Define Scope

Develops a detailed description of the project and product — the project scope statement — that says explicitly what is and is not included. The boundary line that controls scope creep.

Process Group Planning Knowledge Area Project Scope Management

Define Scope selects the final project and product requirements from the collected set and elaborates them into the project scope statement: deliverables, acceptance criteria, exclusions, assumptions, and constraints. It is where everything we would like becomes what this project will actually deliver.

Define Scope: key inputs and outputs — The key inputs feeding Define Scope and the deliverables it produces — full ITTOs are listed below.

Stating exclusions explicitly is as important as stating inclusions — it manages expectations and gives a clear basis for evaluating change requests later. The scope statement is a key input to the WBS.

Common pitfalls. Vague deliverables and acceptance criteria; omitting exclusions, so stakeholders assume things are in; and confusing product scope (the features) with project scope (the work to deliver them).

Inputs, Tools & Techniques, and Outputs

Inputs

Project charter
Project management plan
Project documents
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

Expert judgment
Data analysis
Decision making
Interpersonal and team skills
Product analysis

Outputs

Project scope statement
Project documents updates