5.5 Validate Scope

The Validate Scope process establishes and validates the acceptance of completed project deliverables.  As deliverables meet established criteria and are accepted this process provide a checklist of progression toward project completion.  It provides objective validation to the deliverable acceptance process increasing the prospect of project final product or deliverable's acceptance.  Farther down the page is the knowledge area:

• 5.6 Control Scope 

The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Outputs are listed below in figure 38.

Figure 38. Manage Stakeholder Engagement: Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs. Reprinted from "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition" by Project Management Institute, 2013, p.133. Copyright 2013 by Project Management Institute, Inc. Reprinted without permission.

Process Definition

Completed deliverables which have been through the quality control process are then reviewed by the project team and customer, or project sponsor, to ensure they meet the desired criteria.  Once this is done a formal acceptance of these deliverables is signed and documented. This continues for each deliverable until project completion. 

Process Assessment

This process provides a means of monitoring and evaluating each deliverable as they are completed; and providing a gage of how the established schedule so proceeding.  This process rarely, but may be done in conjunction with the quality control process if for some reason the deliverable doesn't meet the project sponsor or customer standards.

Artifacts

Input

One of the Inputs is a requirements document.  This document give the validate scope process a target to aim at.  The artifact I've included is the scope statement from PMGT501 which contains the requirements for a sustainable home build project. Page 5 has the technical requirements desired by the customer.  See 5.5.1

Tools & Techniques

A tool to validate the scope is group decision making.  I've used an analysis of group studies in other artifacts. I found this one which put to the question should the Project Manager make the a decision individually or with a group.  Before you get group discussion techniques you should be sure that it is appropriate.  That is why I feel this is a suitable artifact for this process.  Either way a decision needs to be made.  See 5.5.2

Output

 This change request is part of the outputs from a decision.   As I had very few competed change request forms and many change control plans I've included the Change control plan from PMGT501.  I has a change request form and all the processes to consider in completing and approving one.  See 5.5.3

5.6  Control Scope

During the Control Scope process project deliverable and  processes are managed, to include changes if necessary, to ensure they meet the scope baseline established in the current Project Management Plan.  Controlling the scope ensures that the project is maintaining approved limitations and expectation through the project life cycle. The Inputs, Tools & Techniques and Outputs are illustrated below in figure 39.

Figure 39. Manage Stakeholder Engagement: Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs. Reprinted from "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition" by Project Management Institute, 2013, p.136. Copyright 2013 by Project Management Institute, Inc. Reprinted without permission.

Process Definition

During the process of controlling the scope the project manager manages any changes, recommendations or preventive action that occur; and makes sure they are all administered through the integrated change control process.  The Control Scope is used in concert with other control process to ensure that the project products and deliverable do not exceed the agreed upon project scope. 

Process Assessment

Proper management of the Control Scope process keeps the project from exceeding the specified scope. Without this process the uncontrolled expansion of project products known as "Scope Creep" would be possible, if not probable.

Artifacts

Input

The artifact or input for this process is the Project Management Plan which lays out the project scope and the requirements.  In this artifact we developed a project to make changes to the IT department at Troy University.  See 5.6.1

Tools & Techniques

One way to evaluate if the project scope is on track or if a risk opportunities is worth taking is to perform a variance analysis.  In PMGT614 we were required to do so and the enclosed artifact  indicates the cost of shortening the project schedule and gives a estimate to  complete cost.  See 5.6.2

Output

Since all of our class project were fictitious the Organizational process assets were not available because there wasn't a real organization.  However we were required to write on the benefits of Organizational process assets.  Enclosed is a blog I wrote to support the need for these assets and how they were used in my current career.  See 5.6.3