Real Web Project Management: Case Studies and Best Practices from the Trenches

Common Scope Headaches

Most day-to-day problems with scope are caused by weaknesses in the project definition process. While you work to create a methodology for managing scope that is high on concept, keep an eye out for these nuts-and-bolts breakdowns. This section describes the most common headaches, along with the cures.

Problem #1: I Sketched the Site Out on a Napkin—Is that Okay?

It's difficult to draft project specifications if the initial requirements were poorly defined by the customer in the first place. The “cocktail napkin blueprint” can be used to memorialize a moment of inspiration, but it is not a valid input for your specification. Sure, you can “wing it” and attempt to fill in the blanks for your client, but this guessing game ...