Project scope is a way to set boundaries on your project and define exactly what goals, deadlines, and project deliverables you’ll be working towards. By clarifying your project scope, you can ensure you hit your project goals and objectives without delay or overwork.
Defining your project scope isn’t a one-person job. Rather, you should align with any important project stakeholders and ensure that you’re all on the same page. For example, if you’re working on a product marketing launch, you want to make sure you align with stakeholders on relevant teams at your company, like the product team, the design team, and the content team.
Depending on how complex your project is, you may also want to define a change control process.
What are the benefits of defining your project scope early ?
Defining your project scope is a key element of project planning. Without a clear scope statement, your project could warp and grow beyond your team’s ability to complete it, causing delays or burnout. Your project scope helps you envision the entire lifecycle of your project and make sure your end goals are achievable. Specifically, defining your project scope allows you to:
- Ensure all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the boundaries of the project
- Manage stakeholder expectations and get buy-in
- Reduce project risk
- Budget and resource plan appropriately
- Align your project to its main objectives
- Establish a process for change requests (for complex projects)
