The Components of a Project Scope Statement

Project scope is defined in a document called a scope statement. The scope statement directs and focuses the project and provides a documented basis for making future project decisions. A scope statement promotes efficient decision making and planning by ensuring that stakeholders have a common understanding of the project.

The scope statement combines various components, four of which are essential to resource planning: justification, objectives, product description, and deliverables.

• Justification
  The first component of the scope statement necessary to resource planning is the project justification. Project justification is the need that the project was undertaken to address.
  
  The project justification also provides the basis for evaluating trade-offs. Trade-offs are made between the cost of a project and the benefit of completing it. Unforeseen future issues may have a negative effect on this cost-benefit analysis, and new decisions will have to be made.
  

• Objectives
  Project objectives are the second component of a scope statement. To be of value, project objectives must be quantifiable, that is, they should have a numerical value associated with them (dates, percentages, financial figures, etc). This will enable you to determine when those objectives have been met.
  
  At the very least, your project scope statement should include measurable cost, schedule, and quality objectives.
  

• Product description
  Another component of the scope statement necessary to resource planning is a description of product of the project.
  
  The scope statement should include a summary of the product description that includes the features of the product or service and the relationship between the product or service and the need that gave rise to it.
  

• Deliverables
  The last component of the project scope necessary to resource planning are the deliverables. The deliverables are subproducts whose delivery marks the completion of the project. The subproducts are important because they must be completed fully and to the client's satisfaction before the project is considered finished.
  

Every project needs a scope statement which includes the project justification, objectives, product description, and deliverables. Furthermore, every stakeholder should have a copy of this important document to ensure that everyone involved in the project has a common understanding of the project's scope. This common point of reference is essential as the project progresses and the scope is revised and updated.