Daddy, Build Me a House!
Project Success Through
Scope Definition
By
John Dittmer
PMP, CISSP-ISSMP
Welcome and
Why the Funny Title?
• My goal is teach an essential
lesson about Project Management in
an original and entertaining manner
• My son, Jack, was my inspiration in
developing this presentation
• Unless the project’s scope is
defined well, many PM activities will
fail their purpose, perhaps the whole
project
My Inspiration (Part 1)
• My son, Jack, is a six year old boy who
likes to play with his blocks and other
building toys. These are pictures of when
he was three when I first developed this
lecture.
• Back then, when I get home, he wanted me
to help him build houses, cars, planes, etc.
Now, he’s quite the Lego builder.
• Jack’s bright but he is still learning how to
communicate (Hint: Major role of a PM)
My Inspiration (Part 2)
• In many ways, Jack is in the role of
a customer since he is receiving the
project’s product or service
• The critical activity in our projects
is understanding and defining what
the customer wants
– Drives most of the PM activities
– Until I understood that, he would get
frustrated because he was not getting
what he wanted while I was getting
frustrated for wasting time and effort
My Inspiration (Part 3)
• The primary lesson is to understand
the project scope and what the
customer/stakeholder wants (A.K.A.
Requirements Analysis)
– Break it down (WBS helps)
– Clarify points which may get
misunderstood (who, what, where, why
and how)
– Don’t be afraid to ask questions or
challenge assumptions
– Understand your constraints and
deliverables
Someone Agrees with Me!
PMI loves all of her knowledge
area “children” equally, but out
in the real world there is one
that I believe deserves your
extra undivided attention and
that is scope.
- The Project Scope Is King by
Cindy Vandersleen
Negative Example:
VH-71 Kestrel
Was designed to be the next
Presidential Helicopter, replacing the
VH-3D and VH-60N
•
• Original projected cost was to be
$6.1B
Negative Example:
VH-71 Kestrel (Part 2)
• Cancelled when projected cost was
reaching $13B, with unit cost at $400M,
more expensive than the VC-25 (Boeing
747) planes used for Air Force One.
• PM did not anticipate changes in design
and implementing new technologies.
So What is Project Scope? (Part 1)
• Project Scope (Formal Definition):
Any and all work that is set and or
scheduled and or required to be
performed or completed in order to
ultimately facilitate delivery of the
final required products, services,
and or results that may have a series
of specified features and functions
associated with them.
(Source – PMBOK, 4th Edition)
So What is Project Scope?
(Part 2)
• Project Scope (Real Definition):
It is the “what you are doing” on the
project.
(Source – Project Scope is King by
Cindy Vandersleen, article at
http://www.pmhut.com/the-projectscope-is-king)
What does Project Scope
Consist of?
• Actual functions
• Actual features
• Actual characteristics
They make up and delineate the
entirety of a particular service,
result, or project.
(Source – http://www.project-managementknowledge.com/definitions/p/product-scope/)
Scope is One of the Triple
Constraints
(Source – PMP Exam Prep Boot Camp Guide)
Quality
Scope
Yes, it is that important!!! Changes in one constraint
will affect one or more of the others.
Project Scope Activities
• Link project scope to the
underlying needs that created the
project
• Link project scope to the
enterprise’s strategic goals or plans
• This will lead to better Work
Breakdown Structures (WBSs) and
project schedules
(Source – PMP Exam Prep Boot Camp Guide)
So What is Project Scope
Management?
• Project Scope (Formal Definition):
Ensuring that the work required to
complete the project successfully is
done, nothing more
• No gold-plating allowed!
(Source – PMBOK, 4th Edition)
Project Scope
Management Processes
• Scope Planning
• Scope Definition
• Create WBS
• Scope Verification
• Scope Control
(Source – PMBOK, 4th Edition)
So What is Project Scope
Definition?
• Project Scope Definition (Formal
Definition): Updating the preliminary
scope statement by further refining it
and adding detail as information
becomes known.
• Used to create a detailed project
scope statement
(Source – PMBOK, 4th Edition)
Project Scope Statement
• Provides a narrative description of the
entirety of the scope for the respective
project.
• Narrative description should include:
– Any and all semblances of major deliverables
– Project assumptions
– Project objectives that have been determined
– Project constraints
– Statement of work that has been drawn up by
the project management team and or the
project management team leader
(Source – PMBOK, 4th Edition)
Risk Management &
Scope Definition
• In order to prevent scope
creep, a successful PM should
anticipate likely project risks and
develop risk mitigation
strategies
• PM should establish criteria for
defining excessive risk (e.g. ROI
on a new technology not being
achieved)
Follow-Up Activities
• Scope Verification: A QA process or
technique applied by the PM whereby an
evaluation of a component, product or service
is completed at the end of a phase or project
to verify or confirm that it satisfies all of the
regulations or specification requirements.
• Scope Control: One of the keys to effective
project management. Good PM requires
managing scope so project goals can be
obtained on time without leaving out
resolution of items that are critical to the
project’s success.
(Source: – PMBOK, 4th Edition)
Earned Value Management &
Scope Definition
• In order to prevent scope creep
and track project progress, a
successful PM could employ the
use of Earned Value Management
(EVM) techniques
EVM Chart Examples (Time)
EVM Chart Examples (Cost)
EVM Chart Examples
(Time & Cost)
Results of Using EVM
• Provides PM an opportunity to
redefine the project scope
• Provides an opportunity to change
processes, techniques, funding,
scheduling throughout the course of
a project
• Forces the establishment of metrics
(or earning rules) which define
project success
Conclusion
• Any Questions?
- Email: dittmer_john@bah.com
• Thank you for coming!
• Happy Holidays!!!