In this blog, you will discover the differences of a deviation on a project vs. an out-of-scope request. As you may have a general understanding of what each are here you will find examples of each and explanations as to why each fall under the category.
1. What is a Deviation On a Project?
A deviation on a project is a minor change in schedule that does not hinder the completion. A project deviation may include adjustments such as fixing the kinks in a project or adding a little more glamour to the design. Two examples that may occur in a project are a change in material costs and an incorrect assessment of the time necessary to complete a task. The alteration in material prices depends on how much the expense is, but if it's within the budget, it's merely a deviation indicating that the project will continue. The incorrect assessment of the completion of a task needs to be "analyzed and undergo integration into an interactive decision-making mindset"(COR 1). These two examples fall under the category of a deviation as the issues need a slight adjustment and do not interrupt the completion of the project.
2. What is an Out of Scope Request?
An out-of-scope request is a major change in schedule that can slow progress, restart projects from scratch, or implement new ideas that will create extreme changes in an impossible amount of time. One issue that may follow an out-of-scope request is project scope creep which is "the addition of many different and extra requests or adjusting of requirements during a project" (Project Management 1). Two examples of this request include new employment to the design team and asking a journalist to cover a new story while working on the current contract. With the hiring of a new employee, let's say a new boss, they may not like the direction that the project is going and decide to either throw out the whole thing or change almost every aspect of the design. In this case, the project would become overwhelming and result in creating new ideas, contracts, prototypes, etc., which would be time-consuming and stray away from the deadlines set. Following the scenario about the journalist, they would need to draw up a new contract, set new deadlines, and determine the fees following the new contract. These two examples fall under the out-of-scope category as the requests from the client will alter many things, such as deadlines, costs, creation of new contracts, etc.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and that it helped clear your thoughts on deviations and out-of-scope requests. The main takeaway from the reading is that deviations are minor changes, while out-of-scope requests are major modifications to the design and final product. No matter what project you're working on, beware of scope creep to ensure that the project and team are on schedule.
Resources
How to Visualize the Deviations in your Projects, Estimated vs Logged Hours
