Project Scope

Management
Project scope management in any project determines the efficiency and
productivity by which the project will perform.

By performing the best practices and processes for effective project

scope management, a project manager can make sure that the
deliverables are meeting the stakeholder’s requirements in tandem with
the features and functions of the product, the scope of the project, etc.
Every project manager dreams of smooth project execution without
delays and running out of budget. No matter how well you plan, there is
always something that changes the project scope.

In fact, 52% of the projects are affected by scope creep. Not planning
your project scope properly can lead to higher chances of the project
crossing the budget, deadline, or even failing altogether.

Harvard Business Review study, one out of six projects experienced an

average cost overrun of 200% and an average schedule overrun of
70%. Therefore, it is critical to have a proper project scope management
process in place to save your project from falling apart.
The Scope Statement
o The project statement specifies the project deliverables and details the
major objectives.
o Provides a documented basis for making all project decisions. It is also
used to direct the project execution and communicate the project scope
with stakeholders.
o Since the project scope defines the boundaries of the project, the
project team becomes aware of what is inside and what is out of the
project objectives. Projects with unclear scope statements are often
subject to scope creep issues.
Scope creep refers to a scenario whereby changes occur after the
project has been started and the changes are not defined or
anticipated within the scope statement. When scope creep occurs, it
can negatively impact the project timeline, deliverable quality,
resources, budget, and other aspects. Managing the scope of your
project can help avoid unwelcome surprises.
The Scope Statement
A project scope statement includes but not limited to the following;
o Project objectives
o Project constraints
o Project assumptions
o Project success factors
Project Scope
o Project scope is an extensive concept that can be defined as the work
performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified
features and functions. It includes all the tasks, processes, methods
required to deliver the project deliverables successfully.
o The project scope involves comprehensive processes which can also
include the product scope.
o It includes project objectives, deliverables, constraints, assumptions,
functions, deadlines, cost, and other measures that determine how the
project runs on track.
Project scope template

✔ Introduction : The Introduction provides a high-level overview of the project.

✔ Project Scope : State the scope of the project. This should include what the project does and does not
include. This will help to clarify what is included in the project and help to avoid any confusion from project
team members and stakeholders.
✔ Project Deliverables : State the planned deliverables for the project.
✔ Project Acceptance Criteria : Define the acceptance criteria. What objectives will be met, and how will
success be measured?
✔ Project Exclusions : What is not included in the scope of this project.
✔ Project Constraints : Provide any constraints on the project, hard dates, staff or equipment limitations,
financial or budget constraints, or any technical limitations.
Project scope template
Developing a solid understanding of a project’s purpose and clearly defining, documenting, and managing your
project scope, you can ensure that you are well-positioned to deliver a successful project without having to deal
with scope creep.
Product Scope
o The Product Scope can be defined as the features and functions that
characterize a product. In other words, it defines and details the
features, characteristics of a product, service, or result.
o Therefore it involves technical specifications, features, functions
required to represent a product itself.
o Product scope focuses on how the product will look and how will it work.
The product can be described as the output or the end result of a
project.
o For example, your company will produce a computer. The product is the
computer and its scope will include its dimensions, battery size,
processor speed, screen resolution, memory capacity, etc.
 Project Scope and Product Scope
•Example
Suppose that you will build a mansion for your client. The client defines the
requirements such as the size of the rooms, number of bathrooms, floor
covering materials, door colors, and other features.

• The mansion is the product and the client’s requirements are the scope. You
received the product scope from the client.

• In order to build the mansion, you will create the project schedule, prepare the
budget and hire employees. You will perform all the construction work and
related processes such as health and safety and quality management.

