Important Elements of a Project Scope
With a successful career in the field of engineering, Rudy Warnock owned and managed Warnock & Associates, LLC, in Canton, Mississippi. Rudy Warnock handled all aspects of project management, from securing contracts and budgeting to identifying project scope and scheduling work assignments.
Project scope is one of the first and foremost steps in project planning, as it outlines what needs to be done to deliver a successful project. Identifying the project scope at the onset is critical to avoid miscommunications, delays, and wasted resources. Well-defined project scope must include objectives, deliverables, milestones, requirements, assumptions and limitations, and risks.
The objectives represent the intended result of the project and the benefits it will bring to an organization or client. It should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). An example of a project objective in construction is to build a new commercial space. Project deliverables, on the other hand, refer to the tangible outputs that the project will produce to achieve the objectives. In a construction project, a deliverable can be in the form of a design plan, a site investigation report, or a progress report.
A project milestone is an event or marker within the project timeline that signifies a change or new phase in development. Some examples of project milestones in construction are acquiring land, hiring contractors, and securing permits. Detailed requirements and functional descriptions are also needed when defining project scope. In construction, for instance, the project often must meet ISO standards and other quality inspections. Clients can also set requirements in areas such as energy efficiency and ventilation, for example.
For any type of project, it is just as important to identify assumptions and limitations as to deliver the project on time and within budget. Assumptions and limitations can be determined by clarifying the roles of responsible parties, allocating resources for individual tasks, and setting terms and timelines for each milestone. And before any project can begin, is it important to identify all the risks that will exist throughout the project and evaluate how they can be prevented, mitigated, or transferred.
