The PMBOK defines scope as “the work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions.”
Project scope entails what needs to be produced. The definition above has 3 key parts: the work, the deliverable, and the requirements. Sometimes requirements are not clear. In this case, the scope cannot be fully planned for and might have to evolve over the course of the project. As mentioned in prior posts, when the scope is unclear or complex, an adaptive/agile approach might be useful for the project work. If requirements are clear, the scope can be fully planned and a predictive approach should work.
Scope is one of the three project constraints along with budget/cost and time/schedule. Together they are called the triple constraint or project triangle among other names. If there is a change to any of the three at any point in a project, the other two will be affected. For example, if the budget is suddenly cut, something has to give – likely a quality requirement or a reduction in scope.
How is scope decided on and how might it change during the course of a project? Stakeholders. They define and prioritize requirements and scope for the project team. If there is a decision to change the scope after a project is underway, the budget and schedule will have to be adjusted somehow. If scope continually expands, this is the scenario commonly called scope creep.
Regardless, scope is planned early on and is likely the precursor to setting the schedule which includes project activities with durations, dependencies, and sequences.
Want to learn more about Project Management? See my Project MGMT publication for these 30 key PM topics:
Projects, lifecycle, management, manager, methodologies, the triangle, stakeholders, deliverable, team, charter, scope, budget, schedule, planning, baselining, milestones, dependencies, resources, risk, procurement, communication, ceremonies, integration, backlog, whiteboard, closure, software tools, office(r), code of ethics, body of knowledge
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