Project Management Chapter 6: Scoping Techniques

Effective Project Management

• Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Hybrid
• 8th Edition

Chapter 6: How to Scope a TPM Project

• Using tools, templates, and processes to scope a TPM project
• Managing client expectations
• Project scoping process
• Project scoping meeting & deliverables
• Requirements breakdown structure (RBS)
• Project classification
• Choosing a suitable Project Life Cycle Model (PMLC)
• Project Overview Statement

Tools, Templates & Processes used to Scope a Project

• Conditions of Satisfaction
• Project Scoping Meeting
• Requirements elicitation
• Brainstorming
• Facilitated group sessions
• Interviews
• Prototyping
• Requirements Workshops
• Project Overview Statement
• Approval to Plan the Project

Client Wants vs. Client Needs Dilemma

• Client wants may not match client needs
• Ensuring client wants align with client needs
• Delivering what the client needs

Tips to Managing Client Expectations During Scoping

• Understanding client wants/needs/expectations
• Ensuring client understands project scope
• Ensuring project scope meets client needs
• Involving client in the scoping process
• Considering the client's perspective
• Keeping the client informed about project status

Project Scoping Process

• Conduct conditions of satisfaction
• Define requirements
• Write and submit Project Overview Statement (POS)
• Create Requirements Breakdown Structure (RBS)
• Assess completeness of requirements
• Classify project in the landscape
• Determine the best-fit PMLC Model
• Write POS
• Submit POS

Establishing Conditions of Satisfaction

• Clarify request
• Agree on response
• Negotiate an agreement and write Project Overview Statement

Planning and Conducting the Project Scoping Meeting

• Purpose
  • Documenting requirements
  • Project Overview Statement
• Attendees
  • Project Manager
  • Client Group
  • Core Team Members
  • Facilitator & Technopgrapher
• Agenda
  • Introductions
  • Meeting Purpose (led by Facilitator)
  • Conditions of Satisfaction (COS)
  • Current State Description (led by client)
  • Problem/Opportunity Description (led by client)
  • End State Description (led by client)
  • Requirements Definition & Documentation (led by facilitator)
  • Discussion of Gap (led by project manager)
  • Choosing Project Management Approach (led by project manager)
  • Draft & Approve POS (whole scope planning group)
  • Adjourn
• Deliverables
  • RBS creation
  • Assessment of RBS completeness
  • Project classification
  • Determination of best-fit PMLC Model
  • The POS

What Are Requirements?

• Requirements define what a product or project should do/produce or the qualities it must possess

Requirement – A Business Value Perspective

• Requirements result in specific measurable and incremental business value
• High-level requirements build necessary and sufficient sets for incremental business value

Building the Requirements Breakdown Structure

• Project goal and solution
• Requirements form a hierarchy (e.g., Requirements 1 - n, functions, sub-functions, processes, activities, features)
• Each subsequent level further decomposes the previous level

Stakeholder Interaction in Requirements

• Stakeholders (sponsor, LOB Managers, Functional Managers, Resource Managers, Business Process Engineers, Business Analysts, Project Manager, Customers, Users) interact to gather and define requirements

Approaches to Requirements Gathering

• Brainstorming
• Facilitated Group Sessions
• Interviews
• Prototyping
• Requirements Workshops

Brainstorming

• Strengths: Reduces social inhibitions, stimulates idea generation, increases creativity
• Risks: Dominated by strong individuals, fear of criticism, evaluation of ideas

Facilitated Group Session Method

• Strengths: Excellent for cross-functional processes, detailed requirements documented immediately, resolves issues with impartial facilitator
• Risks: Untrained facilitators can lead to negative responses, time and cost can be high

Interview Method

• Strengths: End-user participation, high-level descriptions provided
• Risks: Descriptions may differ from actual activities, stakeholders may not know what information to provide, real needs ignored if analyst is prejudiced

Prototyping

• Strengths: Innovative ideas generated, users clarify what they want, users identify missed requirements, client-focused, early proof of concept, stimulates thought process
• Risks: Clients may want to implement prototype, difficulty knowing when to stop, specialized skills, absence of documentation

Requirements Workshop

• Strengths: Good for first-time use
• Risks: May overwhelm customer

Categories of Requirements

• Functional
• Non-functional
• Global
• Product/project constraints

Definition: Functional Requirement

• Functional requirements specify what a product or service must do

Definition: Non-Functional Requirement

• Non-functional requirements describe properties a product or service should have to perform its function

Definition: Global Requirement

• Global requirements are high-level requirements of a system or product

Definition: Product/Project Constraints

• Surface-level requirements resembling design or project constraints

RBS – The Reality

• Illustrative diagram of a requirements breakdown structure

Characteristics of the RBS

• Intuitive and meaningful to the client
• Deliverables-based approach
• Consistent with PMI PMBOK
• Remains client-facing

Advantages of using the RBS

• Does not require a trained facilitator
• Does not require learning other contemporary approaches
• Intuitive approach to gathering requirements
• Client and project team work comfortably
• Clarifies solution degree of definition
• Provides input to choose the best fit PMLC Model

The Challenge of Requirements Management

• Different requirements at various levels of detail
• Independent requirements may conflict
• Various stakeholders with varying needs
• Change resulting from business conditions
• Time-sensitivity
• Resolving disagreements

Hints in Deciding which PMLC Model to Use

• RBS completeness guides PMLC Model choice
• Highest level requirements often drive business value

When to use each PMLC Model

• PMLC (Project Life Cycle) Model usage depends on solution definition, scope changes, and degree of known requirements

Purpose of the Project Overview Statement

• One-page description of the project
• Reference for planning team
• Decision aid for the project
• Getting management approval for project planning

Contents of the Project Overview Statement

• Problem/Opportunity
• Project Goal
• Project Objectives
• Success Criteria
• Assumptions/Risks/Obstacles

Example POS

• Example of a Project Overview Statement (POS) with specific content

POS Problem/Opportunity

• Statement of a problem or opportunity needing resolution

POS Project Goal

• One or two-sentence statement outlining how to address the problem or opportunity

POS Project Objectives

• 5-6 brief statements defining project scope; clear what is in the project

POS Project Success Criteria

• Quantitative metrics (e.g., increasing revenue, avoiding costs, improving service)

POS Assumptions, Risks and Obstacles

• Potential technological, environmental, interpersonal, or cultural issues
• Causal Relationships of the solution to the problem

POS Attachments

• Risk analysis
• Financial analysis
• Feasibility studies
• Cost/benefit analysis
• Breakeven analysis
• Return on investment

Gaining Approval to Plan the Project

• Management review questions regarding importance, relationship with organization CSFs, direct relationship to the problem, clear objective representation, sufficient value, established relationships, risks and value consideration.

Participants in the Approval Process

• Core project team
• Project manager
• Resource managers
• Function/process managers
• Client
• Senior management

This quiz focuses on Chapter 6 of the Effective Project Management 8th Edition, exploring essential tools and processes for scoping a project. It covers managing client expectations, the project scoping process, and various scoping techniques. Test your knowledge on effective project planning and client communication strategies.