Waiting Tables and Project Management

The Uncontrollable Project

I cannot think of a project that has gotten uncontrollable or one that has suffered from scope creep. However, while reading the text all I could think about was when I waited tables. Moreover, waiting tables is very difficult and the more you have the worse. Of course you want to do a great job because tips are how you make the most if your money. However, if the host is relentless, then making money and doing your job right becomes more and more difficult. This means that you have more and more tables to handle and more demanding customers.

To use my waiting tables experience, I would think that scope creep would come onto a project in much the same way because at first it would not seem like a lot was being added to the project and then all of a sudden, it would seem like the project was out of hand because all of the extra facets were added on.

Unlike in waiting tables, to reduce scope creep, the project manager should create a budget and stick to it. The project manager should also make sure that limits are set so if things are added after a certain deadline then it will have to be approved to be accepted and this way it will not sneak up on the project manager. This will decrease scope creep by only adding the unavoidable scope and weeding out the avoidable scope.