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By N2H

How project scope contributes to project success

According to PMBOK scope management includes”the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully” i.e. what work is to be and what is not to be done in the project. Project scope management includes five areas these are: scope planning, scope definition, creation of a work breakdown structure (WBS), scope verification and scope control. These five areas contribute to the success of a project in different ways.

Scope planning helps to define what work is to be done by developing a broad definition of the work to be carried. It helps to provide a mental picture of what the project sponsors want accomplished and produces a document that acts as an agreement between the project sponsors and project manager on what the final deliverable will be. Scope planning aids in understanding of the project by developing a project scope management plan that details how the project scope will be defined, documented and managed by the project team (PMBOK) 

Scope definition involves stating in details the project requirements and deliverables by breaking down the scope statement into smaller understandable statements. It helps in identifying the constraints and assumptions associated with the project. It also defines the baseline for performance and this provides the project manager with a clear understanding of the requirements, constraints, risks, deliverables, cost estimates and approval requirements, thus help in the resource planning process of the project. It also aids in communicating clear work responsibilities.

Creation of a work breakdown structure acts as a communication tool, it aids in the accurate understanding of the work to be done and what is to be delivered. Work breakdown structure also helps in planning for costs, schedules and other resources that are needed. This is done by breaking down activities in smaller manageable tasks that can be easily monitored, controlled and allocated resources thus ensuring project success. Work breakdown structure is also used by project managers to measure performance. According to Rad”if the work breakdown structure is used as the common skeleton for the schedule and the estimate, it facilitates communication among professionals implementing the project.”

Scope verification according to PMBOK involves the formal acceptance of the completed project scope and deliverables by the stakeholders. It ensures project success by acting as a reference point of what is expected by the project stakeholders and how the project deliverables will be verified, approved and signed-off. It involves reviews where deliverables are inspected and examined to determine whether they conform to quality standards set by the project stakeholders and if they accomplish the requirements that the project stakeholders intended.

Scope control involves managing actual changes to the scope of the project. It ensures project success by monitoring and controlling changes to the scope of the project thus preventing scope creep that can cause budget overruns and delays in project delivery. It also ensures that any change to the scope of the project is beneficial to the project as a whole and do not affect the performance of the deliverables.

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