Project Scope Management
Prior to the onset of modern project management, the success criteria of a project lay solely on the technical success, or scope of the resulting product or service. Today, adherence to budget and schedule form a triangle of success factors alongside scope, with client satisfaction also developing as a key determinant of project success (Kerzner, 2004). However, the delivery of project scope will always take precedence over all other project factors, because if a project fails to deliver on its original intention, need or functionality, the project will always be considered as a failure. This essay will analyse the adequacy of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge’s (PMBOK) definition of Project Scope Management in relation to other literature, and explore the relevancy of the processes outlined in the PMBOK to all projects – both big and small.
When defining scope in the context of projects, it is important to contrast between product scope and project scope. Product scope refers to the features and functions that characterize a product, service or result, while project scope refers to the work that is needed to be accomplished to deliver the product, service or result with specified features and functions (Project Management Institute, 2008). Although the product scope is the desired end result of the project, or the what”, project scope considers the “how” and the wide range of processes, technologies and methods that can be used to reach the objective. Project scope management is a further extension to this and refers to the managerial processes or methodologies required to plan and execute the project scope There are a significant number of definitions for project scope manegement with the same basic message. UTS (2006) describes project scope most concisely as “what the project contains or delivers” (UTS: Project Management, 2006). The PMBOK builds on this common understanding of project scope and adds three important features.
When defining scope in the context of projects, it is important to contrast between product scope and project scope. Product scope refers to the features and functions that characterize a product, service or result, while project scope refers to the work that is needed to be accomplished to deliver the product, service or result with specified features and functions (Project Management Institute, 2008). Although the product scope is the desired end result of the project, or the what”, project scope considers the “how” and the wide range of processes, technologies and methods that can be used to reach the objective. Project scope management is a further extension to this and refers to the managerial processes or methodologies required to plan and execute the project scope There are a significant number of definitions for project scope manegement with the same basic message. UTS (2006) describes project scope most concisely as “what the project contains or delivers” (UTS: Project Management, 2006). The PMBOK builds on this common understanding of project scope and adds three important features.