Developing a project scope statement that sticks requires buy-in from all stakeholders of a project. But how to get agreement among such a diverse crowd? Combine a little homework, good presentation and influencing skills, with a few effective visuals and you will have a recipe for success. In this post we’ll talk about how my clients get to a powerful project scope statement that sticks every time.

Homework

Successful project managers know crafting a good project scope statement starts well before the working session with your project team. It begins by identifying and interviewing the stakeholders of your project. The time invested in this activity yields big payoffs in many ways.

• Learn firsthand what project success means to each stakeholder.
• Uncover information that stakeholders may not share in a public setting that has bearing on your project.
• Help each stakeholder feel a part of the project.

Analysis and Preparation

After interviewing each of the stakeholders I find it useful to summarize and review the results of the interviews. Here are some examples of a few of the questions I ask in analyzing the data:

• How consistent are the expectations and views of the stakeholders?
• What are the main themes?
• Where is there agreement?
• What are the areas that require more work to gain a shared view?
• What decisions need to be made?

Once I analyze and synthesize the interview data I prepare a presentation and organize a meeting agenda with meeting objectives. Armed with this information I am now in a position to create the visuals I will need to use in the meeting. Here are few themes I have found helpful in the past:

• Current environment, Future Vision – a one-page diagram that accurately depicts the current reality juxtaposed against the desired future state this project will create. I try to create discomfort in the current reality picture and resolve that discomfort in the future state picture.
• Summary of Stakeholder Views – a one-page diagram that shows the variety of stakeholder views concerning the purpose, intent, or scope of the project. I like to use this diagram if there seems to be a large variance in stakeholders views. It is not uncommon to find that a group of stakeholders views the scope as short-term and local while another group sees the solutions a more strategic, global solution.
• Complexity – a one-page diagram depicting the hidden complexity of the area of concern. If the project feels hard it probably is. Facing the reality of how complex of an environment we are playing in is the first step in improving it.

A Starting Point: Presenting the Facts

It is always good to have a starting point in the initial scope development working session. I like to start out with a picture of the current reality. I’ll then move on with a summary of what I heard from the stakeholders and give them a chance to process and discuss this information. I’ll add other pictures and facts as needed to help everyone get on the same page as to what we are facing, why we are addressing it, and what we jointly see as the desired outcome.

Synthesis and Decision

Once the issues and perspectives are on the table and well understood by the team it is time to move on to establishing the scope for the project. This is where visual communications can really help. I come to the meeting with a fairly comprehensive but general visual of the area we are dealing with. For example, suppose I am working with a firm that manages money for a fund. I’ll list the main functions (teams), their key processes, and any applications, information and data they use to get their job done. The diagram to the left provides the overall context the project lives in. (Click on the thumbnail to see an enlarged version.)

It helps if it can be projected up on a whiteboard so that lines can be drawn around various elements on the diagram as the discussion proceeds. Using the whiteboard the lines are able to be erased and adjusted as needed. I also like to keep several flip charts handy to capture any issues, risks, or other comments as the discussion progresses.

At the end of the discussion the finished diagram will have captured the shared understanding of the boundaries of the project.

This is where all your hard work pays off! Doing your homework, preparing well, and remembering to use visual communications throughout the process makes it possible to hedge your bets with your stakeholders. You will walk into your project scope planning meeting feeling confident you can get a to a positive result.

What do you think? What would you add to the summary information and suggestions in this post? Please be sure to add your comments below.