How to Replan a Scope Explosion | Scaling Calm w/ Heather Bemis
Listen on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Challenge
Imagine you're working on a small lab renovation, and suddenly it's transformed into an entire building retrofit. Your team's size triples, communication lines multiply, and unexpected utilities pop up everywhere. In this episode, Heather Bemis, registered architect and CEO of SWAP Integration, to navigate through the chaos of managing scope explosions.
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Key Takeaways
Get Everyone in the Room: When scope expands dramatically, immediately gather the entire team (architects, engineers, contractors, and stakeholders) to recalibrate the plan together.
Boulders, Rocks, Pebbles, Sand: Structure your schedule by clearly defining phases (boulders), key milestones (rocks), inter-team deliverables (pebbles), and individual tasks (sand).
30-Second Rule: Prevent meetings from spiraling into tangents by limiting problem-solving discussions to 30 seconds before placing them in a "parking lot."
Weekly Check-Ins: Consistent weekly meetings keep your schedule dynamic, hold teams accountable, and identify potential issues early.
Negotiation Matters: Encourage open dialogue and proactive negotiation to set realistic deadlines that reflect actual needs and capabilities.
Tactical Takeaway
Implement a clear "Rules of Engagement" document for every project meeting. Explicitly define respect for others' time, set rules for handling tangents, and use a visible "parking lot" to capture ideas that require deeper discussion later. This will dramatically improve your meeting efficiency and project clarity.
Listen on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
