Rails are an antidote to scope creep.

When designers use the term “rails” they’re referring to the creative boundaries set for a project. Rails are intended to keep the team from wandering off on tangents. Clear rails set up a win/win situation where the client doesn’t waste money and the creatives don’t waste time. They’re fleshed out in the creative brief, but are born in the scope document.

Project scope may not seem like an inspiring topic, but it’s an important foundation for any successful project. It outlines the client’s situation or request, the high-level objective, suggested approach or solution, project management overview, timing by phases, roles of team members and fee arrangement. It’s usually dry stuff, often drafted by committee, based on a template. I think its important for designers to be involved in scoping, if not draft their own scopes.

More than just legal documents, scopes are an opportunity to set expectations. Knowing how much time and money you have to work with are the first set of rails in any project. So is a clear definition of the project’s basic objective.

Creative solutions can live in a vast world of imagination, where we can do anything. And its tempting to promise the moon, because we all aspire to delivering amazing work. A good scope brings blue-sky thinking down to earth so the real work can start.

I’ve learned to enjoy the creative challenge of solving client challenges on a tight budget and savor those with large budgets. There’s never an endless pile of money for any project — the best designers embrace rails and rise to the occasion.