Scope Definition
One of the first and most important steps in project management is to flesh out a statement or
scope definition which identifies and describes all work necessary to produce the final product.
The statement establishes the tone for the remainder of the planning efforts and therefore should
be sufficiently detailed. Keep in mind however that being too detailed can be as bothersome as
not providing enough detail.
During the planning phase the project management team should identify and describe all work
that is necessary to bring the project to fruition. The scope definition is meant to ensure that
everyone on the team understands what is expected of them during the project. In addition all
project work that can be reasonably predicted must be ascertained and reported. The scope
definition should also allow for appropriate administrative control during the project
management process.
Suitable scope definition is essential to the success of the project and should be given ample
consideration and thought. If this step is skipped or inadequately developed it will most likely
mean that additional project planning will suffer as a result.
This term is defined in the 3rd edition of the PMBOK but not in the 4th
Related Entries:
Develop Project Scope Statement (preliminary) The phrase develop project scope statement
refers to the activity that occurs during the early period if planning in which...
Activity Definition Activity definition refers to the process of parsing a project into a number
of individual tasks which must be completed...
Product Scope When a project is initiated, and before any particular work commences on it,
it is an important consideration that the...
Scope Planning Scope planning refers to a project management process that defines
boundaries and deliverables. The basic matrix of a scope planning...
Project Scope Statement The project scope statement refers specifically to the input output
mechanism the serves the purpose of providing a narrative description...
Project Management – Dealing with Doomed Projects
Most of us hate to admit that things aren’t working out as planned. But, if you are in project
management long enough, you will get to experience a project cancellation. Sometimes, you can
tell early on that a project has the potential to go very wrong. Warning signs include:
Lack of ownership at the highest level of the organization
Inadequate resources committed at the start of the project
Team infighting and poor communication
Going over budget with no clear timeline for completion
Constant delays in completing schedule milestones
Scope and final goal keep changing
Those final 3 issues can usually be avoided with appropriate planning. However, sometimes you
inherit a project from a previous PM that’s already halfway down the road to nowhere. In that
case, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that you will have to work twice as hard
to breathe life back into the project (if that’s even possible). The good news is that you can
blame everything that’s gone wrong so far on your predecessor. You can do this without
sounding whiny if you offer real solutions to the problems you point out.
What If You Can’t Save a Project?
If obstacles such as high costs, poor design or execution, and changing objectives can’t be
overcome or worked around, it may be best to shut things down. This is a time when your project
management communication skills need to be at their best. A cancelled project can affect morale
throughout your organization. Be sure to solicit input from your full team and other stakeholders
before moving forward with shutting down a project. That way, you will all be in agreement and
you won’t overlook any possible solutions that could save the project.
Follow Proper Cancellation Protocol
Keeping relationships intact and conserving resources are the two main priorities in the actual
cancellation process. If you are performing the project for a client, they should be involved at
each step so they don’t feel like it is all out of their control. If you need to cancel orders with
vendors, do this as soon as possible so they aren’t devoting production capacity to your project
and counting on revenue that’s not going to materialize. When possible, identify ways to reuse
project resources for other scheduled or future projects. Be sure to still recognize and reward
team members for their contributions – it’s usually not their fault that things went wrong.
Add a Kill Switch in Advance Next Time
One part of project management planning that doesn’t get a lot of attention is setting parameters
that will determine when a project should be shut down. This concept should be evaluated during
risk management planning. You should be able to identify a specific point when the ROI for a
project just isn’t going to be worth it. This could be a dollar amount. Or, it could be a timeline.
For example, your organization’s goal might be to bring a certain product or service to market
before a competitor. If you fall 12 months behind, the whole project might become moot.
Rerouting project resources to something that’s more likely to be a “winner” could be the most
strategic choice.
Don’t Get Caught Up in Emotions
Determining the criteria for discontinuing a project ahead of time (and sticking to it) makes it
easier to actually pull the trigger if the time comes. Otherwise, you may get caught up in a cycle
of justifying more and more expenditures on a project that’s a money pit. Like the song says
“You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em”. Getting emotionally involved
in a project and having your pride hurt when you have to let go can be tough. But the sooner you
put a failure behind you, the sooner you can start working on your next success.
