Project Management Guide

Copyright 2005 Lindsay Sherwin

Lindsay Sherwin Tel: 01491 577079 e-mail: FredSherwin@lindsay-sherwin.co.uk   

Project Stages

Stage 2     Project Scoping & Planning  

The Proposal Stage specifies what is to be delivered, but can only take a broad view of how that is to be achieved. The how is carried out in the Scoping and Planning Stage by the Project Manager appointed for the task. It generally involves a brief project scoping study

Project Scoping is a brief analysis and study to establish what the project will involve, what the risks and possible difficulties are, and how the project should be organised and tackled.

It is to be carried out quickly (a few days or weeks for larger projects) by the Project manager and summarised in a short Project Scoping Report within which the following key questions are addressed:    

Key Questions   

1. What will the project deliver - for whom and by when?
2. Who will need to be involved in carrying it out?
3. In general terms, what is the best approach to tackling the project?
4. What activities/actions need to take place?
5. How should it be organised?
6. How should the project be controlled?
7. What are the risks and implementation issues?
8. How does the project fit with others that are being carried out?      

Key Outputs     

• A Project Scoping Report and an agreement to proceed.
   
• The Project Scoping Report should be brief (three or four pages) and give the Project Sponsor and others:
  • a clear and concise description of what is to be delivered and when,
  • proposed general approach to the project,
  • a project timeline showing a feasible schedule of key activities and milestones,
  • clarification of proposed responsibilities,
  • key resources needed, and
  • identification of likely risks to the project.
     
• The  preferred format is: 
  

Project Scoping Report Terms of reference Establishing what the project will deliver and the key stakeholders in the project   Benefits & Costs Main benefits accruing from the project and the main costs (resources, money, disruption) incurred by carrying it out   Top-level plan Showing key activities to be carried out in a timescale. In detail for the start-up stage and in outline for the whole project.   Project Organisation Showing who is the project manager for the project, who is the project sponsor on behalf of the organisation, and others likely to be involved in the project   Key risks and implementation issues Identification of likely key issues which could arise during implementation and strategies for resolving them.