Page 115 - Project+

One of the most important elements of the scope management plan, the change

request process, will help master that dreaded demon that plagues every project
manager at one time or another—scope creep. Scope creep involves changing the
project or product scope without having approval to do so and without considering the
impacts that will have on the project schedule, budget, and resources. It is the term
commonly used to describe the changes and additions that seem to make their way into

the project to the point where you’re not managing the same project anymore. Scope
creep usually occurs in small increments over time. A small change here, a small new
addition there, and the next thing you know the project’s overall objectives have
changed. The solution, of course, for preventing scope creep is having a change request
plan.

Scope change is inevitable on most projects. The key to dealing with scope change is
describing how you’ll handle it within the scope management plan.

If the project team defines the basic scope management framework early in the

Planning processes, each team member has a point of reference to communicate with
stakeholders who may come to them with “something they forgot to mention” when the
scope statement was approved. Everyone involved in the project needs to understand
that the rules set up during implementation need to be followed to make any request to
change the scope of the project. Without a documented plan, you will soon find that
interested parties are talking to team members directly and changes are happening

outside of your control. The team members will, understandably, want to try to
accommodate the customer’s needs. But without analysis of the impact of these
changes, adding 10 or 20 minor scope changes may put your schedule or budget or
both in jeopardy.

You may not encounter a lot of questions on the exam regarding the scope

management plan. However, it is an important element in building the scope
statement, controlling scope creep, and preparing the work breakdown structure.
It’s also a component of the scope baseline that consists of the scope management
plan, the scope statement, and the work breakdown structure.

Writing the Scope Statement

The scope statement includes all the components that make up the product or service
of the project and the results the project intends to produce. Although this sounds

simple and straightforward, a poorly defined scope statement can lead to missed
deadlines, cost overruns, poor morale, and unhappy customers. Good scope planning
helps ensure that all the work required to complete the project is defined, agreed on,
and clearly documented.

The scope statement builds on and adds detail to the high-level scope definition you

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