Tagged as communication, planning, project management by daisy 21.05.2011
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History and Current Development of Project Management
Ever since there have been work endeavors that could be defined as “projects”, people have been
using management tools and techniques. After all, without some form of planning, organization
and communication strategy, nothing can be effectively accomplished. However, the discipline
that we now think of as project management was first formalized in the 1950s.
The original planning concepts were developed for large engineering, construction, and military
projects. They included mathematical tools for calculating and managing costs, visual tools such
as charts for prioritizing schedule activities, and evaluation tools for determining project scope.
By the late 1960s, several project management organizations including IPMA and PMI had been
formed. Over the next couple of decades a substantial body of knowledge was developed and
published. Several institutes also began offering certification in project management.
How It Has Evolved
Today, project managers have carved out a niche in many public and private industries. Financial
institutions, non-profit organizations, and software development firms are just a few of the
industries that have joined engineering, architecture, and other traditional fields in using PM
principles. Because of the wider application of project management, techniques have changed
dramatically. Some tools from the past (especially diagrams) are still in use, but other simplistic
tools have been replaced with complex software applications. Concepts like risk management
and communications planning have been added to the repertoire of project managers at larger
organizations.
Other factors that have impacted the development of PM methodology include:
Ambitious Scope: Today, many projects are larger in scope than ever before – and global in
scale. Managing a virtual team that is distributed in far flung locations requires a different
approach than overseeing small, local projects. So does dealing with the risks inherent in relying
on suppliers and project partners in countries that vary widely in terms of economic and political
stability, workplace culture, and business practices.
Better Technology: Software that is specifically designed to evaluate, plan, administer,
communicate about, and track projects has been a boon to PMs in every industry. Beyond this,
collaborative tools such as video conferencing have enabled faster and more effective
communication for multi-location projects.
Speed to Market: Innovations in lean manufacturing and supply chain management along with
expectations for a quick turnaround on product development have significantly affected how
projects are managed. The software industry is the most obvious example, but other fields are
following suit. Agile project management is a methodology that has been created as a result of
these market pressures. The PMI has just rolled out an Agile Certification course in response to
the growing interest in this fast, highly flexible way of managing projects.
Tagged as certification, planning, project management by daisy 12.03.2011
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Agile Techniques That Mesh With Traditional Project
Management
Agile project management is an iterative approach that focuses on achieving project objectives in
distinct stages. It is typically used in the software development industry but has some
applications in other fields as well. When the overall scope and specific deliverables are likely to
change throughout the lifecycle of a project, an agile approach can make it easier to keep moving
forward. This methodology is often best suited for use with small to mid-sized projects. For large
scale projects with well-defined deliverables and a high degree of complexity, the agile approach
tends to be less useful. However, this doesn’t mean certain features from the agile “toolbox”
can’t still be used.
Learn as You Go
You might consider a blended approach that involves traditional waterfall and agile methods. For
example, regular meetings that include a review of all lessons learned in the previous week are a
core feature of agile project management that can be incorporated into many projects. Since
stakeholder feedback is a key factor in compiling lessons learned, the project’s communication
management plan must include a way to collect this feedback on an ongoing basis. So, this is an
ideal option for projects that involve a client who likes a very “hands on” role.
Quality Takes Center Stage
The agile method also relies heavily on quality control at each stage (since software must be
tested and debugged). This is another area where PMs in traditional industries would do well to
pay attention. Project quality management should be designed to monitor project deliverables at
crucial junctures. Let’s say component B’s performance is predicated on the quality of
component A. To avoid delays and increased costs, a quality check should be performed during
or immediately after the schedule activity that results in the completion of component A. This
type of quality assurance plan can be developed based on an activity sequencing diagram.
Adaptation Requires Flexibility
No matter how thoroughly you plan, there will always be issues that require change requests.
