Managing AM/FM/GIS Projects in Environments of Change

Managing Project Scope Changes
The Project Management Institute defines a project as a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. Temporary means that every project has a definite beginning and a definite end. Unique means that the product or service is different in some distinguishing way from all similar products or services. Project scope management includes the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully. However, all projects, large and small, evolve over time, growing in complexity, changing in appearance, and finally reaching a state of maturity. It is important that there be techniques and procedures for tracking progress toward the defined specifications and for incorporating changes that occur in the requirements over time. It is critical for the delivered system to reflect the client’s expectations. Good management control, deliverable product control, and technical acceptance reviews are the keys to successful project control.

However it should be noted that before changes can be proposed to the project scope, it must be clearly defined and documented. When there is a poor scope definition, final project costs can be expected to be higher because of the inevitable changes which disrupt project rhythm, cause rework, increase project time, and lower the productivity and morale of the project team. A deliverable-oriented grouping of project elements which organizes and defines the total scope of the project is called the work breakdown structure (WBS). Work not in the WBS should be considered outside the scope of the project.

It is commonly expected by most project managers that there will be numerous requested changes to the scope of the project over the project’s timeline. This is not necessarily a negative impact as long as it is managed correctly. One such technique that has been utilized by numerous AM/FM/GIS projects is the implementation of a Change Control Board (CCB) which is a formally constituted group of stakeholders responsible for approving or rejecting changes to the project baselines. Each change request must be scrutinized as to its impact to the project budget, schedule and risk.