Homework: Plan for Project Scope: Scope Management Plan (SMP)
Overview and Rationale
For this homework you will create a project Scope Management Plan (SMP.) Planning how you will collect requirements and develop the project scope is critically important to ensure the project scope development process is well thought out and meets customer's business needs.
Program and Course Outcomes
This homework is directly linked to the following key learning outcomes from the course syllabus:
o Define and identify examples of project "scope" and "requirements"
o Identify common components of the project scope management plan
o Develop a high-level project scope management plan
In addition to these key learning outcomes, you will also have the opportunity to evidence the following skills through completing this homework:
o Critical thinking and analysis
o Problem solving
Overview:
What is a Scope Management Plan (SMP)?
Like any plan, a scope management plan is a set of defined processes that are used ensure that the project includes all the necessary tasks for a successful project.
The SMP focuses on defining how project scope is explained, developed, structured, verified with the customer and managed.
By using a scope management plan, project managers can define and map their project, so it remains within the agreed-upon scope.
The scope management plan helps project managers better allocate project resources in such a manner that the project can finish on time, within budget and with the quality expected by stakeholders.
As we learned in class, project scope management is about:
o Planning the process to define the work that must be done over the course of the project,
o Controlling and monitoring those processes,
o Documenting and tracking to avoid scope creep when approving or disapproving project changes,
o Closing, including an audit of deliverables and assessing the outcome against the plan.
Essential Components & Instructions
This homework consists of the following activities:
o Review all instructor-provided project case studies found in your readings.
o Select one case study to develop the scope management plan. Reminder: You will use this case study for your remaining homeworks.
o Conduct online research on your case's industry and also on relevant business functions to understand the organization's value chain activities. (Examples of business functions are: Finance, Information Technology, Manufacturing/Operations, Marketing, Distribution, etc.)
o Develop Scope Management Plan (SMP) for your chosen project. See SMP template with instructions.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.