Page 76 -
P. 76
5 - PROJECT SCOPE MANAGEMENT
5.1 Plan Scope Management
Section 5.1 of the PMBOK Guide indicates that planning scope management is the process of planning
®
for, defining, and documenting stakeholder needs to meet the project objectives. The details of planning scope
management for a software project depend on the life cycle model used to manage the project. Predictive software
project life cycles rely on initially collecting and documenting the software product requirements (to the extent
possible) and developing the software architecture; these are used to determine the scope of the project, which
provides the basis for developing a work breakdown structure (WBS). A predictive life cycle for a software project 5
is most likely to result in a successful project when stable software requirements can be developed in sufficient
detail during project initiation and planning; there is a fixed definition of scope that results in a detailed initial WBS;
and the product is in a familiar product domain. Many software projects require innovations that cannot be initially
foreseen and planned, perhaps because the user community is not sure what is needed or how it can be provided,
or perhaps new technology is involved (new hardware, new infrastructure software), or environmental factors, such
as new policies and regulations, should be considered. Planning an adaptive life cycle project, in which the project
scope and product scope evolve together as features are iteratively elaborated, is appropriate for these kinds of
software projects.
5.1.1 Plan Scope Management: Inputs
The inputs for planning the scope of a software project in Section 5.1.1 of the PMBOK Guide are suitable inputs
®
for planning scope management for software projects. Two additional inputs that are applicable for planning scope
management of adaptive life cycle software projects are presented in Section 5.1.1.5 of this Software Extension.
5.1.1.1 Project Management Plan
See Section 5.1.1.1 of the PMBOK Guide.
®
5.1.1.2 Project Charter
See Section 5.1.1.2 of the PMBOK Guide.
®
5.1.1.3 Enterprise Environmental Factors
See Section 5.1.1.3 of the PMBOK Guide.
®
5.1.1.4 Organizational Process Assets
See Section 5.1.1.4 of the PMBOK Guide.
®
©2013 Project Management Institute. Software Extension to the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition 65
®
