TheProjectPerfectWhitePaperCollectionDefiningtheScopeofaProjectNevilleTurbitScopevTime&CostWhenpeopletalkaboutscope,theyimmediatelythinktimeandcost.Timeandcostareoutputsofscope.Determiningscopeisadifferentexercise.Inthecontextofthiswhitepaper,whenwetalkaboutdefiningthescope,wearetalkingaboutdevelopingacommonunderstandingastowhatisincludedin,orexcludedfrom,aproject.Wearenottalkingaboutdecidinghowlongitwilltake,orhowmuchitwillcost.Thatcomesafterthescopeisdefined.Ifwewerelookingforacar,wewouldfirstdefinethescope.Forexamplewewanta4-cylinderfrontwheeldrivewithseatingfor2adultsand2children,andlessthan2yearsold.Maybeyoualsowantittobearedconvertible.Havingdefinedthescope,youcancalculatecostandtime.Howmuchyouwillhavetospendandhowlongyouwilltaketobuyit.Ifyougetthescopewrong,thetimeandcostwillbewrong.WhyisScopeimportant?Anyonewhohaseverdoneaprojectwillhavetalesofhowscopechangescausedgrief.Scopeisboundtochange,andthisistobeexpected.Asthedetailbecomesclearer,morecomplicationscreepin.Thesearenotforeseeableatthestartandhopefullywebuildinacontingencyforwhatwecannotsee.Thescopechangesthatusuallycauseproblemsarethosewheretheperceptionofwhatwasinandoutofscopewasdifferentbetweenvariousparties.TheProjectManagerassumedtherewouldonlybefourorfivereports,andthebusinessassumedtentotwenty.Nobodyfeltitwasworthtalkingaboutbecausetheyassumedtheotherpersonthoughtthesamewaytheydid.HowscopeisusuallydefinedScopedefinitionsoftenaccountforaparagraphortwoinaBusinessCaseorProjectCharter.Often,theyarequalitativeand/orfocusongeneralstatements."Wewillimproveservicebyprovidinganinformationsystemtorespondtocustomerinquiries."Isitarealtimesystem?Isitallscreen-based?Whatreportscanbeproduced?Wheredoestheinformationcomefrom?Whatmanipulationisrequiredforthedata?Isallthedatacompatible?Doyouwanttogeneratestandardletters?Howmanyletters?Howcustomisablearetheletters?Doyouwanttostorethequestions?Doyouwanttostoretheanswers?Etc.etc.etc.TheProjectPerfectWhitePaperCollectionDefinetheOutcomeWewillcoverseveraldifferentway...
