We can: Clarify and Reinforce Project Boundaries Revisit the Original Scope: Review the project charter, objectives, and deliverables with your team and stakeholders to ensure alignment. Document Scope Clearly: Update and share a clear, detailed scope document outlining what’s included and what’s excluded. Define Non-Negotiables: Identify critical features or timelines that cannot be compromised and communicate these clearly. Strengthen Communication with Stakeholders Regular Status Meetings: Hold frequent updates to discuss progress, challenges, and external dependencies. Transparency on Impacts: Communicate how scope changes affect timelines, budgets, and deliverables.

Here is how we regain control. 1. Identify Cause: Pinpoint what is causing the scope creep-vendor delays, unclear requirements of changing priorities, determine is this optional or essential. 2.Revisit the original goals: Revisit the project scope and focus on must have deliverables. 3. Prioritise and align: Arrive to agreement on priorities with stakeholders and make trade-off on adjusting timelines and allocating resources. 4.Handling Scope: Setup clear procedure for approving and reject scope change. 5. Monitor dependencies: Track external factors regularly, prevent last minute surprises. 6. Communicate: Ensure constant, open communication with all involved to keep every one aligned and manage expectations

Reassess and Prioritize: Reevaluate project requirements and focus on critical deliverables. Engage Stakeholders: Align with stakeholders to reset expectations and freeze the scope. Review Dependencies: Identify and mitigate blockers from external dependencies with clear timelines. Implement Change Control: Establish a strict process for evaluating and approving scope changes. Leverage Contingency Plans: Utilize buffers and alternative strategies for managing delays. Enhance Communication: Ensure regular updates and transparency with all involved parties.

Firstly you need to perform gap analysis, define the new changes or requirements needed and if course involve all stakeholders. Than you need to prioritize the changes,update your plan and use effective techniques to minimize the risks. Always keep in mind that learning from this situation you can handle better the future situations.

1) Define minimum viable product (MVP) 2) Assert common understanding between Developers and Customers 3) Clarify deadline with all parties involved 4) If project consists of too many building blocks for parallel execution, prioritize in a meaningful order. Split into phases with testable partial deliveries. For example, split into phases, functionality ordered like the dataflow. In parallel review risk management, change control process, structured prioritization methods.

Regaining Control of Scope Creep Due to External Dependencies Scope creep, especially when driven by external dependencies, can derail a project. Here's a strategic approach to regain control:   1. Establish Clear Boundaries and Expectations: Define the Scope: Clearly outline the project's scope, including features, functionalities, and deliverables.   Communicate Expectations: Effectively communicate these boundaries to all stakeholders, including external dependencies. Set Realistic Deadlines: Establish realistic timelines for both internal and external tasks, considering potential delays.

These steps will ensure that the project remains on track and avoid scope creep: 1.Clearly define & document external dependencies. 2.Use stubs, realistic mock services and databases in the initial stages of the project lifecycle. 3.Set clear agreements with external vendors. 4.Parallel development to work on independent components. 5.Buffer planning to avoid delays due to external services. 6.API monitoring with automated health checks and alerts for downtimes. 7.Iterative development, integration and testing rather than waiting until the end. 8.Create a 'plan b' to avoid complete reliance on a single external dependency. 9.Set clear project scope & governance. 10.Decouple core logic from external dependencies making it replaceable.

To manage scope creep caused by external dependencies, reassess project priorities, align with stakeholders, and revisit agreements with external parties. Implement a change control process, set clear requirements, and establish contingency plans. Use agile methodologies for flexibility, track dependencies proactively, and include buffer time in schedules. Regular communication and educating stakeholders about scope risks are crucial. Focus on delivering core deliverables and be ready to say "no" to non-essential changes. Build strong external relationships to resolve bottlenecks quickly and maintain control.

Obviously I need to reduce the external dependencies or get them in use. First step is to isolate them as good as possible from the rest of the unfinished parts, so the team can go through their sprints. Second is to keep the dependant parts more and more under control and perhaps replace them.