Chapter 4

DEFINING THE PROJECT

Chapter Outline
1. Step one: Defining the project scope
A. Employing a project scope checklist
1. Project objective
2. Deliverables
3. ilestones
!. "echnical re#$irements
%. &imits an' e(cl$sions
). *evie+ +ith c$stomer
2. Step t+o: Establishing project priorities
3. Step three: ,reating the +ork break'o+n str$ct$re
A. ajor gro$pings fo$n' in a -.S
.. -.S 'evelopment
!. Step fo$r: /ntegrating the -.S +ith the organi0ation
%. Step five: ,o'ing the -.S for the information system
). Project roll$p
1. Process break'o+n str$ct$re
2. *esponsibility matrices
3. S$mmary
14. 5ey terms
11. *evie+ #$estions
12. E(ercises
13. ,ase: anchester 6nite' Soccer ,l$b
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Chapter Objectives
"o recogni0e the importance of a complete scope statement acceptable to yo$r
c$stomer as a con'ition for project s$ccess
"o layo$t g$i'elines for creating a -.S for a project
"o 'emonstrate the importance of -.S to the management of projects an' ho+ it
serves as a 'atabase for planning an' control
"o 'emonstrate ho+ the 8.S establishes acco$ntability to organi0ational $nits
"o apply a -.S to a case or s$ggeste' project
Review uesti!ns
"# $hat %uesti!ns &!es a pr!ject !bjective answer' $hat w!ul& be an e(a)ple !*
a +!!& pr!ject !bjective'
"he project objectives ans+sers +hat9 +hen9 an' ho+ m$ch. "o replace the
-illiamette bri'ge by A$g$st 3
r'
at a cost not to e(cee' :1.% million.
,# $hat is the &i**erence between a pr!ject li)it an& a pr!ject e(clusi!n'
A limit is a constraint on the project9 i.e. +ork on the bri'ge can only occ$r bet+een
11:44pm an' ):44am or c$stomer s$pport is limite' to 24 ho$rs of in7ho$se training.
An e(cl$sion spells o$t in a'vance potential 'eliverables that are not incl$'e' in the
project9 i.e. appliances not provi'e' on a ne+ home constr$ction project or on7site
training not provi'e' on a soft+are installation project.
-# $hat &!es it )ean i* the pri!rities !* a pr!ject inclu&e. Ti)e / C!nstrain0
1c!pe23ccept0 an& C!st /Enhance'
"he project m$st be complete' on a specific 'ate9 the scope can be scale' back in
or'er to meet cost an' time objectives9 an' +hen possible seek opport$nities to
re'$ce costs.
4# $hat 4in&s !* in*!r)ati!n are inclu&e& in a c!st acc!unt'
,ost acco$nts incl$'e one or more +ork packages linke' to a 'eliverable an' an
organi0ing $nit.
5# $hat 4in&s !* in*!r)ati!n are inclu&e& in a w!r4 pac4a+e'
-ork packages incl$'e the follo+ing types of information:
a. +ork to accomplish a segment of the project
b. time to accomplish the +ork package
c. time7phase' b$'get for the +ork package an' total cost to complete the +ork
package
'. reso$rces nee'e' to complete the +ork package
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e. single person responsible for accomplishment of the +ork package
f. monitoring points for meas$ring progress '$ring implementation of the +ork
package
g. any specifications critical to the +ork package
6# $hat is a ti)e2phase& bu&+et in a w!r4 pac4a+e'
A time7phase' b$'get for a +ork package is one that sets $p cost ;b$'get< for each
time perio' over the '$ration of the +ork package. A time7phase' b$'get for a +ork
package is nee'e' for primarily t+o p$rposes. A time7phasing +ork package b$'get
is especially important in +ork packages over one7+eek '$ration. =irst9 acco$nting
an' finance 'epartments nee' b$'gets in this form to pre'ict cash inflo+s an' o$t
flo+s. Secon'9 placing the b$'get in a time7phase' format allo+s the project
manager to comp$te variances from sche'$le as the project is implemente'.
7# $hat is a 8pr!ject r!llup9 an& h!w &!es the pr!ject )ana+er use this
in*!r)ati!n'
"he term >roll$p? refers to the process of aggregating information at 'ifferent levels
of the -.S or 8.S. /t is $se' to 'etermine total costs of 'eliverables as +ell as
reso$rces.
:# $hen w!ul& it be appr!priate t! create a resp!nsibilit; )atri( rather than a
*ull2bl!wn $<1'
8n smaller projects +here verbal9 face7to7face comm$nication is possible9 a
responsibility matri( sho$l' be a'e#$ate. Sometimes a responsibility matri( is $se'
for a segment of a project or one in +hich a team +ishes to stress responsibility.
