UNIT 4 — PROJECT SCOPE
What is Project Scope?
Scope = refers to all the work that needs to be done to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and
functions.
It defines what is included in the project and, equally important, what is not included.
Two kinds: Product Scope — The features or functions of the deliverable.
(Example: “The app shall allow users to log in with two-factor authentication.”)
Project Scope — The work required to deliver that product.
(Example: “Design, develop, test, and deploy the app.”)
scope management defines the boundaries of effort and helps prevent wasted work.
The Triple Constraint- Project Management Triangle.”
Every project is constrained by three main factors:
1. Scope (work) (PERFORMANCE)
2. Time (schedule)
3. Cost (budget)
These three factors are interdependent. If one of them changes, the other two are affected.
If you increase scope, you need more time or budget.
If you shorten time, scope or quality may suffer.
How Do You Know What Work to Manage?
You identify it using:
The Project Charter or Statement of Work (SOW) — defines high-level deliverables. Sow is all aspects of the project
The Scope Statement — details what’s in and out of the project..
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) — breaks the scope into smaller, manageable pieces (decomposition of work)
Requirements- Requirements are formal statements of what the project must achieve. Usually written as “shall” statements.
Example: “The system shall attain a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet.”
Requirements can be:
Explicit (stated) — directly requested by the client.
Derived (implied) — necessary to make the system work but not explicitly stated.
Good requirements are measurable and testable to avoid ambiguity.
Scope Creep- Scope Creep refers to the uncontrolled expansion of a project’s scope without proper approval or
adjustments to time, cost, or resources. It often occurs when new features or tasks are added informally after the
project has started.
It usually happens when:
o Requirements aren’t clearly defined,
o Stakeholders make informal requests,
o The project team keeps “gold-plating” (adding extras).
Ex- Exterior walls shall meet an R factor of 21” ✅ Clear and measurable
Project Charter
The Project Charter is a formal documentation that officially authorizes the project. It gives the project manager the
authority to apply resources and begin project work.
It:
o Names the project manager,
o Defines objectives and deliverables,
o Gives authority to use resources.
Statement of Work (SOW)
A narrative description of the work required for a contract. It defines the project’s scope, objectives, deliverables, and
standards of performance.
Purpose: Outlines what will be done and how success will be measured.
Prepared by: Usually the customer, but often refined by the project manager and team.
Good SOW includes:
Background (why the project exists), applicable documents, objectives, tasks, deliverables, government-furnished
property, security requirement, period of performance.
The SOW provides the foundation for the WBS and schedule.
Project Management Plan
The Project Management Plan integrates all subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, etc.)
It becomes the baseline for measuring progress.
Once approved, changes can only be made through formal change control.
Change Control Process
The Change Control Process ensures that all changes are reviewed, approved, and documented before implementation.
1. Request Phase: Someone(stakeholder) proposes a change (e.g., a new feature).
2. Impact Analysis Phase: The project team analyzes cost, schedule, and performance impacts.
3. Review Phase: The Change Control Board (CCB) reviews and decides on the request made.
4. Approval/Denial/ Deferral: If approved, a contract modification is issued.
Budgeting for Change- When changes are approved, project managers use different funding sources:
Distributed Budget (DB): Already assigned to work packages.
Undistributed Budget (UB): Reserved but not yet assigned.
Management Reserve (MR): used For unforeseen problems.
Financial/Contingency Reserve (FR): For foreseen/ known risks.
Closing the Project
When work is done:
Ensure all contractual obligations/ agreements are complete.
Document lessons learned for future projects.
Update Organizational Process Assets (OPAs) and Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs).
Measure stakeholder satisfaction.
This is the “Exit” phase. The closing process ensures that nothing is left incomplete and that future projects can learn from past
experiences.