Plan and manage scope

Effective scope management is a key skill required of all Project Management Professional (PMP) aspirants, who should be adept in planning and managing a project’s scope. It requires understanding the needs and expectations of stakeholders, defining clear objectives, and monitoring and adjusting project parameters as necessary. This article will delve into deeper discussions on planning and managing a project’s scope.

Project scope, in simple terms, outlines what work is expected to be carried out to deliver a project’s final output. Scope management, therefore, includes processes required to ensure that a project contains all the necessary work, and only the necessary work, to complete the project successfully.

Project Scope Management Processes

There are six processes involved in scope management, as defined by the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge):

• Plan Scope Management: This is the process of creating a scope management plan that documents how the project scope will be defined, validated, and controlled.
• Collect Requirements: This process is where project managers will gather requirements from stakeholders to fully understand their needs and expectations.
• Define Scope: This is where the detailed descriptions of the project’s products, services, or results are developed.
• Create WBS (Work Breakdown Structure): Here, the project’s deliverables and project work are organized with deliverables at higher levels and detailed work packages at lower levels.
• Validate Scope: This includes the formal acceptance of completed project deliverables.
• Control Scope: Involves monitoring the project and product scope and controlling changes to them.

Project Scope Management Plan and Its Importance

A scope management plan is a component of the project or program management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated. This plan is critical as it prevents scope creep, helps to manage stakeholder expectations, reduces disputes among stakeholders, and ensures project success.

A Scope Management Plan typically includes:

• Detailed project scope descriptions.
• Identification and analysis of scope-related risks.
• A clear stakeholder approval process for changes.
• Definition of how deliverables will be accepted.
• Mechanisms for scope control and reporting.

Planning and Managing Project Scope: A Case Study

Suppose we’re managing a project to develop a new mobile application. During the ‘Plan Scope Management’ phase, we create a detailed plan outlining all key components that fall within our project’s scope. This might include items like application design, coding, user interface (UI) design, user experience (UX) design, security features, etc.

In the ‘Collect Requirements’ phase, we consult with all our key stakeholders. This can include developers, designers, representatives from the marketing and sales teams, as well as a group from our target users, to understand their expectations thoroughly.

Then during the ‘Define Scope’ phase, we produce a fully-fleshed scope statement. Here we detail the project objectives, deliverables, milestones, etc., establishing a clear, shared understanding of what our project should deliver.

The ‘Create WBS’ phase involves breaking down project work into smaller, manageable parts. For our mobile app, this could include things like app development, back-end coding, UI/UX design, alpha and beta testing, etc.

Next, the ‘Validate Scope’ phase will come in place once the project’s deliverables have been completed. For example, once our mobile app is ready, it’s sent out to our stakeholders to ensure that it meets their requirements and expectations.

Finally, in the ‘Control Scope’ phase, we monitor and manage any changes to our project’s scope throughout its life cycle.

In conclusion, planning and managing scope is an integral part of project management. Mastering these stages of the process can ensure higher project success rates by aligning stakeholder expectations, mitigating risks, and avoiding unnecessary additions to the project’s scope. This foundational knowledge equips PMP candidates with the skills and insights required to excel on the exam and, more importantly, in their career as project managers.