5 Project Scope Management Terms

Question 1

8/80 Rule

Answer 1

A planning heuristic for creating the WBS. This rule states that the work package in a WBS must take no more than 80 hours of labor to create and no fewer than 8 hours of labor to create.

Question 2

Active observation

Answer 2

The observer interacts with the worker to ask questions and understand each step of the work being completed. In some instances, the observer could serve as an assistant in doing the work.

Question 3

Affinity diagrams

Answer 3

When stakeholders create a large number of ideas, you can use an affinity diagram to cluster similar ideas together for further analysis.

Question 4

Alternatives generation

Answer 4

A scope definition process of finding alternative solutions for the project customer while considering the customer’s satisfaction, the cost of the solution, and how the customer may use the product in operations.

Question 5

Autocratic

Answer 5

A decision method where only one individual makes the decision for the group.

Question 6

Brainstorming

Answer 6

This approach encourages participants to generate as many ideas as possible about the project requirements. No idea is judged or dismissed during the brainstorming session.

Question 7

Change control system (CCS)

Answer 7

Documented in the scope management plan, this system defines how changes to the project scope are managed and controlled.

Question 8

Change management plan

Answer 8

This subsidiary plan defines how changes will be allowed and managed within the project.

Question 9

Code of accounts

Answer 9

A numbering system for each item in the WBS. The PMBOK is a good example of a code of accounts, as each chapter and its subheadings follow a logical numbering scheme. For example, PMBOK 5.3.3.2 identifies an exact paragraph in the PMBOK.

Question 10

Configuration management plan

Answer 10

This subsidiary plan defines how changes to the features and functions of the project deliverables will be monitored and controlled within the project.

Question 11

Context diagram

Answer 11

These diagrams show the relationship between elements of an environment. For example, a context diagram would illustrate the networks, servers, workstations, and people that interact with the elements of the environment.

Question 12

Focus groups

Answer 12

A moderator-led requirements collection method to elicit requirements from stakeholders.

Question 13

Functional analysis

Answer 13

This is the study of the functions within a system, project, or, what’s more likely in the project scope statement, the product the project will be creating. Functional analysis studies the goals of the product, how the product will be used, and the expectations the customer has of the product once it leaves the project and moves into operations. Functional analysis may also consider the cost of the product in operations, which is known as life-cycle costing.

Question 14

Funding limit

Answer 14

Most projects have a determined budget in relation to the project scope. There may be a qualifier on this budget, such as plus or minus 10 percent based on the type of cost estimate created.

Question 15

Interviews

Answer 15

A requirements collection method used to elicit requirements from stakeholders in a one-on-one conversation.

Question 16

Majority

Answer 16

A group decision method where more than 50 percent of the group must be in agreement.

Question 17

Mind mapping

Answer 17

This approach maps ideas to show the relationship among requirements and the differences between requirements. The map can be reviewed to identify new solutions or to rank the identified requirements.

Question 18

Nominal group technique

Answer 18

As with brainstorming, participants are encouraged to generate as many ideas as possible, but the suggested ideas are ranked by a voting process.

Question 19

Passive observation

Answer 19

The observer records information about the work being completed without interrupting the process; sometimes called the invisible observer.

Question 20

Plurality

Answer 20

A group-decision method where the largest part of the group makes the decision when it’s less than 50 percent of the total. (Consider three or four factions within the stakeholders.)

Question 21

Product acceptance criteria

Answer 21

This project scope statement component works with the project requirements, but focuses specifically on the product and what the conditions and processes are for formal acceptance of the product.

Question 22

Product breakdown

Answer 22

A scope definition technique that breaks down a product into a hierarchical structure, much like a WBS breaks down a project scope.

Question 23

Product scope description

Answer 23

This is a narrative description of what the project is creating as a deliverable for the project customer.

Question 24

Product scope

Answer 24

Defines the product or service that will come about as a result of completing the project. It defines the features and functions that characterize the product.

