Defining the Scope of a Project
For a project to succeed, the customer and the contractor need to write a Project Scope. It defines what will be done and what will not.
That way, everybody knows the plan, and there will be no surprises.
What is a Project Scope?
The Project Scope is a definition of the end result or “mission” of the project. It is written in terms that are specific and tangible and measurable.
What does it do?
It has three main purposes:
- To clearly define what the customer needs
- To focus the project on the successful completion of its goals
- To be used as a planning tool and for measuring success
Can I get by without it?
Without a Project Scope, a project can easily fail. Here are the top reasons why:
- The contractor produces the wrong project
- Scope Creep
- The project is not completed on time
- The customer is not invested in the outcome
“Scope Creep” means that the scope of work keeps expanding over time due to changing requirements, specifications, and priorities.
How do we write it?
Here are the steps in developing a Project Scope:
- The contractor and customer meet to discuss the project
- Together, they begin drafting the requirements and specifications
- From that, they draft the Project Scope
- From that, they develop the contract and other project documents
Those steps are sometimes referred to as Quality Function Deployment (QFD). That means a structured process of listening to the voice of the customer.
Needs vs. Wants
It is vital to categorize items into two separate lists:
- NEEDS
- WANTS
Those two are often very different. For each line-item, there needs to be a consensus of whether it is a “need” or a “want.”
That consensus should be written into the Project Scope.
PROJECT SCOPE CHECKLIST
▢ Project objective
▢ Deliverables
▢ Milestones
▢ Technical requirements
▢ Limits and exclusions
▢ Reviews with customer
Originally published on January 29, 2017
Last updated on October 28, 2022
TOPICS: Project Management,