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Scope Definition

5 minutes 5 Questions

Scope Definition is the process of breaking down the project's broad Goals and Objectives into specific deliverables, requirements, and activities. This involves identifying project boundaries, understanding stakeholder requirements, and determining what should be included or excluded from the project. The result is the creation of a detailed Project Scope Statement, which serves as a critical document for keeping the project on track and assessing the impact of potential changes. A clearly defined scope eliminates confusion and helps manage stakeholder expectations, prevent scope creep, and improve the overall success of the project. The Project Scope Statement also supports other project management activities such as resource allocation, schedule development, risk management, and quality management.

Scope Definition Guide

The Scope Definition is an essential part of project management as outlined in the PMBOK Guide Seventh Edition. It is the detailed process of determining and documenting specific project goals, deliverables, tasks, costs, and deadlines.

The importance of Scope Definition lies in its ability to clearly outline what is included or not included in the project. It sets the boundaries and ensures everyone involved understands the extent of the project work. Without a clearly defined scope, projects are subject to scope creep, which can lead to missed deadlines, increased costs, and potential project failure.

In achieving a properly defined scope, the following steps are involved: Identifying Requirements, Defining the scope, Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Validating the Scope, and Controlling the Scope.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Scope Definition
When answering exam questions on Scope Definition, remember to always relate your answers to these five processes. Observations should be based on what the PMBOK guide says, not on personal experiences or opinions. Always pay close attention to the question and read it several times if necessary. Check if the question pertains to what is in the scope (deliverables) or how the work will be done. Answers should always be based on a proactive approach to scope definition.

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PMP - Scope Management Example Questions

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Question 1

A _____ defines the _____ of the product, service, or result to produce through the project.

Correct Answer: project scope statement; scope

The correct answer is "project scope statement; scope". A project scope statement is the document that defines the scope of the project. It describes the boundaries of the project, establishes responsibilities for each team member, and sets up procedures for how work will be verified and approved. The scope management plan, while related, is a component of the project or program management plan that describes how the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and verified. It does not define the scope itself. The work breakdown structure is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team. While it does define the deliverables, it is not the document that defines the overall scope. The requirement traceability matrix is a grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them. It tracks requirements but does not define scope.

Question 2

Your team is working on a project to construct a new bridge. A team member suggests adding an additional lane for bicycles. What should you do?

Correct Answer: Evaluate the change's impact on cost, schedule, and resources, and then follow the change control process

The best answer is 'Evaluate the change's impact on cost, schedule, and resources, and then follow the change control process'. In project management, changes to the project scope, such as adding an additional lane for bicycles, should not be taken lightly. The first step before making any decisions is to evaluate how the proposed change will affect the project as a whole. This includes its impact on the project's cost, the timeline,schedule and the resources available or required. From there, you can follow the change control process to approve or deny the change based on your evaluation. The other answers are incorrect because they either skip important steps in the change control process (like 'Immediately add the new requirement to the project scope', 'Reject the suggestion to avoid complexity'), or suggest actions that could compromise the integrity of the project and potentially lead to project failure (like 'Ask the team member to carry out this change without involving others').

Question 3

A project's progress is behind schedule. The Project Manager has identified that a scope change was made without going through the proper processes. What should the Project Manager do?

Correct Answer: Conduct a root cause analysis to understand the issue and implement corrective actions.

The best approach when a project's progress is behind schedule due to scope change without going through the proper processes, the Project Manager should 'Conduct a root cause analysis to understand the issue and implement corrective actions.'. With this method, the manager will be able to understand what caused the issue in the first place and take the appropriate steps to rectify it. The other answers are incorrect because blaming team members does not solve the problem and can even negatively impact team morale. Ignoring the issue does not address the cause of the delay or prevent similar situations in the future. Instantly reversing the changes without further analysis may overlook other contributing factors and possible solutions.

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