The boundaries are defined as measurable and auditable characteristics and closely linked to project objectives. They create a holistic project perception, determine limits and exclusions of the project, and form the content of project scope in terms of expected results.”
On your project, scope is specified in two places. High-level scope is defined in your project charter. Low-level scope is defined in your business requirements document. High-level scope consists of two main components. Deliverables. List your deliverables if you can’t think of anything else to say about scope. Defining your deliverables goes a long way toward .
You’ll have an easier time defining scope for your project in the future if you keep in mind how these components fit together. Your charter specifies the high-level scope, which is made up of boundary clauses and deliverables. Low-level scope is defined by your business requirements. Together, these two elements define the entire scope of your project.
02.03 – Project Initiation – part 3 of 7 – Project Boundaries
Factors for identifying project boundaries
Here are a few elements that may be taken into consideration when defining project boundaries:
What are project boundaries?
What clients and project professionals have determined to be included in project work are identified by project boundaries. Those who are finishing the project can include a project boundaries identification section that precisely outlines the scope of project work expectations within the project scope statement. The parameters are quantifiable characteristics that can be agreed upon by all project participants. Everyone involved can make clear decisions about the project content by being aware of the outcomes clients anticipate from project professionals.
Importance of identifying project boundaries
Establishing project boundaries can help to define the beginning and end of a project and bring about additional advantages, such as:
Examples of project boundaries
Here are some examples of project boundaries:
Location
The project boundary statement may take into account the geographic reach of the project. For instance, a business might start a project to improve the effectiveness of the organization’s operations. A project boundary may be that team members can only improve operations in the domestic market because the company may have different operations and systems in its national and international offices. If the business wants to further streamline international processes, that could necessitate a separate project.
Departments
Certain project boundaries can show which departments might benefit from the work. For instance, a technology project team may invest in brand-new equipment for specific organizational departments with a high demand for new technology. Project managers might not concentrate on other departments outside the boundaries.
Equipment
Which equipment a team can use to complete their work can be determined by the project’s boundaries. For instance, work that necessitates highly specialized, pricey, or difficult-to-find technology may extend beyond the scope of a project. This may be particularly true if a project has a tight deadline or budget.
Timeline
How frequently a team can revisit or update the work may be governed by certain project boundaries. For instance, a team remodeling a building might specify in the boundary statement that they plan to check on the remodel one year after it is finished to look for problems or potential improvement areas. Any additional visits or remodeling requests in this situation might be outside the project’s boundaries.
Expertise
Project managers can specify which competent individuals are allowed to complete tasks for a project. A specialized task may fall outside the scope of the project if the team lacks the necessary human resources to complete it. For instance, a marketing consulting firm might advise a client to adopt a new logo, but the firm might not supply the logo’s design. This particular outcome might not be within the scope of the project because the company does not employ graphic designers.
Tips for dealing with scope creep
Clients may expect project teams to complete work that is outside of clearly defined boundaries, a process known as scope creep. The following advice can be used to reduce scope creep when working with clients:
Be as specific as possible
It can be beneficial to be as specific as possible when defining project boundaries in terms of expectations. This can eliminate the possibility of misinterpretation. For instance, if you want to finish a project that spans an entire continent, you might want to list the nations that the project can reach on that continent. This way, a client will know what you meant when you said “geographic boundary” and won’t expect you to have a wider reach than you stated.
Estimate realistically
By estimating what your team can deliver realistically rather than overly optimistically as the project progresses, you can reduce the likelihood of scope creep. To do this, consider the team’s expertise, available resources, and technological capabilities to determine what you can complete within the allotted time. You can also think back on previous project experiences to form this opinion.
When estimating, being cautious can help to ensure that your group reaches its objectives. Giving a client a quicker estimate based on the assumption that you might work more quickly than usual, for instance, may not be helpful if you think your team will need a certain amount of time to finish the work. By being cautious, you might finish the task faster than you anticipated but not slower.
Use ranges if youre unsure
Although you may want to estimate boundaries as precisely and realistically as possible, it can occasionally be difficult to come to a precise estimate for a specific indicator. Ranges can be used in this situation to give the client a realistic idea of where the results may fall. You can do this to reduce the possibility that a client will expect work that is outside the specified range.
Identity requests that commonly result in scope creep
You can observe project boundaries that frequently lead to scope creep as you gain more project management expertise. You can provide more details or specifics when presenting these boundaries in order to mitigate any potential problems. For instance, you can prepare for this by making a thorough list of departments that fall within boundaries if previous clients have frequently requested that your work cover additional departments within an organization. You can decide to spend more time up front discussing this boundary with your clients so they have a chance to ask any questions or express any concerns.
Set expectations as soon as possible
Working together with clients on boundaries as soon as possible allows for the early consideration of everyone’s preferences. In some instances, clients may not be adequately informed about the boundaries or may not have enough time to discuss the implications of boundaries, which can lead to creep. Before projects start, any problems can be discussed to reduce the possibility that concerns will surface, making collaboration more difficult.
Plan ahead for potential scope creep
Assuming that scope creep may occur and then creating plans to address it if it does is one way to deal with it. For instance, you can draft scripts to use when speaking with clients about scope creep or implement preventative measures like scheduling more client meetings. While scope creep may not be completely avoidable, you can prepare to deal with it more skillfully.
FAQ
What are the 3 boundaries of a project?
- the project phases (i. e. for instance, the beginning of the Closure phase or the conclusion of the Initiation phase)
- the functions and features that stakeholders require of a project.
- what is required of the project and the objectives that have been set for it
How do you write scope and boundaries?
An efficient way to establish a “contract” between the management and project teams is to establish “boundary conditions” at the time a project is approved. As long as the boundary conditions (typical cost, schedule, features, and quality) are not violated, this contract permits teams to proceed with little supervision.
What is a reason to clearly identify the project boundary?
- List the project’s stakeholders.
- The project’s boundaries from each project stakeholder’s perspective should be written down in point form.
- Take note of the main dangers to the project’s successful completion.
- Write out the primary objective of the project.
