What is a Project Scope?
The project scope (PS) is a part of planning which involves determining and documenting specific project deliverables and tasks, costs, and deadlines. The documentation of a PS is known as a Scope Statement or Terms of Reference. The scope statement outlines the boundaries of a project, assigns roles to each member, and lays out the procedures for verifying and approving completed work.
This documentation will help the team stay focused on the task and remain on track during the project. The scope statement provides guidelines to the team for making decisions regarding change requests throughout the project. A project’s statement of scope should not be confused with its charter. The charter is merely a document that documents the existence of the project.
As large projects progress, they tend to evolve. It will be easier to manage and approve changes if a project is “scoped” effectively at the start. stakeholders must be specific when defining a PS to avoid scoping creep. Scope creep occurs when a PS increases due to poor planning, miscommunication, or a lack of communication.
Effective scope management requires good communication. This ensures that everyone in the team is aware of the scope of the project, and can agree on how it will be completed. The team leader can use scope management to ask stakeholders for their approvals as the project progresses. This will ensure that the finished product meets the needs of all.
How to Define a Project’s Scope
The project stakeholders must be involved in defining the scope of the project. The project stakeholders work closely with the project manager to determine the budget, timeline, quality, and objectives.
Project managers must first collect the requirements of the stakeholders to determine the scope. This includes elements such as:
- The project’s objectives and deliverables
- When the project must be finished;
- How much can the stakeholder pay?
It is important to record and gather accurate and precise information so that the PS accurately reflects all requirements. This increases the likelihood that project leaders will deliver products on time and within budget.
What is the importance of defining a PS?
The first step in project planning is to write a PS document, which includes information about the project deliverables. A PS statement can be beneficial to an organization that is launching a new initiative.
- It is important to explain the PS so that all parties can understand it.
- This guide helps managers to allocate tasks, plan work, and budget accordingly.
- Helps team members focus on common goals
- Prevents complex projects from going beyond their original vision.
By defining the scope of a project, you can ensure that it is focused and carried out according to your expectations. Scope provides a solid foundation for managing the project and ensures that resources aren’t wasted or diverted on elements outside of scope.
