This is a guide to the structured approaches to project management. This should not be considered as a ‘proposition’ in any way, shape or form – no matter the business sector or what you do. This document is different to one that describes scope management, schedule management, risk management, change control or similar approaches. It is not a set of instructions or a binding contract. As outlined on a prince 2 Course London qualification.
This is not the place for a pre-built set of ‘do’s and ‘don’ts’ for project management. However, some components are the same no matter what project you are working on. These are the following:
1. Scope definition. This is the critical first component of creating you understood scope. It is the document that defines what your work is and how far it extends. It will also define where the lines of authority (who is entitled to budget, information, approvals, etc.) are. All projects are not essentially the same – even projects requiring the same or similar tasks. What follows is what you’ve defined.
A quick and easy way to express a scope definition is through very general phrases like ‘the work to be conducted’. I have turned this phrase into ‘the Work to be Contracted’. Take a look when the phrase ‘the Work to be Contracted’ is used and see if you can identify the scope.
2. Scope Initiation Date. This is the completion date your committee (if ever) draws your scope from the work breakdown structure. Take a look at your simplest examples if you need help – ‘three years from the date of document creation’ would be a scope entry, ’18 months from date of document creation’ would be a tag for a functional document (functional pages define work done within a functional area) and ’60 months from date of document creation’ would be a project charter. Sometimes these tag statements have other additional work added, such as:
‘The Work to be Contracted’
Not a problem if you are working on a project, but let’s say you are simply creating a schedule no one has defined ( previous work completed in parallel/new work started). In this case, the phrase ‘the Work to be Contracted’ would be a series of steps that document what work has been completed and the project has been closed.
3. Statement of Work. This is a structured list of the tasks with a defined owner (for part of a project-specific schedule) and scope owner ( abstract scope definition — the scope). It is essential to document all work, all work with the level of detail and all work with a due date. It defines the work as a piece.
So, now we have completed the guidelines for setting up your project. If you make changes to a project approved by your people, it must be approved by your prominent people and only after changes have been approved by those people your project manager will be able to use. If change is approved by an overall leading management group, then the scope statement and statement of work remain in a work breakdown structure.
You now have a foundation for the framework for what project management consists of. You should now be able to adequately define scope, begin your project and complete your project successfully. Congratulations and good luck!