With an agile attitude, your team doesn’t have to view these as setbacks. Instead, each
modification to the project plan can be seen as an opportunity for brainstorming and problem
solving. A project management team that learns to collaborate is more likely to increase the
value of a project through creative solutions rather than simply suggesting stop-gap measure to
keep the whole thing from falling apart. To make this work, a leadership style that focuses on
developing team members rather than simply issuing instructions is essential. In the long run,
companies that feature a collaborative environment are almost certain to outperform their
competition. So, this is one aspect of the agile method that should be adopted by all businesses
that want to remain viable in today’s marketplace.
Tagged as communication, lessons learned, planning, project management, quality by daisy
19.02.2011
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Project Management Using A Logframe
The Logical Framework Approach (LFA) to project management has been around for about 4
decades. It is a method used for designing a project and aiding in planning – typically for non-
profit organizations. A “logframe” document is the output of the LFA process. It clearly displays
the overall design of a project using a visual matrix and text. This can be a valuable tool for PMs
to use during initial stakeholder communication because it boils down even complex projects to a
basic summary. The types of items covered in a logframe are:
1. Project objectives (ultimate purpose/goals and tangible outputs)
2. Activities that must be completed to achieve these objectives
3. Resources required to carry out schedule activities
4. Assumptions regarding external and internal factors (risks, challenges, and opportunities) that
may impact the project
5. Metrics that will be used to verify that the project’s objectives have been achieved
This document is not intended to show a full work breakdown structure or all aspects of project
scope and schedule. Instead, its purpose is to cut through the noise and clarify the essentials.
Jumping straight into detailed planning without putting this framework in place can cause a
project to drift off course without anyone fully realizing it. For example, the scope might
increase to include goals that cannot be objectively measured. “Fuzzy” goals that are inserted by
well meaning project management team members and stakeholders rarely add value to a project
and usually drain resources that could be better applied elsewhere. If high value objectives are
identified later in the project, these can be added to the logframe as needed – as long as the other
aspects of the matrix are also updated to take this new factor into account.
Matrix Format
The framework is set up as a table with rows and columns covering each basic aspect of the
project and showing the logical relationship between these components. Some project
management experts who use a logframe recommend starting with a list of problems. For
example: “Mobile clinics in the XYZ region of Africa cannot adequately sterilize multiple use
instruments leading to high rates of patient infection after surgical procedures”. This would then
be restated as a series of positive actions or solutions such as the ultimate goal of reducing post-
operative infections in patients served by these mobile clinics. The immediate purpose of the
project would be to provide a means for the clinics to efficiently and thoroughly sterilize all
instruments. The output might be the delivery and installation of a portable autoclave unit for
each clinic. The activities might be sourcing a reliable medical equipment vendor, arranging the
logistics of delivery, and determining how the autoclaves would be tested and serviced regularly
once in place to ensure optimal operation. The resources or inputs required can be listed on the
matrix at the intersection of activities and measurable indicators.
Objective Measurable Means of Assumption
s Indicators Verification s
Goal
Purpose
Outputs
Activities
The diagram shown here is a very simple version of a logframe. These matrices can be more
complex and include different column and row headers if desired. Here’s a good example from
the DFID that includes milestones and other project management planning features.
Tagged as planning, project management by daisy 12.02.2011
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Types of Performance Reporting
Performance reporting can take place as part of any project management process group. But it is
most commonly associated with Execution and Control/Monitoring processes. The information
in these reports is distributed to stakeholders according to the communications management plan.
There are many aspects of performance that may be covered in such reports. Here are some of
the most common:
Cost & Budget
Cost updates are usually of primary interest to stakeholders in upper management who are under
pressure to keep spending to a minimum. These reports make it possible to determine how
closely a project is adhering to the planned budget. If it becomes obvious that the estimated
budget is inadequate, the cost baseline may be raised. Or, other aspects of the project scope may
be adjusted to reduce costs. These corrective actions typically require input from multiple
stakeholder groups to reach an effective solution.
