IT Project+ Study Guide
Authors: Heldman W. Cram L.
Published year: 2003
Pages: 41-42/173
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Summary

Scope planning uses the output of the initiation process, the project charter, to create the scope statement and the scope management plan. The project scope statement is the basis for many of the other planning processes. It is also the basis for setting the boundaries of the project with the client and stakeholders.

A scope statement includes project justification, project description, major deliverables, time and cost estimates, success criteria, assumptions, and constraints. The scope management plan documents how you will manage changes to the scope. The work breakdown structure (WBS) is created by taking the major deliverables from the scope statement and decomposing them into smaller, more manageable components. The breakdown continues through multiple levels until the components can be estimated and resourced. Each lower level of deliverables includes the components that produce the next highest level in the tree. The lowest level of decomposition is the work package. The WBS includes all of the work required to complete the project. Any deliverable not listed on the WBS is assumed to be excluded from the project. The WBS is one of the most critical outputs of planning. A WBS is the basis for time estimates, cost estimates, and resource assignments.

Certain elements in IT shops need to be taken into account when dealing with IT projects. The size of the IT shop very definitely affects the projects time estimates, as do deliverables that may be challenging to define. Business clients may have some hidden processes sidebars that theyve not revealed when youre busy trying to discover the processes. Success criteria can be especially tough to define in IT projects. A key project team member leaving can have a remarkable affect on the status of the projects scope.



Exam Essentials

Understand the purpose of the scope statement. The scope statement is the basis of the agreement between the project and the client. It defines the project objectives and the deliverables that will meet those objectives.

Be able to list the components of a scope statement. A scope statement includes a project justification, product description, major deliverables, success criteria, time and cost estimates, a list of assumptions, and constraints.

Describe the purpose of a scope management plan. A scope management plan documents the procedures that will be used to manage proposed changes to the project scope throughout the life of the project.

Know how to define and create a work breakdown structure (WBS). The WBS is a graphical depiction of the work required to complete the project. The WBS is a multilevel tree diagram. You decompose the major deliverables into smaller activities and continue to create lower levels for each deliverable until you reach a point where a time and cost estimate can be provided and resources assigned.

Understand the level structure of a WBS. The highest level of the WBS is the project name . The major deliverables are the next level. The number of levels in a WBS will vary by project; however, the lowest level is called a work package.

Be able to name the constraints common to all projects. The constraints common to all projects are time, cost, scope, and quality. The constraints commonly referred to as the triple constraints are time, cost, and quality.

Understand the scope- impacting limitations that a small IT shop might encounter. Because IT shops arent heavily staffed, nor are they often staffed specifically with projects in mind, its important to understand how the scope of a project can be impacted.


IT Project+ Study Guide
Authors: Heldman W. Cram L.
Published year: 2003
Pages: 41-42/173
Buy this book on amazon.com >>

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