe a chat feature.
Then we realized nothing on the market could actually deliver what they needed.
So we built a platform instead. What started as a weekend project turned into breakout rooms, multi-location hosting, and interactive features that outperformed established players. We filled a market gap before anyone else because we let the scope evolve instead of defending the original plan.
That project taught me something most project managers get backwards.
The Language Trap
We call it "scope creep" because we've been conditioned to see changing requirements as threats. The term itself carries negative weight. Creep. Like something unwanted sneaking in.
But 49% of projects experience scope changes. That's not an exception. That's the norm.
The real question isn't whether requirements will change. It's whether those changes move you closer to something valuable or pull you away from your core mission.
I've learned to think of it like a bullseye. Changes that strengthen the center are evolution. Changes that drag you off-target are problems.
When Evolution Looks Like Creep
The webinar platform succeeded because each new feature built on the last. A client would test something, discover a need, and we'd iterate. "What if we add this effect?" "What if we combine these platforms?"
It felt like walking through a candy store. Not chaotic. Exciting.
That back-and-forth only works when everyone understands where the bullseye is. We knew we were building an interactive platform that let people connect better. Every scope change either served that mission or got shelved.
The Agile Manifesto actually says scope change is natural and beneficial. If requirements don't evolve during a project, you've learned nothing.
Traditional project management makes the opposite assumption. It presumes perfect knowledge exists at the start. But contemporary business moves too fast for that fantasy.
The Real Enemy
Here's what most project managers miss: 37% of project failures come from unclear objectives, not scope changes.
The problem isn't evolution. It's not knowing what you're evolving toward.
I use a wishlist system now. Every idea goes on it. Every sprint, we prioritize based on impact, client requests, and timeline reality. Some features get built immediately. Others get shelved until they make sense.
The key is transparency. When a client wants something shiny and new, I show them exactly what it costs and how it affects the timeline. They decide if it's worth prioritizing now or waiting.
That transforms scope discussions from defensive arguments into collaborative decisions.
The Fixed-Price Delusion
Traditional project structures fight against how modern software actually works. You don't buy a platform on a CD anymore and use it forever unchanged.
You expect continuous updates. New features. Adaptation to your needs.
Fixed-scope contracts create artificial friction. They turn valuable evolution into billing disputes. They extinguish creativity because everyone's afraid of "scope creep" conversations.
What works better: subscription thinking. Start with a core, like a snowball at the top of a hill. Roll it down. Pick up features. Use revenue to fuel further development.
The project grows with its success instead of fighting against predetermined boundaries.
The Framework
Not everything needs to be built at once. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Classify requests as must-haves, should-haves, and nice-to-haves. Keep one eye on the bullseye and one eye on critical deadlines. Deliver the core, then add everything else as extras.
Don't let perfection become the enemy of shipping. Someone who launches earlier and iterates will catch up to you while you're still polishing.
The real test: does this change strengthen our core mission, or does it distract from it?
If it strengthens the center, it's not scope creep. It's discovery.
And discovery is exactly what you want when you're building something that matters.
