When last we left Project Man-ager in Part 1, he was doubting his ability to prevail in the fight against Scope Creep and The Bug….
Project Man-ager’s phone rang. He recognized the extension and sighed as he picked up.
Harry Needes was upset. Why was it taking so long he asked? Shouldn’t things in Project run more smoothly than this? Isn’t that what you did all that planning for? When will it be ready? What’s the hold-up? he wanted to know.
Project Man-ager didn’t like this part of his work at all. It seems his biggest headaches sometimes came not from their enemies but from the very people he was trying to serve in Project. He told Mr. Needes that due to some changes that he had requested a few days ago, impacts had to be analyzed and there was a lengthy, harrowing fight against Scope Creep that took up a lot of precious time and energy.
Who the hell is Scope Creep? Does he live in Project? Harry asked. Project Man-ager explained yet again who Scope Creep was. He had to say this in the most pleasant, non-confrontational way possible. He didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings in Project.
So you see Sir, it was a knock-down, drag out fight. As we get to this stage, Scope Creep always comes in with guns blazing and we needed to beat him back with all we have. We even had to call in Dev and his crew to help keep him in check. Scope Creep is a powerful enemy. You can’t give him an inch! That put everything on hold for several days.
Fine, fine, Needes yelled, but get moving.
Scope Creep was dedicated to his job. He had been strolling around Project one day, trying to find a way in to make some trouble when he passed Harry Needes office.
Needes was muttering to himself about this or that. “I don’t see why they can’t add in a few more things, it would make my job so much easier”, he heard Harry say. Scope Creep liked the way Harry thought.
So Scope Creep had befriended Harry and whispered in his ear “of course they can do it but Project Man-ager is trying to hold everyone down by making them stick to these impossible deadlines. He doesn’t care about what you really want. He just wants to control everything and bend everyone to his will. It’s not fair. You should demand that they change things so that you can do your job better. Isn’t that the whole point? They have time, he just doesn’t want to. Talk to BA, she might be able to help. She will understand and she can talk to Project Man-ager for you”.
BA was not having it though. No. No. No. The requirements were locked and signed, Dev was hard at work. It was way too late in the game to change anything she said. But Harry kept asking and she knew Scope Creep had put him up to it. She needed to talk to Project Man-ager right away.
Scope Creep watched as BA talked with Project Man-ager and had a sinking feeling. They were going to try to stop him-AGAIN. He had to do something. He wasn’t giving up without a fight. Not this time.
He had a sudden thought. Didn’t the Queen Spon-soor want all in Project to be happy? Surely she would support Harry’s request for changes. Scope Creep knew what he had to do. He would convince the Queen. Surely, Project Man-ager wouldn’t dare say no to the Queen?
Will Scope Creep derail everything in Project? Will he get his way this time? Find out in Part 3 of The Project Man-ager.
