Scope Management

“Project Scope Management is defined as the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully” (Mathur, 2007). From the definition we conclude that project scope could exceed identified requirements, which could result in project failure, that because project successful completion requires defined and agreed upon scope, else project could fail.

There are many problems in the scope that make it one of the most critical and hard to control within the project lifecycle, scope could be ambiguous and this ambiguity could lead to misperception and needless work. As well project scope could be incomplete, and this leads to schedule slips as mentioned by Mathur. Other scope problems are collaborative, which leads to misunderstandings of requirements and confusion. In addition to those problems, scope creep could result due to the scope being transient; this leads to never ending projects and late deliveries. All those problems could lead to project failures, cost over run and late deliveries, Mathur said that more than 70% of projects fail, and in those 70% its rarely technical reason behind failure (Mathur, 2007). Concrete and solid scope management doesn’t mean that all changes are not accepted during project lifecycle, sometimes there are necessary changes, if not performed project could fail. But the process of controlling those changes should take place to insure proper change and scope control.

Changes during project lifecycle should be controlled, from the beginning to the end; else it will increase the workload on all team members and without any proper outcome. Changes should go through the proper evaluation, justification and approval channels, to insure that all those changes fit for project purpose, and allocate budget and time frame for those changes. As well, any nice to have or not mandatory change should be kept in a wish list. Not doing so will lead to improper scope management and hence project failure or delayed. If the scope is not managed in a correct way, it will definitely lead to unsuccessful projects. On the other hand, proper scope management will increase percentage and possibility of having successful projects.

Scope management is one of the most important knowledge areas in project management; this is due to the importance of the project scope and its impact on project status being a success or a failure.

Reference:

Atkinson, R., Crawford, L., & Ward, S., (2006), Fundamental uncertainties in projects and the scope of project management, International Journal of Project Management, Volume 24, Issue 8, November 2006, Pages 687-698, ISSN 0263-7863, 10.1016/j.ijproman.2006.09.011. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263786306001438)

(Accessed 14 January 2012)

Mathur, A., (2007), ‘Improve Project Success with Better Scope Management’, PM World Today - August 2007 (Vol. IX, Issue VIII), [Online], Available from:

http://www.pmforum.org/library/tips/2007/PDFs/Mathur-8-07.pdf (Accessed 14 January 2012)