If you want to succeed as a project manager, you need to have a clear understanding of what is necessary to achieve specific goals in a project. You also need to map out how to get to each goal faster. Regardless of the complexity or size of the project, it is the responsibility of the project manager to make sure everything is finished on time. One of the most effective ways to do that is through scope management.
When executed properly, scope management can help you keep track of all the little details of the project by tracking the bigger objectives. It allows you to achieve the project’s main objectives by allocating just the right amount of work necessary to the best people that can guarantee success. It also improves overall control by focusing only on what’s included in the project.
Overview
Scope management is essentially a set of processes that, as the name suggests, ensure the project’s scope is properly mapped and defined. Through these processes, it’s easier for project managers to make decisions regarding distribution of costs and labor for the project.
They are as follows:
1. Planning
This step deals with capturing and defining the kind of work that is needed to be completed.
2. Controlling
In this process, the focus is on documenting, scope creep, tracking, and whether changes will be approved or not.
3. Closing
This includes analyzing the original plan’s outcomes auditing project deliverables.
Scope Statement
Although it’s not part of the three processes, another vital component for scope management is defining the scope in a statement. After clearly understanding the processes involved, you need to create a document that delineates the entire project.
Through the documentation of the scope of the project, you can indicate details on the boundaries of the project. It also features the expected responsibilities of each team member and provides procedures on how each work completed will be verified and finally approved.
This type of paperwork can be referred to as your scope statement, terms of reference, or the statement of work.
Tips for an Effective Scope Management
- All members of your team should have a say in the process of scoping your entire project.
- When gathering requirements, don’t forget to get the participation of all stakeholders.
- To prevent any last-minute changes, be sure to constantly confirm deliverables with your customer.
- Include all deliverables in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) as much as you can.
- Always make sure the project scope goes through the Change Control step.
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Schedule, budget, and scope are the most important criteria when making a successful project. Out of those three, the scope should be your top priority because it allows you to direct everything in the project.
If you encounter a scope creep, your project will be delayed because the budget and schedules are affected. Still, you should keep in mind that all of these three components of success are closely related and intertwined.
Here at Bydrec, we have experts capable of effectively filling in the technical gaps of your project. We provide nothing but the best project scope management services in the industry right now. Got questions? We’d be glad to answer all of them! Feel free to contact us today for more information.
