Scope management and project authorization in complex projects

Manage Scope Management

A project scope defines what stages, resources, time aspects and quality standards are included in the project. It also defines what not part of the project is! This is important because it ensures that an effective project avoids scope 'creep'. The 'creep' is the tendency to include other elements and deliverables into a project that were outside the understanding of either one of the stakeholders of the project. This aspect appreciates the importance of complex projects.

This usually is achieved by producing a scope document. Part of producing a scope document is to ensure it indicates and includes project authorization and the management (how it will be used) of the scope document.

Project Authorization Activities

Questions

Explanation

Explain the process one must undertake to get authority to start work on a project(s) or to continue into each phase. Is process the same in more complex projects?

Why is it important to get this authority, especially in more complex projects?

What happens if this authority is not received?

A project charter is a document that is formally required in order to initiate the project. This is because it contains the requirements, which satisfy the needs of the stakeholders' and their expectations. It is important to acquire this authority so that in case of any problem, they will know whom to address. If the authority is not received, the project cannot commence since this will bring problems in the future (Richman 2006). Moreover, the project needs to have a sense of direction. This is the steering force towards its intended direction or goals. This can only be acquired if there is an authority. The authority is also responsible to make pertinent decisions concerning the project. An authority is necessary in the project in order to ensure that it is managed in the proper manner. According to Dobie "many organizations believe that they are managing projects when in actual fact they are only managing the operational processes which were not defined at the start of a project" (2007). This means that through the authority the management should properly define its operational processes for better understanding.

Project Scope Definition Activities

What is the purpose of a Project Scope for managing a project?

How should one ensure the scope definition reflects the requirements of the client/stakeholders?

A project scope is important since it shows and gives a direction of what the project will cover in general. This includes the work to be accomplished when delivering a certain product or service. Through a project scope, the management is able to notice whenever the project is going in the wrong direction. This is through the analysis and evaluation of the current project position and the outlined plan of the project. One ensures that the scope defines the requirement of the client through conducting a project assessment. A project assessment is the evaluation and the analysis of the current position of the project. It outlines all the aims that the project has already achieved as well as those that it is yet to acquire. This sets periodic milestones to the project's management. This shows how the project relates to the customer requirements. It also outlines all the goals and the milestones that the project is yet to cover. This is used to motivate the staff, management, as well as the stakeholders of a certain project since it shows the current position and achievements of the project.

What guidance is provided from higher project authorities within the organisation, e.g. business owner, sponsor etc.

There are various forms of guidance provided by the project authorities. For instance, they guide on the best method to use in order to avoid the risk occurrence. The business owner knows the amount of money at hand; hence, he or she will regulate the activity conduction.

How are the benefits and outcomes covered in a scope document?

How can you measure against these benefits on project completion?

A scope document is necessary since it evaluates the time and the cost that the whole project will need for proper planning. One can measure against these benefits through evaluation of what the project has consumed at completion. The project scope must be created at the initiation of every project. According to Dobie, "the scope identifies a project's boundaries and what needs to be done to achieve the stated objective. It describes all the activities to be performed and the end products to be delivered." After thorough outlining, the project is broken down into breakdown structures and then managed through the management process (Dobie, 2007).

How does the Project Scope Statement guide the communication and change management component of project management?

The scope statement guides communication since it directs how activities will be run. This means that the authority or the management communicates to the lower rank employees to issue directions as per the scope statement. Through a scope statement, the management is also able to identify the protocol of activities. Through this, he can communicate and inform the stakeholders about the position of the project as well as the short-term and long-term goals yet to be achieved. In every organization, a project involves considerable information that requires a certain form of routine. Moreover, there should be special communications, which is both verbal and written. This is enhanced through the development of the project scope. Some of the essential aspects of the project scope include assumptions, constraints, related projects among other aspects. Dobie states, "the scope of a project is what the client expects in return for outlays expended; it is the physical product that gives effect to the objectives." (p.52)

Scope Controls

How should one manage changes to the project scope throughout the project Lifecycle?

Why is this aspect even more critical in more complex projects?

What are the formal procedures to manage project scope in your projects?

How should one gain agreement as to how changes to scope will be managed within the project?

A risk analysis is important in order to ensure that there is proper planning.

One should manage changes to the project scope throughout by ensuring that there are different options available for the project. Complex projects involve many risks such that some are not identifiable.

All changes should be approved and implemented systematically by considering their effect on the schedule and budget. On the other hand, a project manager should have a clear understanding of the iterative nature of the project cycle. This is because it is as pertinent as the planning as well as the execution of the project plan. This is because the project manager is able to identify and deal with any changes that may arise in the project scope. Without such an understanding it is impossible to develop a plan that completely addresses the needs of a project at each stage of its cycle (p.12)

Explain how do you assess impact of the change on other PM functions?

What are the critical areas/issues to consider?

This is through thorough project evaluation after change identification. The major areas to consider are the effect the change has to the budget and the project schedule. The assessment should be assessed using the objectives as the basis. In this case, if the intended change was not achieved the deviation of the outcome is measured to represent the impact of the change. This is compared to the other functions of project management (p.12).

Explain how you review the scope management process, to ensure suggestions and recommendations for improvement are communicated for use in future projects.

Conducting a project assessment is a major way of reviewing the scope management process. This is because this shows the direction of the project. Dobie, (2007) a useful starting point is to define the planning as well as the delivery activities required in any project. Moreover, the he asserts that the scope of work must be directly linked to meet the defined requirements. This ensures suggestions and recommendations for improvement are communicated for use in future projects since the needs and requirements for such projects will be clearly defined. Dobie writes, "... scope management involves ongoing review and redefinition of deliverables, objectives, and constraints to the point of project start-up.... (p.47).

Manage Project Governance

This assessment enables the participant to demonstrate their ability to establish and implement an effective governance plan for a project of sufficient complexity to demonstrate the full range of requirements. It also seeks to provide the participant with a demonstration of management of delegated authorities and the development of an appropriate project governance plan consistent with the organization's governance policies, procedures, and expectations of project stakeholders.

Identify project management structure

i. Explain what is meant by project governance?

ii. Why is it important for successful projects?

iii. Discuss your experience/role in project governance using specific examples?

Project governance is the control, management as well as the authority over the project in order to ensure proper decision-making. In this case, there should be an alignment of the project with all the stakeholder's needs and objectives. According to Dobie, "through project governance there is the ability to plan, monitor, and control project activities." (Dobie, 2007).The project manager should have the ability to control and manage resources, people as well as be able to collect information and look ahead for the potential problems. Lack of the necessary technical expertise to deliver a project product the organization would require an expert for input. In many organizations, such an expert is given the same status as project manager. Project governance enables an organization to manage the project consistently and maximize the value of the outcomes. Moreover, governance enables the project to be aligned according to the business strategy. It is important since it gives the project a sense of direction through the definition of what is to be done. My role in project governance was as financial manager in a water project. I was supposed to control all the financial matters concerning the project.

Explain the concept of delegated authority. Describe an example of delegated authority and its management.

Delegated authority takes responsibility over a period time after which it changes. For instance, the project manager has the authority to spend the approved funds in order to acquire resources. The authority is delegated after the approval of the document, which formally authorizes a project.

Discuss the implementation of a specific project governance structure. How do you manage meetings and communication with team members?

Implementing the concept of project governance involves processes like instituting the authority that will be accountable for various project sectors. Meetings and communication are essential hence, they should be regularly held in order to facilitate accountability. Efficient communication is realized with the existence of a praiseworthy organizational framework. Dobie writes, "when there is a positive organizational framework and culture in place, the projects communication system of a formal network and project roles and responsibilities can be plugged into it." (p.189). possible complexities like lengthened combination channels and opportunities for delay should be minimized.

What are the critical elements of a successful governance framework?

The critical elements of the successful governance framework include responsibility and authority. This is because every form of governance should ensure that there is accountability at every level. The management framework should be formulated at the initiation of the project. This entails both monitoring and control. By being in control of the project, is very vital and this commences with a comprehensive plan which acts as the baseline for every person to understand the direction of the project and how the stakeholders and the management will take the project there. According to Dobie, the framework should "ensure that the scope of the project is clearly understood and agreed by all of the stakeholders." Moreover, the management framework should be designed in such a manner that it should put in place a procedure for managing scope changes.

What methodologies, policies, tools and techniques not yet discussed can you use to assist you in the governance of your projects?

The use of the new technology such as computers and the internet are some of the tools and methodologies that can be applied in the governance of a project.

Apply project governance principles and procedures

Explain how you determine the most appropriate governance structure to establish for each project?

The most appropriate governance structure for any project is one that will foster accountability and responsibility. If a governance structure portrays transparency in the running and operation of the project, then it will be the most appropriate to apply. However, if the structure tends to hinder clarity, it should not be implemented since it will result to future confusion and misunderstandings. This is identified by determining if the project is going in the proper direction.

How do you negotiate and agree the various governance roles for a project?

The negotiation of various governance roles for a project is dependent on various factors. These include qualification as well as personal attributes. Each role should match a person's qualification and his or her personal attributes. For instance, a person who is allocated the role of a project manager should be well qualified by having the required management skills. Moreover, he or she should possess the necessary leadership attributes. With the appropriate governance structure, there will be the appropriate control of issues and of the resultant changes. This means that project control is essential for the success of the project. Dobie, (2007) states "without an effective control system a project manager will not know what is happening and he or she will be unable to forecast trends and make the necessary decisions in order to avoid potential issues before they occur."

Describe a conflict with which you are familiar resulting from a project and how it was managed using project governance.

This conflict emerged on a road project. The conflict came because of poor definition of roles and responsibilities among the authorities in the project. After the occurrence of a problem, the parties started blaming each other. This was managed by properly defining the roles and responsibilities of the parties.

Monitor and review project governance

What practices and processes do you undertake to ensure project governance supports the overall project objectives?

A project assessment is necessary in order to ensure that the project is steering towards its objectives. Through an assessment, the management can compare the course of the project with the project plan that was earlier constructed. A project steering committee is necessary in order to evaluate if the project is on the right track. This is because it evaluates the current position of the project. After acquiring the necessary information, a report is issued to the project management for assessment and comparison.

Describe the accepted communication methods used to communicate with stakeholders

The creation of a stakeholder register provides with the information that is necessary to plan the communication with the project stakeholders. This assists to properly deal with each of the stakeholders in the appropriate manner. Through proper communication model, the project management will be able to identify and clarify all the needs and the expectations of the stakeholders.

Manage Organizational Change

Identify change requirements and opportunities

Describe in general terms how organizations plan their business direction, including how it analyses its external and internal environment.

The first step that organizations take is the evaluation of their environment. Through this, it is able to plan how its operations will be run. An organization analyses its internal environment by considering its structure, culture, as well as policy. This is because the structure of an organization determines the hierarchy of the top most managers to the lowest ranked employee. Through this role and responsibilities are assigned to different people, hence the management can plan on the directions to take. Externally it considers its competitors, suppliers, and government.

Describe your understanding of change management culture.

Change management culture is the transfer from a management model that has been used for a significant period in an organization, to a new model. This entails different processes, which should be followed. Moreover, this is accompanied by several challenges. This is because culture change is very sensitive. For instance, changing the behavior of employees is one of the cultural changes. This is because it changes how the employees will relate to each other and to the management.

Describe how you keep abreast of industry trends to inform your organization of possible business opportunities.

This is by always being updated on the happenings in the industry. Following news is another way of noticing the business opportunity in your industry. Moreover, attending all the meetings with various industrial participants is also pertinent. This is because one is familiarized with various plans occurring in the industry (Lock 2007).

Describe how an organization (or one you are familiar with) reviews internal systems and processes.

An organization reviews its internal systems and processes through frequent evaluation and assessment. Internal auditing is another vital process.

What structures and processes are you aware of or have used to improve internal operations?

Application of new technology such as computers as well as the internet is some of the structures that can be used to improve internal operations of a company. For instance, the application of computers is necessary for efficiency purpose. By using computers, a manager can assess and evaluate the inventory of a company and hence make the appropriate decisions. Moreover, computers are necessary since they save time during computing. This is because it can solve very complex problems within a short time (Young 2007).

Develop change management strategy

What financial factors influence the cost/benefit analysis of project options?

One of the main financial factors is incentives, tax, as well as reimbursements. This is because they will affect the amount that will be spent to execute a certain project.

Describe risk management principles that can be applied in a project context.

The risk management principles that can be applied include risk identification, qualitative risk analysis, quantitative risk analysis, as well as planning risk responses. Qualitative risk analysis involves the evaluation of the depth of the risk in terms of quality. It covers the type of loss that the organization would incur if the risk occurred. Quantitative analysis deals with the amount of loss that the company would incur if the loss occurred. It covers the evaluation of quantity. Risk identification is another key principle. This involves analyzing and identifying the potential risks in the environment that might affect the project. This is necessary in order to prepare for the appropriate measures to deal with the risks if they occurred. Planning of risk responses involves the designing of the best measures that would be taken if any of the identified risks would occur.

Who do you consult to develop and write a project change management plan?

The senior management, experts as well as the stakeholders are the people to consult before developing a project management plan. Experts assist in the explanation and the analysis of the situation as well as the expected outcome. This is because they have been trained to deal with such situations through the application different techniques. Moreover, the senior management of the organization is very crucial. This is because it is familiar with the organization's culture, structure, and policies. It is also complacent with the external environment of the organization. This means that they can analyze where and when it is appropriate to apply changes.

Implement change management strategy

Describe an event where you have been required to 'sell' a change to a group of people.

Change one of the unavoidable things in a project. Selling a change to people involves trading an idea of how they can improve their projects. This occurs when there is a part of the project, where things are not working as planned.

Outline the challenges you face in successfully communicating change.

The communication of change is not an easy process. This is because it is accompanied by several challenges. First, some people do not accept the change. This is because they are so used to the old ways. Other than that, the change results in breakage to some of the relationships that people had already established. In this case, people find it hard to accept change since they will have to start from scratch in establishing other relationships. Moreover, the change might demand for extra costs that are not available. This is because every change demands cost in order to set things in place as planned. In this case, the organization might not be ready for such costs. This means that the management as well as the other stakeholders might reject the change.

Describe the tools, methodologies, and resources you could use to communicate the benefits of change

One of the major tools to communicate the benefits of change is the use of a projector and PowerPoint slide. These are important for easy explanation to the management and the stakeholders. Through PowerPoint slides, one can be able to highlight the major points of a certain subject as well as the notes that accompany the points. This facilitates better communication and understanding. Another tool that can be applied is the internet. This is by showing images as well as information regarding the benefits that another organization enjoyed after implementing the same change. This is vital since it will help to convince the management and the stakeholders in general.

Describe an instance where you have been challenged in introducing a specific change. How did you manage it?

I have faced several challenges in implementing a certain change. For instance, changing the communication criteria in my organization is important. I managed this by explaining the benefits of direct communication in increasing the output in the company. The mode of communication that was being applied in the organization was the indirect. In this case, many problems were not solved at the right time. In addition to that, the grievances of the employees in the lower rank were not attended to since they could not communicate directly with the senior management. Implementation of the direct communication model was the only solution to the problem. This is because through direct communication, an employee in the lower rank can communicate with the top managers and his or her grievances will be addressed to. Moreover, most of the problems will be addressed on time since direct communication reduces time wastage.

Describe an organizational change that has been introduced where you have managed its evaluation and effectiveness. Describe the processes you used.

The change in the communication model is one of the organizational changes, which were introduced, and I managed its evaluation and effectiveness. The first process relates to expressing the benefits of the change to the organization and all its stakeholders. The second stage is expressing how the change will affect the running of the organization. Finally, the management and the stakeholders should know how the change will be appropriately implemented (Wysocki 2004).