Reference no: EM132948774

Case Studies and Portfolio of Evidence

Project Scope Management

Learning outcome 1: Develop and confirm procedures for project authorisation with an appropriate authority
Learning outcome 2: Obtain authorisation to expend resources
Learning outcome 3: Confirm project delegations and authorities in project governance arrangements
Learning outcome 4: Identify, negotiate and document project boundaries
Learning outcome 5: Establish measurable project benefits, outcomes and outputs
Learning outcome 6: Establish a shared understanding of desired project outcomes with relevant stakeholders
Learning outcome 7: Document scope management plan
Learning outcome 8: Implement agreed scope management procedures and processes
Learning outcome 9: Manage impact of scope changes within established time, cost and quality constraints according to change control procedures
Learning outcome 10: Identify and document scope management issues and recommend improvements for future projects

ASSESSMENT TASKS

There are two tasks to complete for this unit of competence:

Task 1 - Written responses

This activity has been designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of managing project scope within projects.
This task consists of questionnaires which reflect the knowledge of project management (PMBOK). The responses should include the following:
• Be relevant to your project, unless otherwise stated. Responses should link to the theoretical aspects of project scope management followed by relevant experience / exposure of your nominated project you have recently , or are currently working on to progress both your studies and your projects simultaneously.
• If workplace project exposure does not apply to you, you must negotiate with your assessor to use a scenario/case study examples that you will find on e-learning. However, case study examples are a suitable substitute where workplace examples cannot be provided. Case studies are available on e-learning. Theory answers without reference to your experience will not be assessed as satisfactory
• Demonstrate that you can or have applied what you have learnt to your project, regardless of whether you have undertaken all the performance requirements in your workplace

Task 2 - Portfolio of Evidence
The portfolio of evidence comprises the assessment of the application of your project scope knowledge. You will need to demonstrate your scope management skills applied to a project which is based on a project you have recently, or are currently working on to progress both your studies and your projects simultaneously however, case study examples are a suitable substitute where workplace examples cannot be provided.

If you have started with this subject topic as an initial attempt of completing this course, you must negotiate and discuss with your Assessor to consider a project that you recently or are currently working on or a project that you have worked in the past.

If workplace project exposure does not apply to you, you must negotiate with your assessor to use a scenario/case study examples that you will find on e-learning. However, case study examples are a suitable substitute where workplace examples cannot be provided. Case studies are available on e-learning.

To such a degree you must negotiate with your assessor to use a scenario/case study examples that you will find on e-learning.

Your nominated project must be agreed between you and your Assessor so that its methodology, tools and techniques accommodate to the performance requirements of each Unit of Competency prior to start of work on the unit.

Your project must comprise:

• a comprehensive, detailed and integrated project management plan
• a formal communications plan
• a devoted and project-based budget
• formal and planned involvement with a wide range of stakeholders
• a documented risk, issues and change-management methodology
• a quality plan with assurance and control processes
• a project team-based environment.

Evidence of the following is important:

• demonstration of scope management for several complex projects
• knowledge of scope management plans, tools, issues and likely challenges

To achieve competency, you are required to demonstrate knowledge, skills and experience to:
Performance Evidence
• Complete project authorisation activities
• Collaborate with stakeholders to produce a scope-management plan
• Implement scope-management plan according to procedures
• Review and document scope-management implementation and recommend improvements.
Knowledge Evidence
• Identify components of a project scope-management plan
• Describe factors likely to impact the project scope
• Explain formal change-control processes
• Describe methods for measuring work outcomes and progress against plans
• Describe methods for segmenting and documenting a work breakdown structure
• Identify and describe problem areas likely to be encountered in scope management
• Explain procedures for reporting scope change
• Explain project life cycle and the significance of scope management
• Identify project management tools used for managing scope
• Outline roles and responsibilities of project manager in relation to project planning
• Identify types of project initiation documentation.

STRUCTURE AND MARKING CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS:

I. TASK 1 - Written Responses
Q1: Importance of formally defining scope
Q2: Evidence of captured scope in workplace
Q3. Evidence of tracked and managed scope change in workplace
Q4. Governance in project delegation
Q5. Evidence of critical review points
Q6. Description of the project
Q7. Explanation of project authorisation

II. TASK 2 - Portfolio of Evidence
A. Scoping a project
B. Obtaining Scope Authorisation
C. Scope Management Plan
i. Project Scope Statement
ii. Project Scope Management Plan
D. Manage Scope Control Processes
1. Written Responses
Q1. Scope change request
Q2. Formal authorisation process threshold
2. Change in Scope by Stakeholder
3. Finalising Scope Change
Q1. Utilisation of change control procedure
Q2. Current baselines and communication the new baselines
Q3. Scope creep (3marks)
Q4. Recommendations for future projects

