Agile project management challenge in handling
scope and change: A systematic literature review
Aditya Chauhan(0901CD211005)
Abstract-Agile project management has particular difficulties managing scope
and change, which calls for a sophisticated strategy to successfully handle these
complications. This comprehensive analysis of the literature dives into the main
issues and recommended strategies related to managing scope and change in
agile projects. It becomes clear that there are four main areas of concern:
communication and coordination, over-scope requirements, user need
prioritization, and people and organization. In order to successfully navigate
these hurdles, the evaluation emphasizes how crucial it is to promote
collaboration, prioritize user demands, manage scope properly, and improve
coordination and communication. Organizations can improve their agility and
achieve effective project outputs in dynamic environments by using user-centric
prioritizing, scope management tactics, and strong communication practices.
This evaluation offers a path for practitioners and insightful information about
the nuances of agile project management.
I. INTRODUCTION
Agile project management, especially in complex and uncertain
situations, is an adaptable and iterative approach to project
management. It entails working across teams and functions,
responding to feedback and shifting requirements, and
providing value to customers and stakeholders in tiny
increments. Improved quality and innovation, a quicker time to
market, and more customer happiness are just a few advantages
that agile project management may provide. It does, however,
also provide certain difficulties for practitioners and
organizations, such as managing scope and change in a fluid and
dynamic setting.
Agile project management has gained popularity in a variety of
industries due to its speed and adaptability. Its ability to accept
change, nevertheless, can make controlling project scope
difficult. Agile methodologies enable continuous modifications
in response to client input and changing requirements, in
contrast to traditional approaches that prioritize upfront scope
defining. Although this flexibility might hasten time-to-market
[2], it can also result in scope creep, the uncontrollably growing
set of project needs.
This is a serious risk that could result in delays and cost
overruns. The effect is more noticeable in initiatives with strict
guidelines or set spending limits. According to research, final
scope revisions in Agile projects can occur as often as 30% of
thetime[3].
Scrum and Kanban are examples of agile approaches that
include methods for defining scope, such as story mapping and
product vision, but their iterative nature means that priorities
may be constantly reviewed and adjusted in response to
feedback from customers [6]. Though it might also result in
uncontrollably changing the scope of the project, this flexibility
guarantees that the most valuable features are delivered first.
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II. LITERATURE REVIEW
A specification document that contains the specifics of
the work and the steps necessary to develop or
accomplish the project's goal is known as the scope in
project management [7]. Therefore, identifying and
regulating what should or shouldn't be included in a
project is the process of scope management. It also
establishes the performance standard.
Measures, managing the undertaking, and outlining
precise roles. to have a deeper comprehension of how
the project management defines scope. The Project
Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and
Projects in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2), the
two project management frameworks and guidelines
that are most frequently used, were reviewed in the
literature. The definitions were then compared to agile
project management.
III.CHALLENGES
According to the literature review, managing scope
and change in agile project management can be difficult
in four areas: people and organization, communication
and coordination, over-scope requirements, and user
requirement prioritization.
People & Organization: In traditional organizational
structures and cultures, a high level of collaboration and
self-organization among team members is required for
agile projects, which can be difficult. Due to their
flexible and iterative character, agile projects also call
for a clear knowledge of roles and responsibilities,
which can be problematic. According to the literature,
agile initiatives call for a change from conventional
bureaucratic and hierarchical organizations to more
cooperative and self-organizing teams. It can be
difficult for businesses and practitioners to make the
mentality, culture, and leadership style changes
necessary for this transition.
User Requirement Prioritization: Iterative and regular
user feedback is a feature of agile projects, and it can
result in needs and priorities shifting. Agile initiatives
also call for a thorough comprehension of user
preferences and demands, which can be difficult given
the complexity and unpredictability of user behavior.
According to the literature, requirement prioritization
for agile projects must use a user-centered approach
that takes into account the wants, preferences, and
values of the user and ranks the requirements
work closely together and communicate the project's aims and
objectives clearly.
Excessive Scope: Agile initiatives necessitate a great deal of
flexibility and adaptation, which may result in scope bloat and
creep. Agile projects also call for a precise knowledge of the
project's goals and objectives, which can be difficult because
user requirements and feedback are always changing.
According to existing research, agile projects necessitate
