Project Management Guide

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Scoping a Project
bullet Introduction
bullet Project Scoping Report
bullet Mission & Objectives
bullet Cost-Benefit Analysis
bullet Top-Level Plan
bullet Project Organisation

bullet Risk Analysis

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Scoping a Project

Benefits & Costs Analysis

In a Project Scoping Report, the purpose of this is not to question whether the project is a sensible idea or not. That would be part of the initial project evaluation and selection.

An analysis of benefits and costs at this stage provides two key pieces of information:

  1. A summary of benefits which can be valuable when marketing and communicating the project.
  2. Likely costs, some of which may well influence how the project is implemented.

In most policy and organisational project, it is not necessary to go into too much depth at this stage - a simple brief brainstorm is often sufficient.

As a group simply brainstorm list the benefits and then the costs of doing the project. Costs and benefits should not be just the financial aspects but all aspects - people, facilities, disruption, confusion - a broad listing.

    Analysis of Benefits & Costs

    Main Benefits

    Main Costs
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Key Points are:  

Essentially a quick (fifteen minute) brainstorm

  • Not just financial costs and benefits but also performance improvement, disruption, increased workload, etc.
  • It can have a strong influence on the way that you decide to tackle the project.