Recommend options for scope/backlog changes (e.g., schedule, cost changes)

The Project Management Professional (PMP) exam incorporates this reality, urging project managers to prepare for potential scope/backlog changes and offering versatile strategies to manage these changes effectively.

MANAGING SCOPE CHANGES

Scope changes in a project refer to adjustments in the project’s targets, features, or specifications after initial project planning. There can be several reasons for such alterations like market changes, budget adjustments, or new stakeholder requirements.

One of the proven ways to manage scope changes is through the application of change control processes, which typically include:

• Documenting Change Requests: Every scope change should be fully documented in a Change Request Form specifying the nature of the change, its advantages, costs, and the impact on the project timeline.
• Evaluating the Requests: Not all change requests are advantageous for the project; hence they need to be evaluated based on their merits, cost implications, and impacts on the project timeline.
• Making Decisions: The project’s Change Control Board, which usually includes the project manager, key stakeholders, and team leaders, should review the evaluation and decide whether to implement the proposed change or not.
• Communicating the Decision: Once a decision is made, it should be communicated to all the stakeholders and incorporated in the project’s scope management plan, baselines, and project management plan.

MANAGING BACKLOG CHANGES

In Agile project management, the backlog is a priority-ordered list of what is needed to be done for the project to deliver value. Occasionally, adjustments are needed based on changes in project resources, unexpected challenges, or shifts in the client’s priorities.

Key strategies for managing backlog changes include:

• Reprioritization: As backlog changes arise, project managers must reprioritize tasks to ensure that the most vital items are still being addressed first.
• Refinement/Grooming: As new items are added to the backlog, keep it manageable and coherent by removing or combining items, and refining items for clarity and effort estimation.
• Iterative Development: Agile teams handle backlog changes through iterative development, with each sprint addressing a portion of the backlog and adapting to new changes as they arise.
• Stakeholder Communication: Keep stakeholders informed of changes to the backlog, ensuring transparency and understanding of the project’s priority changes.

In terms of managing schedule and cost changes relative to both scope and backlog changes, the EVM (Earned Value Management) concept proves helpful. This quantitative project management technique provides a method to measure project performance regarding schedule and cost. It can undoubtedly tell you if you are ahead of or behind schedule and if you are over or under budget.

For instance, Schedule Variance (SV) and Cost Variance (CV) are two essential indicators of EVM:

CV = Earned Value (EV) – Actual Cost (AC)

SV = Earned Value (EV) – Planned Value (PV)

If CV is negative, the project is over budget, and a positive CV means that your project runs under budget. On the other hand, a positive SV signifies the project is ahead of schedule, and a negative SV means the project is behind schedule. By paying attention to these EVM metrics, project managers can effectively respond to scope or backlog changes—ensuring that project objectives are still met despite alterations along the way.

The key takeaway for aspiring PMP exam takers is to recognize the inevitability of scope/backlog changes in projects and understand the best strategies to address these changes without jeopardizing the entire project. The exam will test your ability to apply these strategies to a range of detailed project scenarios—making them essential knowledge for PMP certification success.