Scope Definition

The preparation of a detailed project scope statement is critical to project success and builds upon the major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints that are documented during project initiation in the preliminary project scope statement. During planning, the project scope is defined and described with greater specificity because more information about the project is known. Stakeholder needs, wants, and expectations are analyzed and converted into requirements. The assumptions and constraints are analyzed for completeness, with additional assumptions and constraints added as necessary. The project team and other stakeholders, who have additional insight into the preliminary project scope statement, can perform and prepare the analyses.

5-4. : Scope Definition: Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs

Section 5.2.1 Scope Definition: Inputs

.1 Organizational Process Assets

Described in Section 4.1.1.4.

.2 Project Charter

If a project charter is not used in a performing organization, then comparable information needs to be acquired or developed, and used to develop the detailed project scope statement.

.3 Preliminary Project Scope Statement

If a preliminary project scope statement is not used in a performing organization, then comparable information, including the product scope description, needs to be acquired or developed and used to develop the detailed project scope statement.

.4 Project Scope Management Plan

Described in Section 5.1.3.1.

.5 Approved Change Requests

Approved change requests (Section 4.4) can cause a change to project scope, project quality, estimated costs, or project schedule. Changes are often identified and approved while the work of the project is ongoing.

Section 5.2.2 Scope Definition: Tools and Techniques

.1 Product Analysis

Each application area has one or more generally accepted methods for translating project objectives into tangible deliverables and requirements. Product analysis includes techniques such as product breakdown, systems analysis, systems engineering, value engineering, value analysis, and functional analysis.

.2 Alternatives Identification

Identifying alternatives is a technique used to generate different approaches to execute and perform the work of the project. A variety of general management techniques is often used here, the most common of which are brainstorming and lateral thinking.

.3 Expert Judgment

Each application area has experts who can be used to develop portions of the detailed project scope statement.

.4 Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder analysis identifies the influence and interests of the various stakeholders and documents their needs, wants, and expectations. The analysis then selects, prioritizes, and quantifies the needs, wants, and expectations to create requirements. Unquantifiable expectations, such as customer satisfaction, are subjective and entail a high risk of being successfully accomplished. Stakeholders’ interests may be positively or negatively affected by execution or completion of the project and they may also exert influence over the project and its deliverables.

Section 5.2.3 Scope Definition: Outputs

.1 Project Scope Statement

The project scope statement describes, in detail, the project’s deliverables and the work required to create those deliverables. The project scope statement also provides a common understanding of the project scope among all project stakeholders and describes the project’s major objectives. It also enables the project team to perform more detailed planning, guides the project team’s work during execution, and provides the baseline for evaluating whether requests for changes or additional work are contained within or outside the project’s boundaries.

The degree and level of detail to which the project scope statement defines what work will be performed and what work is excluded can determine how well the project management team can control the overall project scope. Managing the project scope, in turn, can determine how well the project management team can plan, manage, and control the execution of the project. The detailed project scope statement includes, either directly or by reference to other documents:

Project objectives. Project objectives include the measurable success criteria of the project. Projects may have a wide variety of business, cost, schedule, technical, and quality objectives. Project objectives can also include cost, schedule, and quality targets. Each project objective has attributes such as cost, a metric such as United States dollars, and an absolute or relative value such as less than 1.5 million dollars.

Product scope description. Describes the characteristics of the product, service, or result that the project was undertaken to create. These characteristics will generally have less detail in early phases and more detail in later phases as the product characteristics are progressively elaborated. While the form and substance of the characteristics will vary, the scope description should always provide sufficient detail to support later project scope planning.

Project requirements. Describes the conditions or capabilities that must be met or possessed by the deliverables of the project to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed documents. Stakeholder analyses of all stakeholder needs, wants, and expectations are translated into prioritized requirements.

Project boundaries. Identifies generally what is included within the project. It states explicitly what is excluded from the project, if a stakeholder might assume that a particular product, service, or result could be a component of the project.

Project deliverables. Deliverables (Section 4.4.3.1) include both the outputs that comprise the product or service of the project, as well as ancillary results, such as project management reports and documentation. Depending on the project scope statement, the deliverables may be described at a summary level or in great detail.
Product acceptance criteria. Defines the process and criteria for accepting completed products.
Project constraints. Lists and describes the specific project constraints associated with the project scope that limit the team’s options. For example, a predefined budget or any imposed dates (schedule milestones) that are issued by the customer or performing organization are included. When a project is performed under contract, contractual provisions will generally be constraints. The constraints listed in the detailed project scope statement are typically more numerous and more detailed than the constraints listed in the project charter.
Project assumptions. Lists and describes the specific project assumptions associated with the project scope and the potential impact of those assumptions if they prove to be false. Project teams frequently identify, document, and validate assumptions as part of their planning process. The assumptions listed in the detailed project scope statement are typically more numerous and more detailed than the assumptions listed in the project charter.

Initial project organization. The members of the project team, as well as stakeholders, are identified. The organization of the project is also documented.

Initial defined risks. Identifies the known risks.

Schedule milestones. The customer or performing organization can identify milestones and can place imposed dates on those schedule milestones. These dates can be addressed as schedule constraints.

Fund limitation. Describes any limitation placed upon funding for the project, whether in total value or over specified time frames.

Cost estimate. The project’s cost estimate factors into the project’s expected overall cost, and is usually preceded by a modifier that provides some indication of accuracy, such as conceptual or definitive.

Project configuration management requirements. Describes the level of configuration management and change control to be implemented on the project.

Project specifications. Identifies those specification documents with which the project should comply.

Approval requirements. Identifies approval requirements that can be applied to items such as project objectives, deliverables, documents, and work.

.2 Requested Changes

Requested changes to the project management plan and its subsidiary plans may be developed during the Scope Definition process. Requested changes are processed for review and disposition through the Integrated Change Control process.

.3 Project Scope Management Plan (Updates)

The project scope management plan component of the project management plan may need to be updated to include approved change requests resulting from the project’s Scope Definition process.

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Scope Definition