21/10/2026
Packing for a holiday is scope management.
Your suitcase has a weight limit.
Then the requests start.
"Just one more pair of shoes."
"What if it rains?"
"Let's take the bigger towels."
Every extra item seems reasonable on its own.
But eventually you're over the limit.
Now you have three choices:
Take something out.
Pay for extra baggage.
Accept the consequences at the airport.
Projects work exactly the same way.
New ideas, features, and requirements often arrive as "just one more thing". Individually they make sense. Collectively they push the project beyond the time, budget, or resources originally agreed.
The problem isn't adding something new.
The problem is pretending it doesn't change anything.
A better response is:
"We can add that. What do we want to remove, extend, or invest to make room for it?"
Capacity isn't unlimited. Whether it's a suitcase or a project, sooner or later someone has to pay for the extra weight.
What's the biggest "small addition" you've seen turn into a major piece of work?