Project Scope Management

Project Scope Management

• It includes the processes involved in defining and controlling what is or isn't included in a project.
• Scope refers to all the work involved in creating the products of the project and the processes used to create them.
• A deliverable is a product produced as part of a project, such as hardware or software, planning documents, or meeting minutes.

Project Scope Management Processes

• Scope planning: deciding how the scope will be defined, verified, and controlled.
• Scope definition: reviewing the project charter and preliminary scope statement and adding more information as requirements are developed and change requests are approved.
• Creating the WBS: subdividing the major project deliverables into smaller, more manageable components.
• Scope verification: formalizing acceptance of the project scope by key project stakeholders.
• Scope control: controlling changes to project scope which impact project cost and time goals.

Scope Planning and the Scope Management Plan

• The scope management plan is a document that includes descriptions of how the team will:
  • Prepare the project scope statement.
  • Create the WBS.
  • Verify completion of the project deliverables.
  • Control requests for changes to the project scope.
• Key inputs include the project charter, preliminary scope statement, and project management plan.
• Review the scope management plan with the project sponsor to make sure the approach meets expectations.

Dynamic Mutual Funds (DMF) example

• Senior management team at the Canadian money management company Dynamic Mutual Funds (DMF) launched an enterprise-wide, national program to build and manage its customer relationships.
• DMF proposed a new seven-step concept called project scope design to create a faster and more organized, highly participative approach.
• DMF won an eCustomer World Golden Award for world-class innovation.
• The Seven Steps:
  • Analyze the project atmosphere, stakeholders and centers of influence.
  • Align the project scope with the organization's strategic objectives and business challenges.
  • Determine where to add value to the business.
  • Study the process flow between the business units.
  • Develop an efficient communication strategy.
  • Develop the project approach.
  • Coordinate the new project with the other initiatives already under way.

Scope Definition and the Project Scope Statement

• The project team develops a preliminary scope statement in initiating a project as part of the project integration management knowledge area.
• The preliminary scope statement, project charter, organizational process assets, and approved change requests provide a basis for creating the more specific project scope statement.

Project scope statements should contain at a minimum:

• Description of the project, including overall objectives and justification.
• Detailed descriptions of all project deliverables.
• Characteristics and requirements of products and services produced as part of the project.
• Other helpful information includes project success criteria, project boundaries, product acceptance criteria, schedule milestones, and order of magnitude costs estimates.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• A WBS is a deliverable-oriented grouping of the work involved in a project that defines the total scope of the project.
• WBS is a foundation document providing the basis for planning and managing project schedules, costs, resources, and changes.
• Decomposition is the subdividing of project deliverables into smaller pieces.
• A work package is a task at the lowest level of the WBS.
• Tasks on a WBS represent work that needs to be done to complete the project, not specifications.
• The project scope statement and project management plan are the primary inputs for creating a WBS.
• The outputs include the WBS itself, the WBS dictionary, a scope baseline, and updates to the project scope statement and scope management plan.
• The WBS is often depicted as a task-oriented family tree of activities.
• The WBS can be organized around project products, project phases, or using the project management process groups.

Approaches to Developing WBSs

• Utilizing guidelines: Some organizations, such as the DOD, offer guidance for WBS preparation.
• Analogy approach: Reviewing WBSs of similar projects and tailoring them to the project.
• Top-down approach: Begin with the largest items of the project and break them down.
• Bottom-up approach: Start with the specific tasks and roll them up.
• Mind-mapping approach: Mind mapping uses branches radiating out from a core idea to structure thoughts and ideas.

Mind Mapping

• Creating pictures representing ideas in the same way they appear in your brain.
• Your brain uses words, pictures, numbers, logic, rhythm, color, and spatial awareness to build unique information pictures.
• The ideas are linked together, making them easier to understand and remember.
• Use just key words or, wherever possible, images.
• Start from the center of the page and work outward.
• Make the center a clear and strong visual image that depicts the general theme of the map.
• Create sub-centers for sub-themes.
• Put key words on lines to reinforce the structure of notes.
• Print instead of writing in script to enhance readability and memorability.
• Use color to highlight themes and associations.
• Ensure that anything standing out on the page captures your attention.
• Think three-dimensionally.
• Incorporate arrows, icons, or other visual aids to display relationships between elements.
• Avoid getting stuck in one area; switch to another branch if you experience stagnation.
• Input ideas as they come.
• Break boundaries; if you run out of space, add more paper to the map.
• Be creative to aid memory.

The WBS Dictionary and Scope Baseline

• Many WBS tasks are vague and need explanation.
• A WBS dictionary is a document describing detailed information about each WBS item.
• The scope baseline, used to measure performance in meeting project scope goals, consists of the approved project scope statement, its WBS, and the WBS dictionary.

Creating a WBS and WBS Dictionary

• A unit of work should appear at only one place in the WBS.
• The work content of a WBS item is the sum of the WBS items below it.
• A WBS item is the responsibility of only one individual.
• The WBS must be consistent with the way work is performed.
• Project team members should be involved in developing the WBS to ensure consistency and buy-in.
• WBS items must be documented in a WBS dictionary to ensure accurate understanding.
• Use the WBS as a flexible tool to accommodate inevitable changes while maintaining control of the project’s work content.

Scope Verification

• Creating a good scope statement and WBS for a project is difficult.
• Verifying project scope and minimizing scope changes is also difficult.
• Scope verification involves formal acceptance of the completed project scope by the stakeholders.
• Acceptance is often achieved via customer inspection and sign-off on key deliverables.

Project Scope Problems

• A too broad or grandiose project scope can cause severe problems.
• Scope creep and overemphasis on technology resulted in the bankruptcy of Texas-based FoxMeyer Drug.
• In 2001, McDonald's terminated an initiative to create an intranet connecting its headquarters with all its restaurants after spending $170 million.

Scope Control

• Involves controlling changes to the project scope.
• Goals of scope control are to:
  • Influence the factors that cause scope changes.
  • Assure changes are processed according to procedures developed as part of integrated change control.
  • Manage changes when they occur.
• Tools include a change control system and configuration management.
• Variance is the difference between planned and actual performance.

Best Practices for Avoiding Scope Problems

• Keep the scope realistic.
• Involve users in project scope management.
• Use off-the-shelf hardware and software whenever possible.
• Follow good project management processes.

Suggestions for Improving User Input

• Develop a good project selection process and insist that sponsors are from the user organization
• Have users on the project team in important roles
• Have regular meetings with defined agendas, and have users sign off on key deliverables presented at meetings
• Deliver something to users and sponsors on a regular basis
• Don't promise to deliver when you know you can't
• Co-locate users with developers

Suggestions for Reducing Incomplete and Changing Requirements

• Develop and follow a requirements management process
• Use techniques such as prototyping, use case modeling, and JAD to get more user involvement
• Put all requirements in writing, keep them current and readily available
• Create a requirements management database for documenting and controlling requirements (CASE tools)
• Provide adequate testing and conduct testing throughout the project life cycle
• Review changes from a systems perspective
  • Project scope changes must include associated cost and schedule changes
  • Focus on approved scope goals and don't get side tracked
• Emphasize completion dates to help focus on what's most important
  • What should we drop in order to add something new?
• Allocate resources specifically for handling change requests/enhancements like NWA did with ResNet

Using Software to Assist in Project Scope Management

• Word-processing software helps create several scope-related documents
• Spreadsheets help to perform financial calculations and weighed scoring models, and develop charts and graphs
• Communication software like e-mail and the Web help clarify and communicate scope information
• Project management software helps in creating a WBS, the basis for tasks on a Gantt chart
• Specialized software is available to assist in project scope management