Monitoring and Controlling Process – Is Scope Control One of Your Allies?

Background

Project Management Institute’s (PMI) A Guide to The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), Third Addition describes the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group as those processes performed to observe project execution so that potential problems can be identified in a timely manner and corrective action can be taken, when necessary, to control the execution of the project”(p. 59).

Challenge

As mentioned in the Scope Management blog (July 9, 2007), a common challenge is “scope creep”. One of the key Monitoring and Control processes to manage “scope creep” is “Scope Control”. If you have a “scope creep” problem, chances are you have a scope control process problem.

Helpful Hints

One way to fix your Scope Control problem is to focus on the fundamentals. One of those fundamentals is ask a lot of good questions. Some questions that should be able to help you are:

1. Why is a change being requested?
2. Does the change have a direct impact on whether the program/project goals and objectives, as stated in the Program/Project Charter, are met?
3. Can the change be implemented in a subsequent project and/or phase?
4. What impact will the change have on cost, schedule and/or quality of the currently defined scope?
5. For support projects (in particular), is the change an enhancement or, a true break fix item? If an enhancement, ask the ‘requester’ if they are willing to treat the additional functionality as a subsequent phase (or project)?

Remember, for bringing work efforts within budget and/or schedule, Scope Control is one of the core allies for the Program/Project Leader.