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Pearson, Larson, Gray, Project Management in Practice, 1e

CHAPTER 5

Defining the Scope of a Project

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Pearson, Larson, Gray, Project Management in Practice, 1e

Learning Elements5.1 Understand the importance of scoping a project,

how it defines what the project is to achieve, in what timeframe and at what cost.

5.2 Develop a comprehensive Scope document and understand some of the practical techniques that can be applied in developing the content for the Scope document.

5.3 Understand how the Scope Management Plan differs from the Scope document, and define and establish a process for change management in project environment.

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Introduction

Answers the most obvious question, but also the most commonly overlooked one:

What problem is being solved by delivering this project?

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Documents Output from Scoping Activities

• Project Charter• Project Scope document• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)• Scope Management Plan• Estimating Artefacts

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How Scoping Fits into the Text

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The Scope Process

Step 1: Defining the Project Scope

Step 2: Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Step 3: Integrating the WBS with the Organisation

Step 4: Estimating: Moving Towards a Draft Budget and Schedule

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Pearson, Larson, Gray, Project Management in Practice, 1e

Step 1: Defining the Project Scope

• The primary purpose is to define as clearly as possible the deliverable(s) of the project.

• To be used by the project sponsor and other stakeholders for measuring project success.

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Step 1: Defining theProject Scope (cont)

• To clearly define the deliverable(s) for the end user.

• To focus the project on successful completion of its goals.

• Inadequate scope definition is a primary reason for project failure.

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Project Scope Checklist

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The Triple Constraints

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The Triple Constraints (cont)

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The Triple Constraints (cont)

• ConstrainThe original parameter is fixed. The project must meet the completion date, specifications and scope of the project or budget.

• EnhanceGiven the scope of the project, which criterion should be optimised?

• AcceptFor which criterion is it tolerable not to meet the original parameters?

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Step 2: Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• A hierarchical outline (map) that identifies the products and work elements involved in a project.

• Defines the relationship of the final deliverable (the project) to its sub-deliverables and in turn their relationships to the work packages.

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Hierarchical Breakdown of the WBS

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Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Facilitates evaluation of cost, time and technical performance of the organisation on a project.

• Provides management with information appropriate to each organisational level.

• Helps manage plan, schedule and budget.

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Creating the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)(cont.)

• Helps in the development of the organisation breakdown structure (OBS) which assigns project responsibilities to organisational units and individuals.

• Defines communication channels and assists in coordinating the various project elements.

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WBS Brainstorming Techniques

Whiteboards, Brainstorming, Post-It® Notes, Mind Maps, Facilitators

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Pearson, Larson, Gray, Project Management in Practice, 1e

Example of a Work Packageor ‘Pack’ Contents

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Step 3: Integrating the WBS

with the Organisation

Depicts how the firm is organised to discharge its work responsibility for a project.

• Provides a framework to summarise organisation work unit performance.

• Identifies organisation units responsible for work packages.

• Ties the organisational units to cost control accounts.

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Integrating the WBS and OBS—House Build Example

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Step 4: EstimatingThe journey from WBS to estimating and the creation of

the budget schedule and resource matrix.

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The Scope Management Plan

Typical contents

• The process to be applied for all project change/variation requests.

• The process for scope verification.

• The process for deliverable acceptance.

• How lessons learned will be captured and applied within the project.

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Change/Variation Control Management

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Project Scope Integration

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Key Terms• hierarchical decomposition• milestone• Organisation Breakdown Structure (OBS)• outcomes• outputs• project charter• project change management systems• scope creep• Scope document• Scope Management Plan• Statement of Work (SoW)• the triple constraints• WBS dictionary• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)• work package