Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme

Chapter 3. How to Scope a Project

Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.

—Neils Bohr

Define the problem before you pursue a solution.

—John Williams, CEO, Spence Corp.

CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Understand what managing client expectations really means

• Explain the Conditions of Satisfaction (COS) development process

• Develop the COS document

• Recognize the importance of maintaining the COS throughout the entire project life cycle

• Plan and conduct the Project Scoping Meeting

• Build the Requirements Breakdown Structure (RBS)

• Diagram business processes

• Know what a prototype is and when to use one

• Validate a business case

• Outsource project work

• Understand procurement management

• Define the basic parts and function of the Project Overview Statement (POS)

• Write a saleable POS for your project idea using the language of your business

• Understand the role of the POS in the project management life cycle (PMLC)

• Write clear goal and objective statements

• Establish measurable criteria for project success

• Identify relevant assumptions, risks, and obstacles

• Discuss attachments to the POS and their role in project approval

• Understand the approval process for the POS

The Scoping Process Group defines all of the tools, templates, and processes needed to answer two questions: "What do you need to do?" and "How will you know you did it?" If you don't know where you are going, how will you know when and if you ever get there? If I had to pick the Process Group ...