Most people spend all their energy listing what's in, and skip what's out. That's backwards. Nearly every scope fight starts with something one person assumed was included. Naming what's OUT is how you prevent that fight before it starts. Rough guide: for every few things you list as in scope, name at least one clearly out of scope. Four examples, and a caveat before you read them: these are just examples, not rules. On your project, some of what I've marked "out" below could easily be "in." The split isn't fixed, it's agreed. The point is writing it down and agreeing it up front, whatever the split ends up being for you. Systems upgrade project: in scope is migrating existing data into the new system. Out of scope is rewriting the reports that sit on top of that data. Software development project: in scope is building the agreed features for this release. Out of scope is fixing bugs in older parts of the system, that's handled separately. Construction project: in scope is building the structure to the agreed drawings. Out of scope is fitting out the interior once the structure is up. Manufacturing project: in scope is installing and testing the new equipment. Out of scope is training the operators who'll run it day to day. Question: what's the one thing you wish you had marked "out" on a past project?