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1. Introduction

In this next series of posts on memorizing the processes, we move on to the final step 6, which is memorizing the INPUTS & OUTPUTS associated with each of the 47 processes.   In order to breakdown the memorization into more bite-size chunks, I am breaking down the processes in the 10 knowledge areas into 2 or 3 posts each.

This post covers chapter 5 of the PMBOK® Guide, which covers the Scope Knowledge Area. This knowledge area contains 6 processes,

2.  Review of processes 5.3 and 5.4 and their ITTOs

NOTE:   ITTOs is an acronym for Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs

There are a total of six processes in the Scope Knowledge Area.   Because of the large number of inputs and outputs, I am splitting my discussion of the inputs and outputs into three different posts, each one of which will cover two of the processes.    In that way, I can describe the inputs and outputs for these processes in a little bit of detail without the post becoming too long.

Here is a chart which shows the third and fourth process, 5.3 Define Scope and 5.4 Create WBS, together with their tools & techniques (which are discussed in a previous post) and their inputs & outputs.

NOTE:  the generic inputs known as Environmental Enterprise Factors and Operational Process Assets are given by their acronyms EEFs and OPAs, respectively.

Process Name	Tools & Techniques	Inputs	Outputs
5.3 Define Scope	1. Expert judgment 2. Product analysis 3. Alternatives generation 4. Facilitated workshops	1. Scope management plan 2. Project charter 3. Requirements documentation 4. OPAs	1. Project scope statement 2. Project documents updates
5.4 Create WBS	1. Decomposition 2. Expert judgment	1. Scope management plan 2. Project scope statement 3. Requirements documentation 4. EEFs 5. OPAs	1. Scope baseline 2. Project documents updates

3.  Outputs of processes 5.3 and 5.4

a. Project scope statement (5.3 Define Scope)

Just as a general reminder, the description of the scope goes through the following development:

Project statement of work (SOW) –> Project charter –> Project scope statement

The project scope statement is the most detailed description of the scope, and it constitutes one of the three components of the scope baseline, the other two components being the Work Breakdown Structure or WBS (created in the next process 5.4 Create WBS) and the WBS dictionary.

Here are the components of the Project scope statement:

• Product scope description–detailed description of the product, result, or service described in the project charter and requirements documentation
• Deliverable–any product, result, or service, and their corresponding project management reports and documentation
• Acceptance criteria–what conditions must be met in order for the deliverables to be accepted
• Project exclusion–what is explicitly NOT included in the project
• Constraints–limiting factor that affects the execution of a project (e.g., predefined budget, imposed deadlines)
• Assumptions–factors in the planning process that are assumed to be true; includes analysis of potential impact of those factors if they are prove to be false.

One understated component of the project scope statement is the “project exclusion”.   By stating up front what is NOT going to be in the project, it helps, as PMI notes in the PMBOK® Guide, to manage stakeholders’ expectations.  But it also helps to prevent unnecessary change requests, another benefit to the project which is not mentioned in the Guide.

b. Project documents updates (5.3 Define Scope and 5.4 Create WBS)

Project document updates that are outputs of the 5.3 Define Scope process may include:

• Stakeholder register
• Requirements documentation
• Requirements traceability matrix

c. Scope baseline (5.4 Create WBS)

Once the WBS and the WBS dictionary are created as an output of the process 5.4 Create WBS, they form, in combination with the project scope statement (the output of the process 5.3 Define Scope), the scope baseline.

4.  Inputs of processes 5.3 and 5.4

a.  Scope management plan (5.3 Define Scope and 5.4 Define WBS)

This establishes the activities for developing the scope and creating the WBS.

b. Project charter (5.3 Define Scope)

This provides a high-level project description, product characteristics, and project approval requirements.

c.  Project scope statement (5.4 Create WBS)

This is an output of process 5.3 Define Scope, and becomes an input to the following process.   This is the usual pattern for inputs and outputs, where the output of the preceding process becomes the input to the following process.

d.  Requirements documentation (5.3 Define Scope and 5.4 Create WBS)

This is used to select the requirements that will be included in the project, and what needs to be done to deliver the project and its final products.

e.  EEFs (5.4 Create WBS)

Industry-specific WBS standards may be inputs to this process.

f.  OPAs (5.3 Define Scope and 5.4 Create WBS)

The OPAs used as inputs in the 5.3 Define Scope process are:

• Policies, procedures, and templates for the project scope statement
• Project files from previous projects (as samples of project scope statement)
• Lessons learned from previous phases or projects

These two processes are relatively straightforward in terms of their inputs and outputs because the processes they describe, the creation of the project scope statement and the WBS, are central to the project planning process and should be familiar to most project managers.

The next post will cover the final two processes of the Scope Management knowledge area, processes 5.5 Validate Scope and 5.6 Control Scope.

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