Chapter Four. Execution and Control

Just as the Planning and Execution phases of a project are closely linked, so too are the Execution and Control phases. In fact, the two phases are simultaneous, with control being a major function that the project manager uses in the execution of the project. It is almost impossible to go through a project of any significant length without some changes occurring. In addition, control of information to and from the project team is extremely important. Let's look first at Scope Change Control.

When you begin the project, one of the first documents that you create is a Scope Statement. This statement outlines the actions and tasks that must be done in order to produce the output of the project, and it is the baseline for all further work. Any work that is requested outside of your Scope Statement needs to be controlled through some system of change control. You should be particularly concerned with any requested actions that will change the schedule of your project and cause you not to meet the baseline schedule that you have prepared.

In order to keep your changes under control, you must first determine that a change has occurred. Then you need to make sure that an appropriate management group agrees to the changes that are created. (It may just be one person if the changes are small. If only one person is accepting changes, that person should be the project manager.) The role of the project manager is then to manage the changes as they become part of the overall project execution.

Q.	One of the functional managers wants to make a major scope change during the execution of the project. The project manager's action should be to:
		A.	Refuse the change.
		B.	Complain to the sponsor.
		C.	Detail the impact of the change for the functional manager.
		D.	Make the change and go on.

The answer is C. This is often one of the most difficult parts of a project manager's job. To let a manager know what will happen, you have to make sure you have all of the information you need to go to a manager and discuss the requested changes. You must also make sure that you get the person requesting the change to understand that most changes are going to add time or cost to the project. Many times the person requesting the change does not have a full understanding of what the change will mean to the project schedule. Even with proof, it is sometimes difficult to get across how much a requested change will alter the outcome of a project.

As the Scope changes are approved, a new baseline emerges. However, you can't change the original baseline; it remains throughout the project if done correctly. You can change the plan so that it reflects additions to your original baseline. Keep the original to show everyone involved what the starting plan looked like. Your job as the project manager is to make sure that you make the appropriate changes to the project plan and that everyone involved with the project is alerted to these changes. It is extremely important to make everyone aware of the changes. Having even one member who is not aware of changes can cause severe problems as the project goes on.

If the changes are major, you need to rewrite the project Scope Statement and get it out to everybody. It is certainly worth a status meeting when major changes occur because these changes will affect the entire project team. This should be done as quickly as possible after any major scope change. For your own sanity, and for the history of the project, you should keep the first or original plan throughout the course of the project. You need to be able to see the changes to the original, to track when the changes were accepted, and to point out all of these facts to people who want to know why the project is not proceeding as designed in the original project plan.

As PMBOK puts it, a Scope Change Control system "defines the procedures by which the project scope and product scope can be changed." One of the assumptions in this definition of scope control is that the project manager is working to make sure that the changes are beneficial for the project. Instead of being reactive to changes, the project manager should be proactive and seek out help on keeping the scope changes under basic control. For instance, if one of the subsidiary plans created after the Scope Statement isn't complete, such as the risk plan, the project manager should actively work with the person or persons responsible to get that plan finished so that it can be locked down under version control as the project goes on.

Q.	In Scope Change Control, the project manager must make sure that:
		A.	The team is involved
		B.	The changes are beneficial
		C.	Schedules do not change
		D.	The sponsor takes charge

The answer is B. When changes are requested, the first task of the project manager is to make sure that the changes would benefit the project as the project is outlined in the Scope Statement. If not, the project manager should note this and relay the information to the person requesting the change.

Q.	As changes are brought forward, the project manager should always:
		A.	Refuse to consider the change
		B.	Install the change immediately
		C.	Consider the impact of the change
		D.	Stall until given further instructions

The answer is C. When a change is requested, the first task of the manager is to analyze the impact of the change on the project. This information is valuable to the people who request changes and to the project team.