When the merchandise scope is known, a project scope management plan must be created. This plan describes how the project scope will be managed and, therefore, any changes in scope are going to be integrated into the project. It also is an assessment of the anticipated stability of the project scope. In other words, it documents the characteristics of the merchandise or service that the project was undertaken to create. As shown in Figure 11.2, the project scope management plan begins at initiation of the project and moves through scope planning, scope definition, scope verification, and scope change control (should this be needed).
The initiation phase includes getting down to develop the scope statement. The scope statement serves to place some boundaries on the project and keeps the scope from increasing as you delve into the meat of the project, which could be a common phenomenon. The scope statement should describe the most important activities of the project so clearly that it can be accustomed assess if extra work is critical because the project process gets going. More simply, it serves to detail exactly what has been agreed to from the start. it’s understood that changes within the project scope require changes within the cost, schedule, and resource projections as these assumptions are made during the project planning and scope writing.
Additionally, the scope statement is accustomed help define where the project’s placement is in a very larger picture. this can be the best place to clarify the relationship of this project to other projects within the total product development effort.
Also considered within the initiation phase is that the overall strategic plan of the organization. All projects should be supportive of the performing organization’s goals, and having a strategic plan helps to create this possible. The project selection criteria also are important to clarify in this phase. this can be an honest time to seem at historical information and look to the results of previous project selection and performance.
The elements included within the initiation phase may include creating a project charter. The project charter is that the product description and business needs the project addresses. Identifying and assigning the project manager should even be one among the results of the initial phase. It is important similarly during this phase to spot constraints that may limit the project team’s options and also identify the assumptions. The assumptions can include factors that may be considered true, real, or certain during the look process which are more rigorously examined within the risk analysis phase of project planning.
The scope planning phase includes the scope statement (scope justification, project product description, project deliverables, project objectives, and supporting detail).
When the most important project deliverables are subdivided into small, more manageable components, the phase is termed scope definition. The scope definition phase is additionally where you’ll see the creation of the WBS.
The scope verification portion of the system is what could also be used to determine if the duty is complete. the method can actually proceed as soon as a deliverable is complete and might be measured, examined, and tested. Once verification is attained, you’ll be able to travel to the subsequent component of the project.
After formal acceptance of the scope (scope verification), scope change control takes place. it’s likely that changes will occur after a project is under way. This phase influences factors that make scope changes to make sure that the changes being made are beneficial.
A change system will include:
✔ Recognizing that a change is required.
✔ Reviewing all requested changes.
✔ Ensuring that any change is useful.
✔ Evaluating the advantages of the requested change.
✔ Identifying alternatives that will achieve the identical result.
✔ Identifying all impacted tasks.
✔ Analyzing these impacts and the way they affect project performance in terms of your time, money, and scope.
✔ Approving or rejecting the request.
✔ Communicating the approved changes to all or any stakeholders.
✔ Changing the baselines for performance monitoring.
✔ Updating the project scope definition.
✔ Implementing the change.
✔ Documenting the change.
It is critical that each one change gets documented by the client before the change happening. The agreement should detail not only what changes must occur, but also how each change will occur and what the impact of the change are going to be on the scope.
Jeb Riordan created a useful flowchart to explain the standard change control process. it’s easier to picture how the choice flows through question points on a diagram, and it makes the change control process seem lots more intuitive.
Once a desire for a change has been identified, the request for change has to be reviewed. If it’s deemed a foul idea to form the change suggested at that point, the difficulty is registered but there’s no change order created or acted upon. If it’s deemed an honest idea to make the change at the time, it must be determined if the approaching change will impact the project plan. If it’ll not impact the project plan, you’ll act and make the change. If it’ll impact the plan, the impact must be assessed and clearly identified, a change order must be prepared outlining the anticipated changes, then that change order must be approved before the change is made.
