The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide identifies four processes involved in the overall project definition process: project initiation, scope planning, scope definition, and scope verification. Our last post covered project initiation. This post covers scope planning.
Scope planning is the process of developing a written scope statement to serve as the basis for future project decisions. In particular, the scope statement will influence whether or not the project or phase has been completed successfully. The scope statement forms the basis for an agreement between the project team and the project customer by identifying both the project objectives and the major project deliverables. Under some circumstances, particularly if the major deliverables and project objectives have been identified, this process may involve little more than creating the written document.
What do you need for Scope Planning?
- Product Description: The product description provides a detailed account of the product’s characteristics, features, and functionalities. It serves as a foundational document that guides the project team in understanding what needs to be delivered. A well-defined product description ensures that all stakeholders have a clear and consistent understanding of the project’s end goal.
- Project Charter: The project charter is a formal document that authorizes the project. It outlines the project’s objectives, scope, stakeholders, and key deliverables. The charter serves as a reference point throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring that the project remains aligned with its initial goals and objectives.
- Constraints: Constraints are the limitations or restrictions that the project must operate within. These can include budgetary limits, time constraints, resource availability, and regulatory requirements. Identifying constraints early in the planning process helps in developing realistic project plans and managing stakeholder expectations.
- Assumptions: Assumptions are the conditions that are believed to be true for the purpose of planning. These can include assumptions about resource availability, technology capabilities, and market conditions. Documenting assumptions helps in identifying potential risks and developing contingency plans.
Tools and Techniques for Scope Planning
Product Analysis: Product analysis involves developing a deeper understanding of the product to be delivered. Techniques used in product analysis include:
- Systems Engineering: An interdisciplinary approach to designing and managing complex systems.
- Value Engineering: A method to improve the value of a product by examining its functions.
- Value Analysis: A systematic approach to improving the value of a product by analyzing its components.
- Function Analysis: Identifying and analyzing the functions of a product to improve its performance.
- Quality Function Deployment: A process to ensure that the product meets customer requirements and expectations.
Cost/Benefit Analysis: This technique involves estimating the tangible and intangible costs and benefits of various project alternatives. Financial measures such as return on investment (ROI) and payback period are used to assess the desirability of each alternative. Benefit/cost analysis helps in making informed decisions by comparing the potential benefits against the associated costs.
Alternatives Identification: This technique involves generating different approaches to achieve the project objectives. Common methods include:
- Brainstorming: A group creativity technique used to generate a wide range of ideas.
- Lateral Thinking: A problem-solving approach that involves looking at problems from different perspectives to generate innovative solutions.
Expert Judgment: Expert judgment involves leveraging the knowledge and experience of experts to guide project planning and decision-making. Experts can provide valuable insights into potential risks, best practices, and industry standards. Their input is crucial in developing realistic and effective project plans.
By incorporating these inputs and utilizing these tools and techniques, project managers can develop a comprehensive and effective scope plan that ensures project success.
What Do You Get out of Scope Planning?
Scope planning has several outputs.
The scope statement is a crucial document that provides a foundation for making future project decisions and for establishing a common understanding of the project scope among stakeholders. As the project progresses, the scope statement may need to be revised or refined to reflect any changes in the project’s scope. This document should include, either directly or by reference to other documents, several key components.
Firstly, the project justification outlines the business need that the project aims to address. This section explains why the project was undertaken and the benefits it is expected to deliver. Secondly, the project product provides a brief summary of the product description, giving stakeholders a clear understanding of what the project will produce.
The project deliverables section lists the summary-level sub-products whose full and satisfactory delivery marks the completion of the project. For example, in a software development project, major deliverables might include the working computer code, a user manual, and an interactive tutorial. It is important to identify any known exclusions, as anything not explicitly included is implicitly excluded.
Project objectives are the quantifiable criteria that must be met for the project to be considered successful. These objectives must include measures of cost, schedule, and quality. Each objective should have an attribute (such as cost), a yardstick (such as US dollars), and an absolute or relative value (such as less than 1.5 million). Un-quantified objectives, like customer satisfaction, entail high risk.
The supporting detail for the scope statement should be documented and organized for easy use. This section should always include all identified assumptions and constraints, providing a comprehensive understanding of the project’s parameters.
The scope management plan describes how the project scope will be managed and how scope changes will be integrated into the project. This document should include an assessment of the expected stability of the project scope, indicating how likely it is to change, how frequently, and by how much. It should also provide a clear description of how scope changes will be identified and classified. This is particularly challenging, yet essential, when the product characteristics are still being elaborated.
A scope management plan can be formal or informal, highly detailed or broadly framed, depending on the needs of the project. It is an integral part of the overall project plan, ensuring that all aspects of the project scope are effectively managed and controlled.
Check back for our post on scope definition.