Task 1 - Written Responses
Answer the following questions in the appropriate spaces below:
All responses must:
This activity has been designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of managing project scope within projects.
This task consists of questionnaires which reflect the knowledge of project management (PMBOK). The responses should include the following:
• You are to nominate a project that you recently or are currently working on to progress with both your studies and your project work simultaneously. This nominated project and its associated all management areas must be used to respond and link to the theoretical aspects of project scope management followed by relevant experiences / exposures whilst managing and dealing with the overall aspect of the project environment. It is important that you choose a project topic of your understanding as this nominated project will be asked to be continued and applied to fulfil all other subject units of this course.
• However, if you have started with this subject topic as an initial attempt of this course, you must negotiate and discuss with your Assessor to consider a project that you recently or are currently working on or a project that you have worked in the past.
• If workplace project exposure does not apply to you, you must negotiate with your assessor to use a scenario/case study examples that you will find on e-learning. However, case study examples are a suitable substitute where workplace examples cannot be provided. Case studies are available on e-learning. Theory answers without reference to your experience will not be assessed as satisfactory
• Demonstrate that you can or have applied what you have learnt to your project, regardless of whether you have undertaken all the performance requirements in your workplace
You will need to complete the relevant templates from each knowledge area which are provided, you may use templates from the text or from your workplace that provide evidence of your competency.

Question 1: Discuss why it is important for the project manager to formally define scope before beginning to schedule the project

Question 2: Describe how you have formally defined and captured scope in your workplace. Consider discussions and negotiations to elicit views and opinions of your Stakeholders and documentation.

Question 3: Describe how you have formally tracked and managed scope change projects within your workplace.

Question 4: What are the governance arrangements regarding project delegation? Provide your project governance in a diagrammatic form for your nominated project.

Question 5: For a project you have managed, what are the critical review points during the project? State who would you discuss this matter with within your nominated project environment.

Question 6: Give a brief description of the project. Explain how the project was selected:

a) How did you identify and measure the benefits?
b) How did you develop the budget?

Question 7: Explain how your project was authorised:
a) Do/Did you have a formal project proposal form? Please explain how the form was developed and used. If not, why?
b) Who reviews and signs off on the project? What criteria do/did you use in assessing project proposals?

Task 2 - Portfolio of Evidence

You must use the same project for all units in this course and must relate to the project you will nominate for this subject unit, unless your nominated project changes during the course or cannot adapt to the performance requirements of any of the units of competency. If either or both events occur during your course, you must contact your Assessor to find out what you need to do to continue to satisfy the course performance requirements and achieve competency.

The project must be in an organisation, business or you are operating as a consultant.

Your nominated project must have:

• a comprehensive, detailed and integrated project management plan
• a formal communication plan
• a dedicated and project-based budget
• formal and planned engagement with a wide range of stakeholders
• a documented risk, issues and change-management methodology
• a quality plan with assurance and control processes
• a project team-based environment.

You will need to complete the relevant templates from each knowledge area which are provided, you may use templates from the text or from your workplace that provide evidence of your competency. Information provided within the template must be relevant to your nominated project.

A. Scoping a project

Develop a scope statement for the purposes of securing project authorisation for a project you have managed, using the template provided below or a workplace equivalent (must cover the stated element in the template given to meet the required criteria).

B. Obtaining Scope Authorisation

Complete the provided template in page 9 (Project Authorisation Template) for a project you have managed. This task caters on obtaining start-up authorisation.

You must consider providing evidence of:
• how you managed the team
• process of briefing the higher project authority
• any project progress reports submitted to higher project authority for sign off on milestones authorisation

C. Scope Management Plan:

Using the template below as a framework, develop a scope management plan for a project you have managed.

You may other templates provided in Appendix 1& 2 or from your workplace that provide evidence of your competency. You may choose them to assist you in generating the scope management plan. However, submission of these document is not necessary with assessment. This should be extensive including both product and project scope and give a shared understanding of the desired project outcomes and how the project will be delivered. It is suggested that you could utilise your project charter as the basis of the project and the scope definition checklist in Appendix 1 in support of generating the scope management plan.

In finishing this task, you should be applying the skills you have developed in preparing documents for an initial scoping exercise, stimulating authorisation, undertaking a scope definition exercise, organising a client agreement, and developing a review and evaluation plan. These documents are applicable to the scope management plan as they discourse the elements of the project that may need to be accustomed if there are changes to its scope.

D. Manage Scope Control Processes:

D1. For the project that you have nominated, state how scope change requests can be managed:
Write your findings of scope change requests in the given spaces below.

Question 1. What events could generate a scope change request? For example, changes in deliverables, budget, timeline etc.

Question 2. At what thresholds did changes in budget cause a formal authorisation process and how was this process conducted?

D2. Consider that a stakeholder has requested a change in scope to the project.

Using the template form below (or you may utilise a template from your workplace), demonstrate the impacts to time, cost and quality. You also are required to complete all elements of this table.

D3. For the project that you have nominated, state how scope change can be finalised:

Question 1. Describe systematically how you used the change control procedures provided in Scope Management Plan to decide on this change request

Question 2. Assume the change request was approved. Describe what you would do to update the current baselines and communicate the new baselines.

Question 3. Give an example where you encountered scope creep in your project/s including:
• The tools used to identify that scope creep
• What was the effect of the scope creep?
• How did you or would you manage this situation?

Question 4: List all scope management issues (at least 3) you may have experienced within your nominated project (in the table below) including a recommendation for future projects.

Attachment:- Project Scope Management.rar