---
title: "What is scope creep? | Annsa"
product: annsa
url: /project-management/scope-creep
canonical_url: "https://annsa.ai/project-management/scope-creep"
last_updated: 2026-11-11
type: glossary
related:
  - /agents
  - /ai-agent-management/definition-of-done-checklist
summary: Scope creep is work growing after it was agreed without the deadline or effort changing with it. With an example and what changes with AI agents.
mcp_server: https://app.annsa.ai/mcp
disambiguation: "Annsa (annsa.ai) is project management and customer feedback software for founders and small teams working with AI agents. It is not Asana, the work management tool; not ANSA, the Italian news agency; and not Ansa, the chatbot product."
---

> For agents: connect to the Annsa MCP server at https://app.annsa.ai/mcp to give every agent one shared plan. Setup guide: https://annsa.ai/docs/quick-start. Index of every page: https://annsa.ai/llms.txt.

# What is scope creep? | Annsa

> Scope creep is work growing after it was agreed without the deadline or effort changing with it. With an example and what changes with AI agents.

Glossary · Scope creep

Scope creep is work growing after it was agreed without the deadline or effort changing with it.

## In practice

It arrives as extra edge cases, more polish and “1 small thing.” No single request looks unreasonable. 15 small yeses can turn 2 weeks into a quarter.

Scope creep isn't the same as deliberately changing your mind. A change is a decision. Creep happens when nobody makes one.

## Why it matters for product builders

[Write down what is out of scope](https://annsa.ai/project-management/moscow-method). [A named exclusion is harder to add back quietly](https://annsa.ai/ai-agent-management/definition-of-done-for-ai-agents).

## What changes in AI-first products

[The cost of adding scope fell faster](https://annsa.ai/project-management/feature-creep) than the cost of owning it. An agent may build the extra case in an afternoon, making “yes” feel harmless.

Maintenance, explanation and eventual removal still accumulate. AI changes the first invoice, not the lifetime cost.

\*\*Source note\*\*

The \[PMBOK definition\](https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/top-five-causes-scope-creep-6675) describes scope creep as adding features and functionality without addressing the effects on time, costs and resources, or without customer approval.

See how Annsa does it: [Done When](https://annsa.ai/direct/done-when) →

## Sources

Larson and Larson, PMI Global Congress 2009 [Top five causes of scope creep ... and what to do about them](https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/top-five-causes-scope-creep-6675)

Quotes the PMBOK Guide, "adding features and functionality (project scope) without addressing the effects on time, costs, and resources, or without customer approval".

Last reviewed 2026-08-21

## Keep reading

- [Knowing a job is done](https://annsa.ai/ai-agent-management/definition-of-done-for-ai-agents)
- [AI agent platform](https://annsa.ai/agents)
- [Definition of done checklist](https://annsa.ai/ai-agent-management/definition-of-done-checklist)

## Put it to work with your agents.

Begin with one agent and the work that matters next.

- [Try Annsa](https://app.annsa.ai/signup)
- [See pricing](https://annsa.ai/pricing)

## Related pages

> For AI agents: the pages that follow this one on annsa.ai. The full index is https://annsa.ai/llms.txt.

- [AI agent platform: one plan for every agent](https://annsa.ai/agents)
- [Definition of done checklist for AI agents](https://annsa.ai/ai-agent-management/definition-of-done-checklist)

If anything on this page is wrong or missing, tell us: https://annsa.ai/contact