Plan Scope Management: A Comprehensive Guide

Plan Scope Management is a crucial step in the project management process as defined by the PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition. It involves creating a detailed plan outlining how the project scope will be defined, managed, controlled, and validated.

Why is it Important?
It plays an integral role in controlling 'scope creep' and ensuring all necessary activities are included in the project plan while unnecessary ones are excluded. This helps in maintaining focus on the project objectives, thereby enhancing productivity and efficiency.

What is It?
In its essence, Plan Scope Management is defining what work is required and ensuring that all of that work and only that work is done. It’s usually documented in a scope management plan which is a component of the project management plan.

How Does it Work?
Plan Scope Management starts with understanding stakeholders’ needs and expectations. Next, the concept of what the project is supposed to accomplish is translated into tangible deliverables. After the scope is defined, it is then broken down into smaller, manageable parts. This makes scope management easier as the project progresses.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Plan Scope Management
1. Understand the Concept: Thoroughly understand the process and its significance in the project management process.
2. Study the PMBOK Guide: Refer to the PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition which provides a detailed structure of how to implement Plan Scope Management.
3. Practice Questions: Practicing questions related to the topic will help you understand the kind of questions that you may encounter in the exam.
4. Real Life Application: Try to associate real-life project scenarios to Plan Scope Management concepts. This will make it easier to recall during the exam.