Project Management (eight)-control the scope of the project

After the previous article, identified the project stakeholders, do not rush into the development phase, we have to do is to control the scope of the project, the scope of the project to ensure that the subsequent development will not be due to the project scope changes and do a lot of useless, see the following introduction

Project scope refers to the project work that must be completed in order to achieve the project objectives. In an age when demand is changing and customers are generally claiming that demand is changing in a reasonable and appropriate time, the scope of control projects will face many challenges and require more creativity.

First, determine what the project does not do

Practical experience tells us that when it comes to project scope changes, or when dividing project boundaries, it is more important to determine what the project does not do than to determine what the project does.

The project's duration, cost, and so on are all related to the size of the project scope, so the work included in the project scope must be necessary and sufficient. The same project objectives can be achieved by different ways of working, that is to say, there are different project scopes for the project outcome characteristics and characteristics. However, in the practice of managing a project, it is common to encounter situations where the project objectives are either confused with the scope of the project or that the project goals are met in a way that equates to the unique approach to achieving the project objectives.-Don't know there are other ways to achieve the project goals.

According to the Standish Group survey in 2000, the "minimized project scope" is important to the success of the customer, and its impact on the project is ranked in the "manager level support", "Customer participation", "experienced project manager", "clear business purpose", not fifth place, the impact of 10%.

There are usually several problems in project scope management.

1. Project Plan design Problem

The overall strategy and mode of the project to reach the goal has a great influence on the scope of the project, and this kind of irrationality is not the problem of the project feasible and not, but the decisive problem of the high efficiency and low of the project implementation. The design of the project to achieve the goal is the key to determine whether the project scope is reasonable.

2. Project scope spread problem

For a variety of reasons, project stakeholders will add a lot of "small" unplanned work in the project implementation process, the scope of the project will be like the mountain tiger strange creeping spread. The project manager is not necessarily aware of its deadly damage to the project. Until one day these spreads are caused by quantitative changes that result in a thorough destruction of the project.

In the process of the project, the customer will generally put forward a small, slightly increase the amount of work can be achieved. Although these work is not much related to the characteristics and characteristics of the project results, it will make customers happy and more satisfied. However, the accumulation of these small changes will result in delays in the project, cost overruns, and at that time not only the project sponsors are not satisfied with the project, the customer is also dissatisfied with the project. The customer will not be satisfied with the additional work done by the project team during the project to offset the delay in the project. Moreover, while the extension of the project may be caused by a customer-led spread of the project, there may be some legal disputes if the scope of the spread is not recorded and confirmed.

In order to avoid the spread of the project scope by customers, it is very useful to remember this principle: "Never give in, unless it is exchanged". Changes in the customer's rights, but any project scope changes need to be completed through commercial negotiations (although it may be irregular), must be in the project duration, cost or quality benchmarks to make corresponding, formal changes.

It is therefore important not only to define clearly the needs and objectives of the project, but also to define the boundaries of the project, which is equally important in determining which activities are not part of the project scope.

Second, grasp the details of the project

The degree of detail reflects the management level of an enterprise and a project manager. "The devil is hidden in the details", if not to be hidden in the details of vague, uncertain, unreasonable elements displayed, we can never taste the management of the hungry fun, can never get rid of the inner uneasiness taken for granted.

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is an effective tool to help people uncover the details of a project, as well as to define project scope, project budget and communication.

A WBS is a hierarchical representation of a project's product in order to complete all the work that you have to look at in a product, and all of the content on the way is needed to achieve the ultimate goal of your favorite wood.

Interesting friends can follow this link for more information about WBS Http://baike.baidu.com/view/530736.htm

WBS as an important tool for project management, 85 its scale is very important. If the WBS is too complex and large, it will become the management burden of management. Under normal circumstances, the WBS should be compiled according to the risk level of each element of the working scope and the elements should be decomposed.

Iii. changes in the scope of management.

If the scope of the project changes in the course of implementation, we should change the scope of management.

In order to standardize project change management, a clear change management process is needed to identify and manage all factors within and outside the project that result in exceeding or narrowing the scope of the project. It consists of three main processes:

1. Identify the factors that cause changes in the scope of work

2. Determine the need to change and exert influence to ensure that the change is beneficial

3. Manage those changes that actually occur.

For the change issue, the project scope change request and approval form are as follows

Request for change of project requirements

Project name	Xxxxxx		Applicant		Application Date	2xxx. Xx. Xx
Change Type (Customer fill out)	() changes in the contract, () changes in the time of the change; () cost changes; () personnel changes; () changes in the acceptance criteria, (U) changes in requirements; () schedule changes; () Other:
Original related content (Customer fill out)
Post-Change Content (Customer fill out)
Reason for Change	Actual Work needs
Change Impact Analysis Demand: Progress (unit: Weekday): Cost (unit:): Contract: Other:
Final approval Comments:
Agree () Disagree ()
Reasons for not agreeing

Project Management (eight)-control the scope of the project