Scope creep is the uncontrolled expansion of a project’s scope beyond its originally agreed-upon boundaries. This often occurs after the project has begun, and can manifest as the addition of new features, functionalities, or requirements without proper assessment of their impact on time, budget, resources, and stakeholder approval. It stems from poorly defined initial scope, inadequate change management processes, stakeholder pressure, or poor communication, ultimately leading to potential project delays, cost overruns, and deviations from the initial objectives.