Role

Scope Change Management (Large Projects)

1

Project Manager

Identify scope change request through a Scope Change Form

Solicit potential scope changes from any project stakeholders, including the project team, clients, sponsors, etc. Potential scope changes should be documented in writing to the project manager through a short Scope Change Request Form or email.

2

Project Manager

Validate it is a scope change

The project manager validates that the request is, in fact, a scope change.

3

Project Manager

Enter the request in the Scope Change Log

Enter the item into the Scope Change Log for tracking purposes.

4

(Person making request)

Request the business value of the change

The person making the scope change request should define the business value to the project. The sponsor will need this information to make a final decision.

5

Project Manager, Sponsor

Determine the impact of the investigation on the project

The project manager must estimate the impact of the investigation to the project in terms of effort, cost and duration. If the time to investigate the impact of the change is minor, the project manager will proceed.

If the time required to perform the scope investigation will cause deliverable dates to slip, the request must first be taken to the project sponsor to determine whether the request itself should even be investigated. If the sponsor gives the initial approval to proceed, the schedule and budget may need to be updated to reflect this new scope change investigation. If the sponsor does not agree to investigate the change request, then the request should be closed as ‘not approved’ on the Scope Change Log.

6

Project Manager, Team Member

Assign the scope change to a project team member for investigation

The project manager assigns the request to a team member for investigation of the impact to the project. If the project manager understands the request and the implications he could assign it to himself.

7

Project Manager, Client Manager

(Optional) Resolve small change requests if there is no impact on schedule and budget

If the impact on project cost, effort and duration falls below a threshold (say less than 20 hours) and the project will still be completed within the agreed upon cost, effort and duration, the project manager and client manager may approve the scope change request. This threshold needs to be identified and approved in advance by the project sponsor. The purpose of this step is to keep from sending many small changes to the sponsor for approval. However, the sponsor must have agreed to delegate this responsibility – usually up to a certain threshold of dollars or effort.

8

Sponsor

Take the information to the sponsor

Take the scope change request, alternatives, business value and project impact to the project sponsor for a resolution (if the project manager and client manager did not approve, as above).

9

Project Manager

Document the resolution on the Scope Change Log

Close out the change request on the Scope Change Log with the final resolution.

10

Project Manager

Close the Scope Change Request Form

The project manager should update the Scope Change Request form and then close and file this document.

11

Project Manager

Add the incremental work to the schedule

If the scope change request is approved, the appropriate activities are added to the schedule to ensure the change is implemented. The project budget and deadline should also be updated, if necessary.

12

Project manager

Add incremental cost to the budget

If the scope change request is approved, the incremental cost (if any) needs to be added to your project budget.

13

Project Manager

Update the Project Charter, if necessary

The current Project Charter should be updated if an approved scope change results in a substantial change to the scope of the project.

14

Project Manager

Communicate through your Status Reports

Communicate scope change status and resolution to project team members and other appropriate stakeholders through the methods established in the Communications Plan, including the project Status Report.