What’s the difference between scope creep and discovery scope additions?

Both scope creep and discovery scope additions involve unexpected work, but they arise from different circumstances and require distinct management approaches. Shutdown, Turnaround and Outage (STO) management software, however, facilitates the ability to respond effectively to both scope creep and discovery scope additions.

To learn more about how that is the case, check out our blog: How to Manage Scope Creep and Discovery Scope Additions During STOs for Successful Outcomes.

Scope Creep

Scope creep refers to the gradual, often uncontrolled expansion of a project's original scope. It typically happens when additional tasks are added without proper planning or approval, leading to delays, budget overruns and resource strain.

Scope creep can be caused by things such as poor initial planning or unclear project objectives, owner-operator requests for unplanned tasks, a change in project requirements, or a lack of a robust change control process. For example, scope creep could tack-on additional maintenance tasks without revising the project timeline. Or changes might include additional upgrades that weren’t part of the original STO plan. Scope creep can also stem from prematurely responding to last-minute stakeholder requests without evaluating the impact to schedule, budget, safety or other project outcomes.

The typical management approaches to scope creep include implementing strict change control processes, ensuring detailed project scoping and stakeholder alignment, as well as clear communication and documentation. STO management software such as MODS Connect makes all of these things easy, enabling minimal administration for accurate, reliable, accessible project information.

Discovery Scope Additions

Discovery scope additions refer to work that becomes necessary when previously unknown problems or unexpected conditions are discovered during project execution. Unlike scope creep, this type of work is often unavoidable and crucial for safety and operational integrity.

Unexpected equipment failures, corrosion or wear revealed during inspections, encountering unanticipated regulatory requirements, or unforeseen structural damage or hazardous conditions can all lead to discovery scope additions. Such discovery work might include finding a critical pipe leak during a turnaround inspection, discovering unexpected corrosion in pressure vessels, identifying safety hazards that need immediate repair, and more.

Discovery scope additions may be more challenging to manage versus scope creep. Managing discovery scope additions starts at the pre-planning phase and STO management software lays the groundwork to minimize such headaches during execution. Management approaches include: real-time assessment and prioritization of discovery items, contingency planning and flexible resource allocation, as well as data analytics that might help anticipate and prepare for likely discoveries in advance as much as possible.

Scope Creep vs Discovery Scope Additions

A summary of the key differences between scope creep and discovery work follows below:

Both scope creep and discovery work require proactive management, but the approach to each is different. Scope creep is about controlling unnecessary growth, while discovery scope additions are about adapting quickly to the unexpected. STO management software such as MODS Connect can prove immensely valuable to mitigate reverberations from any type of scope change, optimizing positive project outcomes.

Take a closer look at how we manage change in STOs: