Managing Scope and Change Flashcards
Define Scope Management
Scope management is the process whereby outputs, outcomes and benefits are
identified, defined and controlled
What is configuration management?
Configuration management encompasses the administrative activities concerned with the creation, maintenance and controlled change and quality control of the scope of work.
What are the key activities in the Configuration Management process?
- Planning (guidelines for how much mgmt required, how will we protect project assets? Specialist tools used, roles and responsibilities)
- Identification (Each config item CI requires a unique identifier and attributes recorded e.g. type of item, owner, status, version) Product Breakdown Structure used to determine CIs
- Control (Config baseline preserved through out project. Any changes must only be done by approved parties)
- Status Accounting (Current version of each item needs to be recorded and monitored, and changes documented)
- Audit (Project Assets should be reviewed at each Gate stage)
What is change control?
Change control is the process through which all requests to change the baseline scope of a project, programme or portfolio are captured, evaluated and then approved, rejected or deferred.”
What is the change control process?
- Request
- Review (Consider high level impact, can reject at this stage)
- Assessment (more detailed analysis of impact to cost, time, quality, plans, etc.)
- Decision (Accept, Reject, Defer)
- Implementation (Do the change, Update documents and project baseline to reflect this new change)
The work breakdown structure can best be thought of as an effective aid for ‘_________’ understanding and communications:
a. Team
b. Project Office
c. Sponsor
d. User
A
Rationale: The WBS displays all the work of the project: if it’s in the WBS it’s in scope.
This is especially useful for the team, to ensure everyone understands what has to be
done.
Which of the following is true about breakdown structures?
a. The lowest level of the work breakdown structure should comprise of tasks with a
maximum value of £5,000 or five days’ effort
b. A cost breakdown structure is a work breakdown structure with cost attached
c. Product breakdown structures and work breakdown structures are not used together
d. A responsibility matrix is formed from the work breakdown structure and organisational
breakdown structure
D
Rationale: There are heuristics used for work package, but nothing this prescriptive.
The CBS will also take into account resources costs and the PBS and WBS are often
used together and sometimes combined into one. The RAM is a matrix of the work of
the project and the people on the project.
Why are product breakdown structures developed?
a. They list the projects activities
b. They identify the resource requirements for the project
c. They detail the order in which the products must be delivered
d. They detail the projects deliverables
D
Rationale: They detail the projects deliverables
Product breakdown structures:
a. Represent the project specification and remain constant
b. Must be developed in detail at the outset
c. Are used for projects with physical and non-physical deliverables
d. Detail the assembly of finished products
C
Rationale: The PBS is a hierarchical graphical display of the projects products, and its deliverables.
The work breakdown structure:
a. Is based on the Gantt chart
b. Is best determined using a computer planning package
c. Will help to fully define the project scope
d. Shows the precedence relationships between tasks
C
Rationale: By decomposing the project into phases, products and the work required to
create them the full scope of the project is displayed.
Which of the following is/are typical causes of change on a project?
a. Change to the base-lined design of the deliverable
b. Technical errors requiring rework
c. Change of approved supplier, requiring an extension of the project duration
d. All of the above
D
Rationale: Requirements are often not 100% clear at the outset, so changes to a
baselined deliverable are often required. Errors do and will continue to happen and if
a supplier is changed it is almost inevitable that additional time will be required to
introduce a new supplier. Therefore, they are all applicable.
Which of the following is not generally seen as a standard configuration management activity? a. Preparation b. Status accounting c. Identification d. Audit
A
Rationale: In configuration management we need to identify the configuration items,
the products that will be controlled. Status Accounting confirms the state of those
items and an Audit is used to confirm that the actual state of the item corresponds to
the status Account.
Configuration management includes:
a. Defining of the initial project success and failure criteria
b. Managing of facts and figures
c. Recording of the issue of documents
d. Managing of staff time-keeping
C
Rationale: Documents would be items that need version control, change to their configuration is managed and controlled.
Change control is the process to control fundamental changes to:
a. The project management team structure
b. The reporting process to the users
c. The configuration management tools
d. The project’s time, cost, quality, performance and other objectives
D
Rationale: All aspects of the projects baselined plan and deliverables are subject to change control.
Configuration management is the responsibility of:
a. The user
b. The sponsor
c. The project manager
d. The operations manager
C
Rationale: The project manager is responsible for delivering the outputs associated
with the project plan. It is therefore their responsibility to ensure that all deliverables
are managed and controlled.
