ENDING: SCOPE CREEP ANYWAY

You employ the classic PM technique: the "Phase 2 Parking Lot."

"Great idea!" you say to every request. "Let's absolutely capture that in the Phase 2 backlog. We'll tackle it right after launch!"

You create a beautifully organized spreadsheet. "Phase 2 Features - Committed for Q3!" Everyone seems satisfied. The meetings become manageable again.

Week 2: Marketing asks when their social integration will be ready. "Phase 2," you remind them.

"But we need it for the launch campaign," they say.

"Let's move it to Phase 1," says the CEO, who happens to be in that meeting.

Week 3: Sales brings clients to the sprint review. The clients get excited about features on the Phase 2 list. "We were told these would be in the first release," they say.

Sales gives you a look that could melt steel.

Week 4: The CFO's blockchain exploration moves from Phase 2 to "critical path" because they mentioned it to the board.

By Week 6, your Phase 2 parking lot has migrated entirely into Phase 1. Plus some new items.

The parking lot was just a waiting room. Everything still got built. You're just more tired now.

You tried to defer scope creep to Phase 2. Phase 2 became Phase 1. There is no escape from feature requests.

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