When it comes to starting a project, identifying the project scope might appear to be a simple task at first, as I learnt when studying for a PMI Certification. After all, without a clear understanding of what the project is providing, there would be no project, right?
Unfortunately,
no. One of the most difficult aspects of starting a project is accurately
establishing its scope. It may not appear that way at the moment. At first
view, it appears to be the epitome of simplicity. But be cautious. If you get
this incorrect or allow any room for interpretation, you'll be on your way to a
deluge of Change Requests and, eventually, Project Failure.
Many project managers now believe that the less specific the project
scope is, the better. For starters, it puts an end to all of the scope
disagreements amongst project stakeholders and lets the project to get started.
After all, because the project's needs haven't been established yet, it's
frequently uncertain what the project can provide at the start. However, the
problem is that you are merely storing up a slew of troubles for the future.
Well-intentioned corporate stakeholders, for example, have a habit of
altering their opinions once the project begins. That is, they continue to
expect you to offer additional features, but within the same budget and
timetable. Unfortunately, because the project's scope is so broad, it's nearly
hard for the Project Manager to insist on changes to the project's deliverables.
Fighting against this becomes an uphill battle.
There are five actions you should take to avoid falling into that
situation. These are some of the things I discovered when studying for a PMI certification:
1. From the
start, insist on adequate business stakeholder input. Yes, they will scream and
kick, but if the project fails to deliver, your reputation will be on the line.
2. Inquire of
the Project's Business Stakeholders what they believe the Project is
delivering. Individually, as this will reveal where the differences of opinion
exist.
3. Move down
into the specifics of the deliverables after you have the high-level
information. Obtain the feedback of the Business Analysts and Development Teams
at this point so that you can rapidly determine what is feasible within the
timeframe.
4. Remember
that the project's Out of Scope is probably much more significant than the
project's In Scope. So don't forget about that.
5. When you've
finished describing the project scope, be sure you run it past the Business
Stakeholders first to get their input and recommendations. Your idea has a
decent probability of delivering if you get their buy-in.
Of course, there's a lot more, but following these procedures will
increase your chances of not falling at the first hurdle.
Want to learn more about accurate project scope? Enrol in a project management professional certification training program today!
0 comments:
Post a Comment