Project scope and activities INFO 638Lecture #21

Project Scope In Traditional Project Management (TPM), it is assumed that you can determine the goal of the project from the onset The adaptive or extreme management methods examined later will allow this not to be true Capture key project objectives in the Project Overview Statement (POS) INFO 638Lecture #22

Role of the POS The POS captures key objectives of the project, such as the Conditions of Satisfaction (COS) It should be a short document (1-2 pp) The COS should convey what the project is expected to deliver and accomplish It should be reviewed and updated throughout the project – it isn’t static It is negotiated with the customer INFO 638Lecture #23

Role of the POS The POS is a communications tool among the project manager, their development team, the customer, and the project manager’s boss (upper or senior management) The POS is a concise statement of the project, and a summary of its justification to continue INFO 638Lecture #24

Other Views The POS and COS are often known by other terms, like the Vision or Mission of the project POS and COS are Wysocki’s terminology INFO 638Lecture #25

Generating the POS Often the POS is developed through an iterative process The customer makes a request for some major aspect of the product (key set of features, for example) The developer asks to clarify the request The customer provides a response Customer and developer agree on the response Repeat the previous four steps until done INFO 638Lecture #26

Non-traditional POS Uses The POS can help understand a project even if not starting from scratch Inheriting a project from someone else Using a POS as a suggestion to start an unsolicited project Use a POS as a reference to guide your team during development INFO 638Lecture #27

Parts of a POS The POS has five major sections Problem/opportunity Goal Objectives Success criteria Assumptions, risks, obstacles Each is typically a few paragraphs long INFO 638Lecture #28

Problem/opportunity This section summarizes major problems the project will fix, and identify significant new opportunities of which it will take advantage Like the INFO 503 analysis method of the same name, this helps prove there is significant motivation for the project to occur INFO 638Lecture #29

Goal The goal gives direction and purpose to the project, summarizing how the organization will address the problems, or act on the opportunities Don’t commit to specific time or cost goals – the scope of the project is too vague for that INFO 638Lecture #210

Objectives The objective statements elaborate on the goal, and clarify its scope or boundaries If you meet all the objectives, then the goal must also be met Each objective should define an expected outcome, the rough time frame it will be done, a measure, and the action needed to meet the objective INFO 638Lecture #211

Success criteria Imagine the project is done, and you want to prove how much the organization benefited from it What specific measures could you make to prove the project was worthwhile? These are your success criteria Typical criteria are increased revenue, reduced costs, improved service, etc. INFO 638Lecture #212

Assumptions, risks, obstacles This is an executive summary of major assumptions the project is based upon, key risks to manage, and foreseeable obstacles that will need to be overcome Particularly focus on areas you might need help managing More details will appear in the Project Definition Statement (PDS) INFO 638Lecture #213

POS Attachments The POS can have attachments for more information on the project Most common are A risk analysis (to show more detail than given earlier), and/or A financial analysis (such as cost-benefit analysis, feasibility studies, ROI, etc.) INFO 638Lecture #214

POS Approval The POS is submitted to middle or upper management for approval The expected outcome is to continue more detailed planning and analysis for the project INFO 638Lecture #215

Expand POS into PDS The Project Definition Statement (PDS) expands on the POS in two key areas Objectives can be more specific, and use more technical language to convey their exact intent Assumptions, risks, obstacles can cover more details of interest to the development team INFO 638Lecture #216

Summary of Project Scope The POS and PDS capture the key concepts needed to Understand the basis for the project (why does it need to exist?) Demonstrate understanding of the project risks, context, and concerns Provide an outline of objectives the project will (hopefully) achieve And therefore justify approval for the project to continue INFO 638Lecture #217