Clear objectives use the SMART framework -- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound -- so everyone agrees on what success looks like before work begins. A scope statement defines what is and is NOT included in the project: deliverables, boundaries, assumptions, and constraints, which protects the team from doing unplanned work. 'Scope creep' is the gradual, uncontrolled expansion of a project's requirements after it has started, usually because changes are approved informally without assessing their impact on time or budget. The best defense against scope creep is a documented change-control process: any new request is evaluated for its effect on schedule and cost before it is approved.