Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Practice Exam

What does scope creep refer to in project management?

1. Enhancements to event quality

2. Changes expanding the project's scope

3. Increased budget allocations

4. Additional tasks with no deadlines

The correct answer is: Changes expanding the project's scope

Scope creep refers to the gradual expansion of a project's scope without adjusting the project's resources, budget, or timeline. This typically happens when additional features or requirements are added after the project has begun, often without formal approval or evaluation of their impact. When considering the options, enhancements to event quality are generally planned improvements that are aligned with the project's goals and typically involve managing resources accordingly. Increased budget allocations could be a response to scope creep but do not define it. Similarly, additional tasks without deadlines might contribute to disorganization but do not capture the essence of scope creep, which specifically pertains to changes that expand the overall project scope. Therefore, the concept of changes expanding the project's scope accurately defines scope creep.