Scope Creep?

During my Master’s degree we had to complete a group project online. This meant any communication took place solely on Skype calls and email. However, this also meant it was difficult to track down group members and ensure they were completing their assigned tasks and work. The project was to create a module that would teach the student how to use software or learn a specific task. Our group chose for a student to learn basic techniques for using Adobe software. The original plan was we were going to teach them five basic skills but this was changed to three as we had issues with our group members, time and thus caused our scope creep. Our project manager at the time did her best to keep track of the poor performing group members by emailing them and asking them when we could receive their sections. However, because of timezone differences and uncertainty about the delivery of these pieces the project manager had to continuously follow up with these people. After three weeks of two group members barely communicating and not completing their assigned work, they were removed from the group. The team could not continue with these poor performers as time was being wasted working about them completing their work and the focus needed to be on the task at hand.

If I had been the project manager I would have followed up with them soon and then cut them out of the group sooner. It wasn’t until a deadline was not completed that we realized they had not done their section. The Project Manager should have followed up with them before the deadline to determine what was happening. It took three weeks to have these group members taken out of the group which meant at least two deadlines being missed or changed because of them. This threw off the rest of the group and caused them to scramble to do extra work. At the best of times group work is extremely difficult however, when you are dealing with team members you have never met before, different time zones and limited communication it can be a very frustrating situation. I definitely prefer the ability to have face-to-face meetings with group members and thus prevent scope creep.