E(ercises
"# =!u are in char+e !* !r+ani>in+ a &inner2&ance c!ncert *!r a l!cal charit;# =!u
have reserve& a hall that will seat -? c!uples an& have hire& a ja>> c!)b!#
a@ Devel!p a sc!pe state)ent *!r this pr!ject that c!ntains e(a)ples !* all the
ele)ents# 3ssu)e that the event will !ccur in 4 wee4s an& pr!vi&e ;!ur best
+uess esti)ate !* the &ates *!r )ilest!nes#
"his e(ercise is not inten'e' to pro'$ce a comprehensive scope statement b$t to
test st$'ents@ ability to correctly i'entify the right kin' of information for each
element.
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Sample Scope Statement
Pr!ject Objective. 8rgani0e a 'inner 'ance for 34 co$ples by arch (( at a cost
not greater than yy to raise money for a local charity.
Deliverables.
)4 catere' 'inners
Aa00 combo
*ente' hall
"ickets
Ailest!nes.
*ent hall by (
Sell 34 tickets by y
Arrange caterer by 0
Technical Re%uire)ents.
Ball has s$fficient space for tables an' 'ance floor
,onvenient parking available
Ball has infrastr$ct$re to s$pport catere' 'inner an' ja00 combo
eals incl$'e vegetarian option
Bi)its an& E(clusi!ns.
,aterer responsible for preparing9 serving9 an' clean7$p
"icket price set to generate at least :%4profit per co$ple
Aa00 combo responsible for so$n' system
Event transpire bet+een 1:44 C 12:44am
Cust!)er Review. ,harity official
b@ $hat w!ul& the pri!rities li4el; be *!r this pr!ject'
8nce the 'ate is selecte' the project is time7constraine'9 scope7accept9 an' cost7
enhance.
,# In s)all +r!ups i&enti*; real li*e e(a)ples !* a pr!ject that w!ul& *it each !* the
*!ll!win+ pri!rit; scenari!s.
a# Ti)e2c!nstraine&0 1c!pe2enhance&0 C!st2accept
A +ealthy +e''ing or De+ EearFs Eve party
Political campaign
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b# Ti)e2accept0 sc!pe2c!nstraine&0 c!st2accept
A ne+ line of b$lletproof clothing.
P$blic constr$ction of a bri'ge
c# Ti)e2c!nstraine&0 sc!pe2accept0 c!st2enchance&
,$re for A/Ds
=$el efficient engine
&onger lasting battery for laptop comp$ters
-# Devel!p a $<1 *!r a pr!ject in which ;!u are +!in+ t! buil& a bic;cle# Tr; t!
i&enti*; all !* the )aj!r c!)p!nents an& pr!vi&e three levels !* &etail#
.elo+ is a st$'ent@s e(ample
4# =!u are the *ather !r )!ther !* a *a)il; !* *!ur C4i&s a+es "- an& "5@ plannin+
a wee4en& ca)pin+ trip# Devel!p a resp!nsibilit; )atri( *!r the w!r4 that
nee&s t! be &!ne pri!r t! startin+ ;!ur trip#
"his e(ercise is $s$ally easily 'one by st$'ents. "he e(ercise is fre#$ently $se' as a
home+ork assignment. .e prepare' for many 'ifferent approaches to a camping trip.
As in e(ercise 2 above9 be s$re the st$'ent selects activities that have clear start an'
en' points.
Partial responsibility matri(:
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Tas4 Date Father A!the
r
1!
n
Dau+hter
*esearch sites R 1 1
Deci'e on site 1 R 1 1
*eserve site R
Shopping list 1 R 1 1
P$rchase s$pplies R 1
Pack camping e#$ipment 1 R
Pack fishing gear 1 R
=ill car +ith gas R
Get cash R
5# Devel!p a $<1 )atri( *!r a l!cal sta+e pla;# <e sure t! i&enti*; the &eliverables
an& !r+ani>ati!nal units Cpe!ple@ resp!nsible# H!w w!ul& ;!u c!&e ;!ur
s;ste)' Give an e(a)ple !* the w!r4 pac4a+es in !ne !* ;!ur c!st acc!unts#
Devel!p a c!rresp!n&in+ O<1 which i&enti*ies wh! is resp!nsible *!r what#
"he stage play is a goo' team or small gro$p e(ercise. Developing a -.S for a local
stage play is a project to +hich most gro$ps can easily relate. any forms of -.S
str$ct$re +ill be presente'. -e $s$ally give the teams a blank -.SH8.S
transparency ;an' pens< so each team can present their break'o+n to the class. "he
e(ercise $s$ally points o$t the 'iffic$lty of 'efining >'eliverables.? =or most
p$rposes a >milestone? can typically be $se' as a 'eliverable. .e caref$l that
'eliverables 'o not present organi0ation 'epartments9 e.g.9 engineering9 'esign.