• All the works and processes that you will perform to construct the mansion are
the scope of the project.
What is Project Scope Management?
o Process to ensure that a particular project includes all the work
relevant/appropriate to achieve the project’s objectives. Its primary aim
is to control what is and is not involved in the project.

o To identifying and mapping the scope of a project. It must have all the
crucial project information and work required to complete the project
on time and nothing else.

o It helps project managers, coordinators, supervisors to focus on what’s

really important for the project. An accurately defined project scope will
allow you to assign the right amount of work to team members,
ensuring the successful completion of the project.
The importance of Project Scope Management
For project managers, one of the most challenging factors is to manage the
expectations of stakeholders and clients. Failing to meet their expectation
ultimately results in scope creep.

o Preparing and discussing your project scope ahead of time will help you avoid
changing requirements and better fulfill stakeholders' and clients' expectations.
o Effective project scope management provides you with a clear picture of the
project and the work involved.
o It also helps you establish control factors to deal with the changing
requirements.
The importance of Project Scope Management
Although project scope management does not prevent changes, it does help tackle
changes that can throw the project off course. Whenever a change is needed to
keep the project on track, you should do your best to make it happen.
 Project Scope Management

Planning scope Determining how the project’s scope and requirements

management will be managed.

Collecting requirements defining and documenting the features and functions of the
products
for the project as well as the processes used for creating them.
Reviewing the scope management plan, project charter,
requirements d ocuments, and organizational process assets to
Defining scope create a scope stateme nt, adding more information as
requirements are developed and chang e requests are approved.

Creating the WBS Subdividing the major project deliverables into smaller, more
managea ble components.

Validating scope Formalizing acceptance of the project deliverables.

Controlling scope Controlling changes to project scope throughout the life of the
project
—a challenge on many IT projects.
1. Planning scope management
• The project team uses expert judgement, data analysis,
and meetings to develop two important outputs:
1. Scope management plan
2. Requirements management plan

Scope management plan contents

• Prepare a detailed project scope statement
• Create a WBS Requirements management plan
• Maintain and approve the WBS • Documents how project requirements will be analyzed,
• Obtain formal acceptance of the completed documented, and managed
project deliverables • How to plan, track, and report requirements activities
• Control requests for changes to the project scope • How to perform configuration management activities
• How to prioritize requirements
• How to use product metrics
• How to trace and capture attributes of requirements
2. Collecting Requirement
• Several ways to collect requirements
• Interviewing stakeholders
• Holding focus groups and facilitated workshops
• Using group creativity and decision-making techniques
• Utilizing questionnaires and surveys
• Conducting observation studies

• Generating ideas by comparing specific project practices

or product characteristics (i.e., benchmarking)

• Requirements traceability matrix (RTM): a table that lists
requirements, various attributes of each requirement, and the
status of the requirements to ensure that all requirements are
addressed.

Requirement Name Category Source Status

No.
R32 Laptop Hardware Project charter Complete. Laptops
memory and corporate ordered meet
laptop memory
specifications requirement.

Sample entry in a requirements traceability matrix

3. Defining Scope
• Important elements of a project scope statement
• Product scope description
• Product user acceptance criteria
• Detailed information on all project deliverables
• It is also helpful to document other scope-related information
• Project boundaries, constraints, and assumptions
• Supporting document references (e.g., product
specifications)
• As time progresses, the scope of a project should become
more clear and specific
Project Charter:
Upgrades may affect servers . . . (listed under Project Objectives)
Project Scope Statement, Version 1:
Servers: If additional servers are required to support this project, they must be
compatible with existing servers. If it is more economical to enhance existing
servers, a detailed description of enhancements must be submitted to the CIO
for approval. See current server specifications provided in Attachment 6. The
CEO must approve a detailed plan describing the servers and their location at
least two weeks before
installation.

Project Scope Statement, Version 2:

Servers: This project will require purchasing 10 new servers to support Web,
network, database, application, and printing functions. Virtualization will be use
d to maximize efficiency. Detailed descriptions of the servers are provided in a
product brochure in Attachment 8, along with a plan describing where they will
be located.

