Daily Byte-Sized AI for Consulting Pros

Byte #036: Scope Creep and Model Overpromise — Where Projects Go Wrong

Is your AI project heading off course? Discover how scope creep and unrealistic model promises can derail even the best-laid plans.

Today’s Byte in a Nutshell: Scope creep and model overpromise are two of the most common pitfalls in AI projects, often leading to delays, budget overruns, and unmet client expectations. Learn how to identify and mitigate these risks before they impact your project.

Understanding Scope Creep

Scope creep occurs when the goals of a project become overly ambitious or change from the original plan without proper management, often due to unclear objectives or stakeholder pressure.

The Danger of Model Overpromise

Overpromising on AI model capabilities can create unrealistic expectations. When models fail to deliver anticipated results, credibility and trust suffer.

Real-world Consulting Examples:

During a digital transformation project, a manufacturing client kept adding features to their predictive maintenance system, resulting in timeline extensions and budget overruns.
An AI-driven customer service chatbot was oversold on its capabilities, leading to client dissatisfaction when it failed to handle complex inquiries.
A financial services firm requested ongoing changes to their risk assessment model, leading to constant recalibrations and delayed project delivery.

Why This Matters (to Us):

Understanding and mitigating scope creep and model overpromise helps consultants maintain project integrity and client trust, ensuring successful deliverables and long-term relationships.

Consulting Tip: Establish clear project scope and realistic model capabilities upfront. Regularly review progress and manage client expectations throughout the project lifecycle.

Next Byte Preview: Join us next time as we delve into the case study: How AI Changed the Digital Transformation Playbook.

“With great power comes great responsibility.” – Especially true for AI projects!