Which change-management objective focuses on preventing uncontrolled expansion of project scope?

• A. To ensure stakeholder buy-in
• B. To accelerate delivery
• C. To document changes
• D. To prevent scope creep

Answer: (D)

Controlling scope changes hinges on preventing scope creep. Scope creep is the gradual expansion of a project’s scope without proper approvals, resources, or adjustments to timelines. The change-management objective is to enforce a formal change-control process, baseline the scope, and require formal evaluation and approval for any requested changes. This keeps the project aligned with its stated goals and constraints and reduces the risk of budget overruns or deadline slips caused by unapproved additions. While gaining stakeholder buy-in helps with overall success and documenting changes aids traceability, they don't specifically stop uncontrolled expansion. Accelerating delivery seeks to speed up work, which can inadvertently feed scope growth if changes are rushed or not vetted.