Project scope: definition, scope statement + 8 steps
When it comes to project management, you don't want to aim too big or too small. Rather, you want your project size to be just right: big enough to capture all of your project deliverables, but small enough to be an achievable goal.
The way to do that is to define your project scope. Defining the scope of your project helps you hit your project deliverables on time and within budget, without overworking your team. In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know to define and manage your project scope, including what to include in your scope statement and how to prevent scope creep.
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What is project scope?
Project scope defines the boundaries of your project, including the goals, deadlines, and deliverables your team will work toward, and what falls outside those boundaries. A clear scope keeps your project focused so you can hit your goals without delays or overwork.
Defining your project scope isn't a one-person job. You should align with key project stakeholders early to ensure everyone agrees on project boundaries. For a product marketing launch, this might include:
The product team
The design team
The content team
For complex projects, you may also want to define a change control process. We'll cover that later.
What is a project scope statement?
A project scope statement is simply a written document of your project scope. Depending on the complexity of your project, your scope statement could be a section of your project plan or project brief, or a stand-alone document. If you're working with an external team or agency, you may turn your project scope statement into a statement of work (SOW) to cement the agreement.
What is scope creep?
Scope creep happens when project deliverables expand beyond the original project scope. For example, a stakeholder might add a press release to a product launch halfway through, then another adds a blog post. Suddenly, your team is managing work they didn't plan for.
Unchecked scope creep can lead to:
Project delays
Team overwork and burnout
Lower quality deliverables
The best way to prevent scope creep is to create a solid project scope statement and share it with stakeholders as early as possible.
Key components of a project scope statement
A clear project scope statement acts as your guide throughout the project lifecycle. While the format can vary based on your project's complexity, every strong scope statement includes these essential components:
Project goals and objectives. This explains what you want to achieve and why the project is important.
Deliverables. These are the specific, tangible outputs you will produce by the end of the project.
Scope boundaries. Clearly list what is included in the project and what is excluded or out of scope.
Constraints. Note any project constraints your team must work within, such as budget, timeline, or available resources.
Acceptance criteria. Define the standards that deliverables must meet to be approved by stakeholders.
Why defining your project scope matters
Defining your project scope is a key element of project planning and effective scope management. Without a clear scope statement, your project could exceed your team's capacity, leading to delays or burnout. Specifically, defining your project scope allows you to:
Ensure all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the boundaries of the project
Manage stakeholder expectations and get buy-in
Reduce project risk
Budget and resource plan appropriately
Align your project to its main objectives
Prevent scope creep
Establish a process for change requests (for complex projects)
8 steps to define your project's scope
1. Start with your project objectives
Before you can define your project scope, you first need to outline your project objectives. Project objectivesare the assets you plan to deliver by the end of your project. Your project scope will help you get there, but you first need to know where "there" is.
Read: How to write an effective project objective, with examples2. Make a resource plan if you haven't already
You also need to know which resources you'll have available. In project management, aresourcecan be anything from budget to team bandwidth. A resource management plan outlines what's available and how it'll be used; define this before creating your project scope so you can adjust accordingly.
Read: Your guide to getting started with resource management3. Collect any additional project requirements
Focus on anything else that might impact your project scope. This includes your main objectives, budget, resources, and deliverables. If there's anything else that might impact those things, like your project timeline, collect that now.
Read: Business requirements document template: 7 key components, with examples4. Draft your project scope statement
Now it's time to bring everything together in one place: your project scope statement. This document should clearly explain what you will and won't do, and why.
Depending on complexity, your scope statement could be a bullet-pointed list, a longer paragraph, or a full statement of work (SOW). To get started, answer these questions:
Why are we working on this project? What are our ultimate goals and deliverables?
What restrictions do we have? How much budget, headcount, and resources are available? Which team members will be working on this?
When are our deliverables due? What timeline do we have to hit?
What is out of scope?
Example project scope statement
Let's say you're rebuilding your company website. Here's what the project scope might look like:
Project objectives: Transfer the website backend onto the CMS platform in order to improve page speed and flexibility.
Resources:
Web team (three people), 30 hours of work a week for 6 weeks
Engineering manager (one person), 10 hours of work a week for 6 weeks
IT & Legal review (two teams), five hours of ad hoc work a week
$7,000 for CMS
Deliverables:
Training for all content writers in late May 2025
Entire website on new CMS by June 2025
Project roadmap and timeline:
April 28: Begin scoping CMS
May 12: IT & Legal review
May 19–June 6: Web team transfer
May 31: Content writers'training
June 4: CMS is live
Out of scope:
New DAM system
Customizable web pages on the new CMS
5. Get buy-in and approval from key stakeholders
Before you sign off on your project scope statement, ensure you have buy-in from your project stakeholders. This is your chance to rethink your project's objectives and decide what is and isn't part of the project. Once your project is underway, it'll be harder to change any element of your project scope statement.
Read: What is a project stakeholder analysis and why is it important?6. Establish a change control process if necessary
For complex initiatives with many stakeholders, establish a change control process. This gives your project flexibility without inviting scope creep.
To create a change control process:
Set up a request system: Create a centralized way for stakeholders to submit change requests, like an intake Form.
Assign reviewers: A pre-selected group of stakeholders should evaluate whether the change is important enough to add.
Balance the workload: If approved, use a change order to document the decision and deprioritize other planned work to avoid overloading your team.
7. Share your project scope statement with the team
Your stakeholders have seen and signed off on your project scope; the next step is to share it with your project team. Make sure your team has a one-stop shop for all your work, like a work management tool.
8. Refer back to your project scope statement during the project
Refer to your project scope document frequently to ensure you're on track and not at risk of scope creep. If anyone introduces new elements to the project that haven't gone through your change control process, refer them to the project scope statement and encourage them to submit their idea as a request.
Set healthy boundaries with project scope
A project scope statement keeps your project on track and helps prevent team burnout, but only if it's communicated effectively. Surface it early and refer back to it frequently throughout the project.
Ready to put your project scope knowledge into practice? With a work management platform like Asana, you can document your project scope, share it with stakeholders, and keep your team aligned from start to finish. Get started today and bring clarity to your next project.
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