One of the leading causes for project failure is poor scope definition. It is also the leading cause of scope creep. Since the project plan reflects the work, resources, budget and schedule required to meet the scope, an accurate, realistic project definition is of critical importance.

The best way to avoid those problems is to develop have a good definition of the scope of the project. There are seven essential elements that need to be included in the project scope definition:

• The definition of the problem and the solution.
• The measurable benefits of completing the project
• A list of the major deliverables, including what is in scope and out of scope for each.
• A definition of the target beneficiaries of the project deliverables.
• A list of the project dependencies (internal and external)

These project definition components do not exclude other possibilities that can enhance understanding of the projects, such as:

• A concise definition of the project schedule, scope, and budget.
• A milestone schedule that documents interim deliverables requested by the donor.
• An impact statement that identifies what can or will be impacted by the project.
• Strategic risks analysis and contingency plans
• Project restrictions (environmental, political, cultural, and technological).

The project scope definition is part of the project charter, and it can’t be finalized without agreement from all key stakeholders, the project manager needs to make sure they review a draft of the project charter document and get their sign-offs before moving to the planning phase of the project. It is also important that the project stakeholders understand that agreement with the project charter only means they all agree with the definition.

In order to commit to achieving the project’s objectives, detailed bottoms-up planning needs to be completed by the subject-matter experts who will be performing the project work. It is only through this detailed planning that the project can confirm that the project scope definition is realistic and achievable.

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