Draft reference — content review pending
Scope Change Rate
The percentage of eligible active or completed projects with an approved scope change in the selected cohort.
Business question
What share of eligible projects has an approved change to scope?
Formula
Scope change rate = eligible active or completed projects with approved scope changes ÷ eligible projects in the selected cohort × 100.
Calculation notes
Define project, scope change, approval evidence, cohort, and whether a change in deadline, deliverable, budget, or acceptance criteria qualifies.
Edge-case guidance
Do not count informal requests without an agreed decision. A low rate may reflect weak discovery or missing change records rather than stable scope.
Required data
| Input | Type | Status | Available source hints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Projects with approved scope changesEligible projects with at least one recorded and approved scope change. | Number | Required | Project management system · Excel |
| Eligible cohort projectsActive or completed projects included under the selected cohort rules. | Number | Required | Project management system · Excel |
Interpretation
Use it to understand discovery, briefing, estimation, and change-control patterns. Count approved changes, not informal requests, and distinguish client-caused from internal changes.
Caution
A scope change is not inherently negative; legitimate learning or client needs can require it. The measure does not assess change quality or commercial outcome.
Implementation recommendation
Use a lightweight approval record linking each change to its effect on deliverables, effort, cost, and deadline.
Target guidance
Set a target from comparable project cohorts and improve discovery without discouraging necessary, properly priced changes.