Further defining project scope

4. Creating the Work Breakdown Structure
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a deliverable-oriented
grouping of the work involved in a project that defines the total
scope of the project
– Foundation document that provides the basis for planning and
managing project schedules, costs, resources, and changes
• Decomposition is the main tool or technique for creating a WBS
– Subdividing project deliverables into smaller pieces
– A work package is a task at the lowest level of the WBS
• Outputs of creating the WBS are the scope baseline and project
documents updates
– Scope baseline includes the approved project scope statement
and its associated WBS and WBS dictionary
1.0 Software Product Release
5.0

1.1 Project Management

1.1.1 Planning

1.1.2 Meetings

1.1.3 Administration

1.2 Product Requirements

1.2.1 Software

1.2.2 User Documentation

1.2.3 Training Program Materials

1.3 Detail Design

1.3.1 Software

1.3.2 User Documentation

1.3.2 User Documentation

1.4 Construct

1.4.1 Software

1.4.2 User Documentation

1.4.3 Training Program Materials

1.5 Integration and Test

1.5.1 Software
• Approaches to developing work breakdown structures:
– Using guidelines: some organizations, like the U.S.
Department of Defense (DOD), provide guidelines for
preparing WBSs
– Analogy approach: review WBSs of similar projects and
tailor to
your project
– Top-down approach: start with the largest items of the
project
and break them down
– Bottom-up approach: start with the specific tasks
– Mind mapping: uses branches radiating out from a core
idea to structure thoughts and ideas
5. Validating Scope
• It is difficult to create a good project scope statement and WBS
for a project
– Even more difficult, especially on IT projects, to verify the
project scope and minimize scope changes
• Even when the project scope is fairly well defined, many IT
projects suffer from scope creep
– Tendency for project scope to keep getting bigger and bigger
• Scope validation involves formal acceptance of the completed
project deliverables
– Acceptance is often achieved by a customer inspection and
then sign-off on key deliverables
• A project scope that is too broad and grandiose can cause
sever e problems
– Scope creep and an overemphasis on technology for
technology’s sake resulted in the bankruptcy of a large
pharmaceutical firm, Texas-based FoxMeyer Drug
– In 2001, McDonald’s fast-food chain initiated a project
to create an intranet that would connect its
headquarters with all of its restaurants to provide
detailed operational information in real time
• After spending $170 million on consultants and
initial implementation planning, McDonald’s
realized that the project was too much to handle
and terminated it
 Global
• Many countriesIssues
have had difficulties controlling the scope
of
large projects
– Especially those that involve advanced technologies
and
many different users
• For example, the state government of Victoria,
Australia, has a website for its public transportation
smart card; there were many problems in
developing and implement ing the smart card
6. Controlling Scope
• It is difficult to create a good project scope statement and WBS
for a project
– Even more difficult, especially on IT projects, to verify the
project scope and minimize scope changes
• Even when the project scope is fairly well defined, many IT
projects suffer from scope creep
– Tendency for project scope to keep getting bigger and bigger
• Scope validation involves formal acceptance of the completed
project deliverables
– Acceptance is often achieved by a customer inspection and
then sign-off on key deliverables
• Scope control involves controlling changes to the project
scope
– Keeping project goals and business strategy in mind
• Goals of scope control
– Influence the factors that cause scope changes
– Ensure changes are processed according to procedures
develop ed as part of integrated change control
– Manage changes when they occur
• Variance is the difference between planned and actual
performance
• Suggestions for improving user input
– Develop a good project selection process and insist that
sponsor
s are from the user organization
– Place users on the project team
– Conduct regular meetings with defined agendas
– Deliver something to users and sponsors on a regular
basis
– Do not promise to deliver what the team cannot deliver in
a par ticular time frame
– Locate users with the developers
• Suggestions for reducing incomplete and changing requirements
– Develop and follow a requirements management process
– Employ techniques such as prototyping, use case modeling,
and JAD to get more user involvement
– Put requirements in writing and keep them current
– Create a requirements management database for documenting and
controlling requirements
– Provide adequate testing and conduct it throughout the project life cycle
– Review changes from a systems perspective
– Emphasize completion dates to help focus
on what’s most important
– Allocate resources specifically for handling change requests
Why project scoping important?
• Suggestions for reducing incomplete and changing requirements
– Develop and follow a requirements management process
– Employ techniques such as prototyping, use case modeling,
and JAD to get more user involvement
– Put requirements in writing and keep them current
– Create a requirements management database for documenting and
controlling requirements
– Provide adequate testing and conduct it throughout the project life cycle
– Review changes from a systems perspective
– Emphasize completion dates to help focus
on what’s most important
– Allocate resources specifically for handling change requests