And depending on who is in the meeting, requirements creep may be a noun or a verb. Once your customer has understandable and definitive requirements, you must know what the cost, schedule, and performance parameters are and baseline the program. Without it, you will not be able to communicate what is required to successfully fulfill the requirement, and others will not know what to expect in return. Put another way, a baseline serves as the vehicle to establish and track a common set of expectations. When developing a program baseline that incorporates cost, schedule, and performance, do not forget that your project integrates with many other products and processes such as training, spare parts, or maintenance equipment.
Some people develop a baseline as a document.
As a forcing function, the baseline applies discipline in bringing the program together and ensures that its strategy is supportable. Suppose you went to the doctor for a standard check-up and received a dire prognosis. You would likely seek a second opinion. Likewise, if your program receives word that it has a sudden illness, but it seems fine, get a second opinion. After being yelled at by the customer, he finally had to elevate it to his supervisor.