YaBlog

The Ins and Outs of Project Scope


Paul Dobinson | April 14, 2015

“This isn’t what I wanted? This project is driving me crazy, will it ever end? They didn’t understand what I meant!”

scope

Does this sound familiar? If so, you’ve probably entered into a project with a poorly laid out project scope. You’re not alone – 85% of projects go overtime and over budget!

Wikipedia defines Project Scope as “the work that needs to be accomplished to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions.” Too often, we enter into a situation where the project is loosely defined and we experience the dreaded scope creep – new features are added as the project progresses and the longer the length of the project, the greater the chance there is of this happening. Scope creep increases the cost of the project, the complexity and time to completion and ultimately the profitability of the organisation.

So, what can be done to prevent it? When defining the scope, what does the project manager need to understand at the outset? How do we keep a project on track and on budget?

Requirement analysis – customers don’t always know exactly what they want and often provide vague ideas of the solution they require. As their knowledge of the project increases through the process they then have new ideas which change the original plan. It is therefore vital to have an initial understanding and education of the process and what needs to be achieved.

Involve users from the outset – don’t make assumptions about what people need. A Project Board needs to include representatives from the executive, supplier and user.

Understand the complexity of the project – has it been done before? What were the lessons learned? How can we improve next time?

Process of change control – any project will likely have changes. How we manage, document and approve them is important to keeping the project on track and on budget.

Communicate – often a project can run off track because of unclear internal and external communication, or using the wrong tools to manage the project. Clear communication at all levels is key to success.

So what should the scope include? It should contain, but not be limited to, the following:

Justification – a brief statement outlining the business need the project will address. This is the business case for the customer.

Product scope description – the unique characteristics of the products, services, and solution your project will produce. For example, in a website build, the description of the sitemap and unique functionality.

Completion criteria – how will we know the project is complete? These are the conditions that must be met in order for a project to be considered finished.

Deliverables – the objectives, or what the final result will be.

Project exclusions – statements about what the project will not accomplish or produce.

Constraints – restrictions that limit what you can achieve, how and when you can achieve it, and how much achieving it can cost.

Assumptions – statements about how you will address uncertain information as you conceive, plan, and perform your project.

Get the scope right. Work closely with the client and make an effort to truly understand and implement the right solution for them. This will give the project the best chance of being delivered on time and on budget, creating a solution that meets the expectations of all parties.

Category: ,

Tags:Tags: , , , , , ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Read more YaBlogs...

marketing-board-strategy

Finding Your Social Media Voice

Chelsea Oliver | June 22, 2016

Category: , , , ,

Is your business active on social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest? If so, do your profiles use…

Read More
social media header

The Benefits of Social Media in 2016

Chelsea Oliver | May 24, 2016

Category: , , ,

It’s 2016 and social media is as popular as ever. With new networks like Instagram and SnapChat taking centre stage,…

Read More
pexels-photo-30342

It’s 2016… Stop Doing This on LinkedIn

Chelsea Oliver | May 12, 2016

Category: , ,

As of April this year, LinkedIn had a staggering 433 million users – that’s 2 new users per second! A…

Read More
coffee-smartphone-desk-pen

4 Golden Rules for Choosing the Right Business Name

Chelsea Oliver | March 15, 2016

Category: , ,

Launching a small business? You need a name! One of the most important career decisions you’ll make, the name of…

Read More
google

Google-Optimizing Your Website for 2016

Chelsea Oliver | February 2, 2016

Category: , ,

It’s 2016 and a new year is a great time for a search engine optimization tune-up. The better your SEO,…

Read More
BS_65039677_720x368_72_RGB

Where We Think Content Marketing is Heading in 2016

Chelsea Oliver | January 25, 2016

Category: , , ,

If you’re anything like the team here at Yabsta, you’re probably wondering exactly where the time went – how is…

Read More

Contact Us

General Inquiries

Gary Taylor

Email: grt@yabsta.com

Phone: 1 (441) 278-1000

Sales Team

Bermuda

Antoinette Richardson

Email: aharris@bermudayp.com

Swan Building, 26 Victoria Street,
Hamilton, Bermuda HM 12

Cayman

Delisia Ebanks

Email: delisia@yabstadigital.com

Yabsta Digital

23 Lime Tree Bay, 2nd Floor, Governors Square, West Bay Road, Grand Cayman
Mail: P.O. Box 31112, Grand Cayman KY1-1205

Phone: +1 (345) 743-0035

USA

Joanne Weeks

Email: weeks@yabsta.com

Phone: 360-678-7119

Jersey CI & Guernsey CI

Katy Wright

Email: kwright@yabsta.com

UK

Tony Danisz

Phone: 1903820737