Topic 4 Project scope management
Project scope is part of the project planning process. It works like a map for the project, as it provides research-based documentation on every parameter required to complete the project successfully. Accordingly, it lists what is included in the project (also what resources, time and personnel will be allotted) helping the project manager to avoid costly deviations or conflicts with stakeholders that may arise during the realisation of the project. Moreover, it contains procedures to verify and approve the project’s deliverables. The project scope helps to guide project decision-making and activities in a qualitative, resource- and time-efficient manner. It includes:
- The project’s goals and objectives;
- The deliverables’ specifications as well as the activities and resource allocation required to achieve them efficiently and qualitatively;
- The timetables and deadlines;
- The delegation and responsibilities of human resources;
- The documenting, tracking, monitoring and evaluation processes.
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The main steps in Project scope management are:
1.Planning Scope Management: a document including a project scope statement and the project’s expected deliverables and requirements.
2.Collecting Requirements: through various research methods (e.g. interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, etc.) stakeholder expectations are documented and then “translated” into budgets and deliverables to establish the project’s pragmatic requirements.
3.Defining the Scope: description of the project’s deliverables.
4.Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): the project’s work is decomposed and delegated to project team members, specifying deliverables, budgets, and schedules (see “project team management”).
5.Validating scope: the project scope needs to be validated by the project’s executives and stakeholders.
6.Controlling scope: the project scope needs to be regularly controlled by the project manager to ensure that the team stays on course.
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