Scope and the work breakdown structure (WBS)
“Build an ordering app” is too big to estimate or assign. The fix: a work breakdown structure (WBS). Split the project into parts, and each part into smaller parts, until you reach work packages you can estimate in time and cost and hand to an owner.
Watch outThe 100% rule: the WBS covers all of the project's work and nothing more. Anything not in the WBS is outside the project's scope.
Scope creep: small additions that slip in without approval: “just add a button”, “and one more report”. Each is small; together they delay the project by months. The cure is change control: every change request is written down, its impact on time and cost assessed, and a named body approves or rejects it.
- A written change request: what change, and why?
- Impact analysis: how many days and riyals? What else is affected?
- A decision by the change board or sponsor: approve, reject or defer to a later release
- Update the plan and documents and tell the team