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.