A scope statement defines the details and features of the project's scope, what was assumed or desired when initiating the project, and how the project should be completed. Your project scope statement serves as a guide, shows the path for stakeholders and team members to complete your project with precision. As they navigate through the project's journey, this invaluable reference becomes a compass, ensuring everyone stays on track and aligned with the grand vision. Embracing this, the project goes smoothly towards success, leaving no room for ambiguity or misdirection.
This statement is part of the pmp scope management plan, which outlines all the strategies, rules, and procedures for managing the scope of your project. Stakeholders will be more likely to accept the scope of the project if this is done. It will also place the project team on the same page, and prevent unauthorized tasks from interfering with the project, wasting time and money.
You should get the agreement of all the necessary stakeholders for instance, because it will be the detailed scope of the project and what will be delivered throughout the project. Scope statement constructs the scope baseline together with the WBS and WBS dictionary.
Inside of it:
- An overview and description of the work: As a project is being started, this is where you set the boundaries.
- Deliverables of the project
- A high level version of business justification analysis: A full understanding of the scope almost always demands a deep dive into the justification of the project's inception.
- Results of the Assumptions and Constraints Analysis: In some cases, boundaries can pose a risk to the project and further definition is required. These assumptions and constraints are determined as a result of an assumptions and constraints analysis.
- The things the project does not include: On occasion, some project stakeholders may use certain elements that were not relevant to the project or completely out of scope of the project. Thus, it is better to explicitly state things that are not part of the scope of the project.