General Performance
For stakeholders who need a look at the bigger picture, performance reporting may cover
variances in both cost and schedule – as these are usually interrelated. Timekeeping software that
logs hours worked on a project can be useful for generating this type of report. For example, it
can highlight whether the planned amount of human resources (as measured in labor hours) are
being devoted to achieving project milestones. If the hours worked are fewer than planned, it
would be easy to figure out that unexpected cost savings are tied to the fact that the project work
is being delayed. Forecasting that updates the anticipated completion of various schedule
activities is another critical part of overall performance reporting.
Quality Control
When there are shortfalls in the quality of project work, reporting must happen in stages. First,
there is the notification about the initial quality variance. Next is the suggested course of action
(along with the reasoning behind the decision). Finally, the outcome of the course correction is
reported. Skipping one of these steps can lead to lack of confidence on the part of stakeholders.
For example, hiding the fact that there is a problem in the first place makes others think there
may be even worse problems lurking under the surface. Notifying stakeholders about a quality
issue but failing to communicate about how it will be fixed may leave them wondering if the
issue is being taken seriously. Not reporting on the outcome makes them assume the project
management team isn’t following through effectively.
Other Reporting Aspects
Contract performance is an important reporting area in projects that require substantial
acquisition of resources. These reports can measure how well a vendor is adhering to contract
terms. This information can be used to determine whether a vendor should be incentivized or
penalized and if they will be permitted to bid on future projects.
Risk reporting is not a common practice in project management, but perhaps it should be. Over
the course of any large project, the risks tend to change rather than remaining static. Accurate
assessments and reporting can have a significant impact on decision making.
Lessons learned are considered organizational process asset updates. These lessons are actually
collected throughout the project but might only be reported formally during the closing process.
Tagged as project management, reporting by daisy 05.02.2011
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Project Management Process Groups
According to the PMBOK, one way project management can be defined is as a series of five
process groups. These aren’t phases. Instead, each group consists of specific activities. Some of
these activities may be reiterated multiple times throughout the project (e.g., for each phase). In
addition, the output from one process may become the input for the next process. This means
there is often a definable flow in how the processes are connected, but several processes may
also overlap and/or be repeated in the project timeline.
Initiating
This is the first process group. Its purpose is to achieve authorization for a project and define its
objectives. The general scope, duration, resources, and desired final output are described. The
project management team may actually have only limited input at this point depending on the
organizational structure. For example, the project may be initiated by another department when a
need arises that requires a complex solution outside their ability to achieve through their normal
mode of operation. This initiated project may then be assigned to a project manager for
fulfillment. Outputs for this process include the project charter and a preliminary SOW.
Planning
This process involves determining how the newly initiated project will actually be carried out.
This includes refining the information developed during initiation and reviewing the resources
needed (including human resources). Planning also entails identifying risks that may affect the
project and deciding how these will be handled. Quality and communication planning take place
as part of this process group. Cost management and procurement strategies are addressed as well.
A WBS including various deliverables and work packages is constructed and schedule activities
are defined and sequenced.
Executing
The execution process group involves taking steps to act upon and complete the project work
according to the procedures outlined during the planning stage. Any approved changes are
implemented as part of this group. Coordination, communication, direction, and management
skills are all essential to these processes. The project management team is acquired and
developed and contact with vendors is initiated. Reports about project progress, quality, and
challenges are a core component of the information distribution aspect of execution.
Monitoring & Controlling
These processes occur concurrently with all the other process groups. Observation, problem
identification, and correction are the three basic purposes of monitoring and controlling. Any
variances from the project’s initial objectives and the project plan may be cause for concern. This
process ensures that only approved changes are made so the project doesn’t morph into
something unrecognizable over time. A well developed system for collecting and analyzing data
is required for appropriate monitoring and controlling. Quality control plays a significant role in
this group of processes.
Closing
This process finalizes a project and closes it out. This activity often includes satisfying the terms
of any outstanding contracts. The project manager must ensure that other processes (planning,
execution, monitoring) are complete and the final deliverables are ready to be handed off to the
end user or stakeholder group. Ideally, there should be no loose ends upon closure.
Tagged as process groups, project management by daisy 28.01.2011
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