6# Dse an e(a)ple !* a pr!ject with which ;!u are *a)iliar with !r are intereste&
in# I&enti*; the &eliverables an& !r+ani>ati!nal units Cpe!ple@ resp!nsible# H!w
w!ul& ;!u c!&e ;!ur s;ste)' Give an e(a)ple !* the w!r4 pac4a+es in !ne !*
;!ur c!st acc!unts#
"his e(ercise reinforces the i'ea of the -.SH8.S matri( as a metho' for organi0ing
a 'atabase for planning an' control. ,heck st$'ent str$ct$re to ens$re 'eliverables
are something any project team member co$l' clearly i'entifyI an'9 if possible9 the
'eliverable sho$l' be something yo$ can easily see or to$ch.
Case
Aanchester Dnite& 1!ccer Club
"his case is 'esigne' to ill$strate the importance of creating a -ork .reak'o+n
Str$ct$re ;-.S< for a project an' to provi'e st$'ents +ith an opport$nity to practice
creating s$ch a break'o+n. ost st$'ents have little 'iffic$lty i'entifying the major
'eliverables associate' +ith hosting a soccer to$rnament.
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"his case can either be $se' as a take7home assignment or as an in7class e(ercise. /f the
latter9 +e recommen' that yo$ have st$'ents 'evelop a preliminary -.S on their o+n
an' then compare their +ork +ith one or t+o other st$'ents in class. "he instr$ctor then
facilitates the constr$ction of a -.S on the blackboar' by $sing the s$ggestions offere'
by the st$'ents.
"# Devel!p a &ra*t !* the w!r4 brea4&!wn structure *!r the t!urna)ent that
c!ntains at least three levels !* &etail# $hat are the )aj!r &eliverables
ass!ciate& with h!stin+ an event such as a s!ccer t!urna)ent'
St$'ents constr$ct a -.S $sing the hierarchical bo( format or the co'ing scheme ;1
Soccer "o$rnament9 1.1 =iel'9 1.1.1 Goals<. St$'ents sho$l' be remin'e' to foc$s on
'eliverables an' to break each 'eliverable into s$bcomponents as they procee' to the
ne(t level of the -.S. 8ne common mistake is to i'entify gro$ps of people ;gro$n's
cre+9 to$rnament committee< an' not +hat they accomplish ;'eliverables<. A secon'
iss$e is level of 'etail or ho+ many levels the -.S hasthat goes no farther than 3 or
! levels9 +hile the s$bcommittee responsible for fiel's may break their 'eliverable
even f$rther.
,# H!w w!ul& &evel!pin+ a $<1 alleviate s!)e !* the pr!ble)s that !ccurre&
&urin+ the *irst )eetin+ an& help Nic!lette !r+ani>e an& plan the pr!ject'
St$'ents are #$ick to point o$t that the -.S +o$l' provi'e str$ct$re to the
'isc$ssion. /nstea' of the free7for7all that occ$rre'9 the -.S +o$l' provi'e an
agen'a for 'isc$ssing 'ifferent elements of the project. "he -.S +o$l' also be
$sef$l for assigning s$bcommittees responsible for each major 'eliverable.
-# $here can Nic!lette *in& a&&iti!nal in*!r)ati!n t! help her &evel!p a $<1 *!r
the t!urna)ent'
.eca$se other soccer cl$bs have s$ccessf$lly hoste' yo$th to$rnaments9 she sho$l'
contact nearby cl$bs an' re#$est planning information 'evelope' over the years.
,l$bs that ann$ally hol' s$mmer to$rnaments are likely to have comprehensive
checklists that +o$l' be a rich so$rce of information in 'eveloping anchester@s
to$rnament plan.
4# H!w c!ul& Nic!lette an& her tas4 *!rce use the $<1 t! +enerate c!st esti)ates
*!r the t!urna)ent' $h; w!ul& this be use*ul in*!r)ati!n'
.y breaking 'o+n the major 'eliverables associate' +ith a soccer to$rnament into
more 'etaile' s$bcomponents9 the planners are $nlikely to ignore cost items as +ell
as have s$fficient information to form$late cost estimates. -ith the e(ception of the
referees9 the to$rnament +ill rely on vol$nteer labor. "herefore9 the task force sho$l'
be able to i'entify specific cost items ;printing broch$res9 trophies9 fiel' rental9
e#$ipment rental9 etc<.
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"ab$lating cost estimates +o$l' provi'e a basis for 'oing a breakeven analysis an'
help the task force make important 'ecisions s$ch as entry fee an' i'eal si0e of the
to$rnament ;n$mber of teams an' games< as +ell as make specific 'ecisions
regar'ing items s$ch as me'als vers$s trophies an' color vers$s black an' +hite
broch$res.
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