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PMPCAPM

Define Scope

Define Scope is the process of developing a detailed description of the project and product, resulting in the project scope statement.

Explanation

Define Scope takes the requirements documentation, project charter, and other inputs and refines them into a detailed project scope statement. This process involves selecting the final project requirements from the requirements documentation, analyzing them in detail, and developing a clear description of the project and its major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints.

Key tools and techniques include expert judgment, data analysis, decision making, interpersonal and team skills, and product analysis. Product analysis techniques such as product breakdown, systems analysis, requirements analysis, systems engineering, value analysis, and value engineering help translate high-level product descriptions into tangible deliverables.

The primary output is the project scope statement, which describes in detail the project deliverables and the work required to create them. It also includes explicit project exclusions, which are equally important because they clarify what is not part of the project. A well-crafted scope statement reduces ambiguity and sets clear expectations for all stakeholders.

Key Points

  • Develops a detailed description of the project and product
  • Primary output is the project scope statement
  • Uses product analysis, expert judgment, and decision making
  • Explicitly documents project exclusions

Exam Tip

Define Scope produces the project scope statement, not the WBS. The WBS is created in the next process, Create WBS. Know the sequence of scope processes.

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