Describe the term "scope creep" in project management.

The term "scope creep" refers to the phenomenon in project management where the project's scope expands beyond its initial plan, often without proper control or adjustments to time, resources, or budget. This typically occurs when additional features, tasks, or requirements are added to the project after it has already been defined and agreed upon, leading to potential delays, increased costs, and resource strain.

Recognizing scope creep is crucial for project managers since it can jeopardize the project's success by making it difficult to meet deadlines and keep within budget. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication and documentation of the project scope and necessitates that any changes are formally requested, reviewed, and approved to maintain project integrity.

The other choices relate to project management concepts but do not capture the essence of scope creep. Regularly scheduled project reviews, effective management of project resources, and a fixed scope of work are all important practices in project management but do not define the uncontrolled changes that characterize scope creep. Understanding and managing scope creep is essential to delivering successful projects on time and within budget.