precise scope definition and management. This entails
establishing the project's scope, overseeing scope
modifications, and preventing scope creep. This strategy calls
for clear scope management, clear communication of the
project's goals and objectives, and clear comprehension of those
goals and objectives.
Agile initiatives necessitate regular and iterative collaboration
and communication between users, stakeholders, and team
members. Because agile projects are dynamic and complicated,
it might be difficult to have a clear grasp of the status and
progress of the project. According to the literature, effective
communication and coordination are essential for agile projects.
This includes working with stakeholders and users to
collaborate, sharing project status and progress, and
coordinating project operations. This technique calls for a well-
defined collaboration strategy, a well-defined coordination
system, and a well-defined communication plan.
Best Practices in Handling Scope and Change
The literature review identifies several best practices in
handling scope and change in agile project management:
• Establishing clear goals and objectives for the project,
based on user needs and preferences. This involves
defining the project scope, the project goals and objectives,
and the project requirements. This approach requires a clear
understanding of the project context, a clear
communication of the project vision, and a clear alignment
of the project objectives with the business goals.
• Prioritizing user requirements based on their value and
feasibility, using tools such as MoSCoW (Must Have,
Should Have, Could Have, Won't Have) or Kano (Must-be,
Performance, Delight). This involves understanding user
needs, preferences, and values, and prioritizing
requirements based on their value and feasibility. This
approach requires a close collaboration between the
development team and the users, and a clear
communication of the project goals and objectives.
• Managing scope creep and scope bloat by using tools such
as scope statements, change requests, or backlogs. This
involves defining the project scope, managing the scope
changes, and controlling the scope creep. This approach
requires a clear communication of the project scope, a clear
understanding of the project goals and objectives, and a
clear management of the scope changes.
• Communicating and coordinating effectively among
team members, stakeholders, and users, using tools
such as daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, or
retrospectives. This involves communicating the
project status and progress, coordinating the project
activities, and collaborating with the stakeholders and
users. This approach requires a clear communication
plan, a clear coordination mechanism, and a clear
collaboration strategy.
• Continuously improving the project and the process,
using tools such as agile maturity models, agile
assessments, or agile coaching. This involves
measuring the project performance, identifying the
areas for improvement, and implementing the
improvement actions. This approach requires a clear
understanding of the agile maturity level, a clear
identification of the improvement areas, and a clear
implementation of the improvement actions.
IV. LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH
use methods like MoSCoW (Must Have, Should Have,
Could Have, Won't Have) or Kano (Must-be,
Performance, Delight) to prioritize user requirements
based on their importance and viability. In order to
prioritize requirements according to their value and
viability, it is necessary to understand the needs,
preferences, and values of the user. With this method,
the users and the development team must work closely
together and communicate the project's aims and
objectives clearly.
employing techniques like scope statements, change
requests, and backlogs to control scope creep and scope
bloat. This include establishing the project's scope,
overseeing scope modifications, and preventing scope
creep. This strategy necessitates clear scope
management, clear communication of the project
scope, and clear comprehension of the goals and
objectives of the project.
V.CONCLUSION
Agile project management has numerous advantages in
terms of flexibility, adaptability, and teamwork, but it
also presents considerable obstacles in managing scope
and change. Organizations and practitioners can
successfully navigate these challenges and achieve
agile project management by setting clear goals and
objectives, prioritizing user requirements, controlling
scope creep and scope bloat, communicating and
coordinating effectively, and continuously improving
the project and the process. The literature study
emphasizes the significance of a user-centered
approach, a clear scope definition and management, and
clear communication and coordination. It also offers a
methodical overview of the key issues and best
practices in handling scope and change in agile project
management.
VI.FUTURE WORK
Future research in the fields of Agile project
management and managing scope and change may
concentrate on a number of new issues and trends.
Agile is becoming widely adopted in non-IT industries,
where its techniques may be tailored to fit
the specific requirements of different industry. The
incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into Agile methods
is another trend. AI may help automate repetitive processes,
offer wise recommendations, and optimize workflows.
Organizations must, however, handle moral dilemmas and
strike a balance between automation and human involvement .

VII.REFERENCES

1. Handling scope and change in Agile project

management-Linkdin

2. Agile project management: review, challenges and

open issues-Reserchgate

3. Agile project management challenge in handling

scope and changes-sciencedirect