Scope Creep
Mission Creep · Requirement Creep · Feature Creep · Kitchen Sink Syndrome
The tendency for the continuous growth, development, and addition of new features to a project's scope of features or requirements — particularly after the original requirements have been drafted and accepted.
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Origin
The term emerged in the 1980s as project management formalised into a distinct professional discipline, primarily within software development and construction. No single author is credited with coining it; it arose organically in practitioner language. The Project Management Institute, whose PMBOK Guide first appeared in 1987, later codified the concept for the profession.
Updated February 22, 2026