Question 25

Project assumptions

Answer 25

A project assumption is a factor in the planning process that is held to be true but not proven to be true.

Question 26

Project boundaries

Answer 26

A project boundary clearly states what is included with the project and what’s excluded from the project. This helps to eliminate assumptions between the project management team and the project customer.

Question 27

Project constraints

Answer 27

A constraint is anything that limits the project manager’s options. Consider a predetermined budget, deadline, resources, or materials the project manager must use within the project—these are all examples of project constraints.

Question 28

Project objectives

Answer 28

These are the measurable goals that determine a project’s acceptability to the project customer and the overall success of the project. Objectives often include the cost, schedule, technical requirements, and quality demands.

Question 29

Project requirements

Answer 29

These are the demands set by the customer, regulations, or the performing organization that must exist for the project deliverables to be acceptable. Requirements are often prioritized in a number of ways, from “must have” to “should have” to “would like to have.”

Question 30

Project scope

Answer 30

This defines all of the work, and only the required work, to complete the project objectives.

Question 31

Project scope management plan

Answer 31

This project management subsidiary plan controls how the scope will be defined, how the project scope statement will be created, how the WBS will be created, how scope validation will proceed, and how the project scope will be controlled throughout the project.

Question 32

Requirements documentation

Answer 32

This documentation of what the stakeholders expected in the project defines all of the requirements that must be present for the work to be accepted by the stakeholders.

Question 33

Requirements management plan

Answer 33

This subsidiary plan defines how changes to the project requirements will be permitted, how requirements will be tracked, and how changes to the requirements will be approved.

Question 34

Requirements traceability matrix (RTM)

Answer 34

This is a table that maps the requirements throughout the project all the way to their completion.

Question 35

Schedule milestones

Answer 35

The project customer may have specific dates when phases of the project should be completed. These milestones are often treated as project constraints.

Question 36

Scope creep

Answer 36

Undocumented, unapproved changes to the project scope.

Question 37

Scope validation

Answer 37

The formal inspection of the project deliverables, which leads to project acceptance.

Question 38

Stakeholder analysis

Answer 38

A scope definition process where the project management team interviews the stakeholders and categorizes, prioritizes, and documents what the project customer wants and needs. The analysis is to determine, quantify, and prioritize the interests of the stakeholders. Stakeholder analysis demands quantification of stakeholder objectives; goals such as “good,” “satisfaction,” and “speedy” aren’t quantifiable.

Question 39

Systems analysis

Answer 39

A scope definition approach that studies and analyzes a system, its components, and the relationship of the components within the system.

Question 40

Systems engineering

Answer 40

This project scope statement creation process studies how a system should work, designs and creates a system model, and then enacts the working system based on the project’s goals and the customer’s expectations. Systems engineering aims to balance the time and cost of the project in relation to the scope of the project.

Question 41

Unanimity

Answer 41

A group decision method where everyone must be in agreement.

Question 42

Value analysis

Answer 42

As with value engineering, this approach examines the functions of the project’s product in relation to the cost of the features and functions. This is where, to some extent, the grade of the product is in relationship to the cost of the product.

Question 43

Value engineering

Answer 43

This approach to project scope statement creation attempts to find the correct level of quality in relation to a reasonable budget for the project deliverable while still achieving an acceptable level of performance of the product.

Question 44

WBS dictionary

Answer 44

A WBS companion document that defines all of the characteristics of each element within the WBS.

Question 45

WBS template

Answer 45

A prepopulated WBS for repetitive projects. Previous projects’ WBSs are often used as templates for current similar projects.

Question 46

Work breakdown structure (WBS)

Answer 46

A deliverables-oriented breakdown of the project scope.

Question 47

Work package

Answer 47

The smallest item in the WBS.

Question 48

Work performance information

Answer 48

Status of the deliverables: the work that’s been started, finished, or has yet to begin.