Scope Creep: Less = More
I’ve wanted to follow up on my Open = Growth post for a while. Described in that post is the likelihood of success when folks concentrate on how their solutions can be integrated with other solutions. There’s a flip side to this: for companies to limit the functionality of their solutions to the core of how they are used. Adding a plethora of products, services, and features can be dangerous.
Programmers call it creep.
What is Creep?
Creep can have different meanings depending on the context.
- Data Creep: This can refer to the gradual accumulation of data, often related to user behavior and preferences, which can be used for targeted marketing and personalized recommendations.
- Website Creep: Refers to the expansion or growth of a website, often adding new features or content over time to attract more visitors and improve its online presence.
- Feature Creep: Scope creep is the gradual and uncontrolled expansion of a product’s or project’s scope beyond its initial goals and requirements. It occurs when additional features, functionalities, or changes are introduced into the development process without proper planning or evaluation.
- Algorithmic Creep: Refers to the gradual changes or adjustments made to algorithms used in online technology, such as search engines or social media, which can impact how content is ranked or displayed to users.
Creep is the nightmare of every product manager and developer. It happens when a solid development plan is not maintained and adhered to. Features creep in until the project is so far out of control that it never finishes. Or worse, it gets finished and has an insurmountable amount of bugs.
I would submit that companies and their products and services can also suffer from ‘creep’. By not limiting your company and the products and services of your core business, you begin to chase rainbows, thinking there is a buck to be had here or there. However, you neglect to see the damage it has on your business focus, your employees’ focus and knowledge, and the added strain it puts on production, support, delivery, etc.
Whenever you decide to look at additional products, services, or features, see if a company exists already that provides it as part of the core of their business. Can you do it better than them? Can your company support that AND continue to sustain the expertise in your core? Will your employees want to support it?
In the end, chasing the rainbow may break you.
