Scope change

Scope change is any modification to the agreed-upon project scope as defined by the approved WBS. Scope changes may or may not require adjustments to cost, time, quality, or other project objectives. Most scope changes are result of:

• an external event, e.g. a change in government regulations
• an error or omission in defining the product, e.g. failure to include a required feature in the design of a product
• a value-adding change, e.g. an environmental project is able to reduce costs by taking advantage of technology that was not available when the scope was originally defined

Scope changes are fed back through the planning process; technical documents and the project plan are updated as needed and stakeholders are notified as appropriate.

The scope change process

There is constant pressure for scope change to occur. To manage them requires a formal process that defines how the proposed changes will be evaluated. The objective of the approach is to insure approval of positive or revenue enhancing scope improvements while preventing unjustified or negative scope changes. The process is always approached in formalized manner.

The details of the cope change control process are communicated to project customers and other stakeholders during the planing phase. In contractual project relationships, the scope change process should be spelled out in the contract. Described is the paperwork that initiates the change and description of the approval process. The scope change process always involves obtaining customer signatures.

The management of scope change involves analysing the change to determine its impact on the project plan. Often the process incorporates other stakeholders and team member evaluations. Many organizations have single or multiple control committees composed of members from the various functional groups affected by as many four change control.

Small and large scope changes

There are small and large scope changes, which do not always correspond to the size of actual changes and thus require different approaches. The overall guidelines to indicate small scope change are:

• small scope change takes up eight hours of labour to accomplish
• small scope change must not present any additional risks to the project
• small scope change does not add new stakeholders or business users
• no new issues are created as the result of a small scope change

If there is any doubt, consider a scope change to be large as a default. Large scope change planning involves the following entry processes:

• risk management planning - the complete project risk assessment must be made before estimating the scope change.
• quality management planning - a large scope change requires a separate quality assurance review, which must be planned.
• scope change control - the scope change control process manages interaction details between the delivery and client teams when a project scope change is required.

Examples of Scope change

• Adding a new feature or requirement to the project
• Removing an existing feature or requirement from the project
• Re-prioritizing the tasks or features in the project
• Adjusting the quality standards
• Expanding the timeline or budget of the project
• Modifying the deliverables or the anticipated outcomes of the project
• Changing the stakeholders or resources involved in the project
• Re-defining the scope statement to reflect the new requirements or goals of the project

Advantages of Scope change

Scope change can be a beneficial process for any project, as it allows for the project team to adjust the scope and objectives of the project to better meet the needs of the stakeholders. Some of the advantages of scope change include:

• Improved Quality: Changing the scope allows for the project team to better focus on the quality of the deliverables, ensuring that the product meets the needs of the stakeholders.
• Increased Efficiency: By changing the scope of the project, the project team may be able to identify more efficient methods of completing the project, allowing for the project to be completed faster and with fewer resources.
• Increased Adaptability: By being able to adapt the project scope to changing circumstances or requirements, the project team can ensure that the project meets the current and future needs of the stakeholders.
• Reduced Risks: By being able to change the scope of the project, the project team can identify and reduce potential risks associated with the project.

Limitations of Scope change

Scope change is a common occurrence in project management and can be beneficial to the project when done properly. However, there are certain limitations to scope change that managers should be aware of:

• Changes must be carefully evaluated to ensure that they are beneficial, necessary, and likely to bring the desired results.
• Unauthorized scope changes should not be allowed, as this can lead to cost overruns and unplanned delays.
• Scope changes can cause disruption to the project team, as members may need to shift their focus or reallocate their resources.
• Scope changes must be documented and communicated to all stakeholders, including the customer, to ensure that everyone is aware of the changes being made.
• If the scope of a project is changed significantly, it may require re-estimation of the project’s cost, timeline, and other factors.
• Scope creep is a potential issue that can arise when scope changes are not properly managed.

Other approaches related to Scope change

A successful project manager must be aware of other approaches related to Scope change. These include:

• Proactive Change Control: This approach is used to anticipate and plan for potential changes before they occur. It involves developing a set of processes and procedures to manage changes that may arise from external factors such as customer requests, technology upgrades, and changes in the business environment.
• Reactive Change Control: This approach is used to manage changes that occur after the project has begun. It involves identifying, analyzing, and responding to changes that are outside of the project's control.
• Formal Change Control: This approach involves creating a formal document that outlines the process for requesting, evaluating, and approving changes to the project. This document should include the criteria for approving changes, the process for communicating changes, and the impact of changes on the project objectives.
• Negotiated Change Control: This approach involves negotiating agreements between stakeholders on changes to the project. This approach is typically used when there is a disagreement between stakeholders on the scope of the project or when stakeholders need to make a trade-off between cost, quality, and time.

In conclusion, a successful project manager should be aware of multiple approaches related to Scope Change, such as Proactive Change Control, Reactive Change Control, Formal Change Control, and Negotiated Change Control. Each of these approaches should be used in combination to ensure the project's success.

Footnotes

Scope change — recommended articles

Change in scope — Project change management — Risk of software development — Governance of project management — Acquisition planning — Failure of project — Project boundary — Mechanisms of control — Subproject

References

• Epstein D., Maltzman R., (2013). Project Workflow Management: A Business Process Approach, J. Ross Publishing, Florida.
• Hamilton A., (2001). Managing Projects for Success: A Trilogy, Thomas Telford Publishing, London.
• Toney F., (2001). The Superior Project Organization, CRC Press, New Jersey.

Author: Karolina Morga