A project scope statement is part of the scope management plan<\/a>, a larger document that contains all the strategies, rules and procedures to manage your project scope. In the same way, the scope management plan is an important component of your project plan.<\/p>\n Get your free<\/p>\n \n\tUse this free Project Scope Template to manage your projects better.<\/p>\n\tGet the template<\/a>\n<\/div> \n\n <\/p>\n This detailed project document defines the boundaries of a project, outlining inclusions and exclusions. Typically, the project scope statement starts with a project description<\/a> with a brief overview of its purpose and objectives. There\u2019s also a list of tangible and intangible product deliverables as well as defined project objectives.<\/p>\n Project acceptance criteria<\/a> should also be included to determine whether the project deliverables are acceptable, while project exclusions outline what isn\u2019t included in the project. This document outlines project constraints that may impact the project\u2019s execution and a list of assumptions made during the planning process.<\/p>\n Also included in the project scope statement is a detailed scope description, project boundaries, initial project risks<\/a> and stakeholder acceptance criteria.<\/p>\n To better understand what the project scope statement is, we thought it’d be helpful to visualize it using our free project scope template for Word<\/a> as a project scope statement example. As you can see, it has the basic project scoping information on top and then goes into a general justification for the project\u2019s need and how it’ll fulfill that.<\/p>\n Then we get into the main part of the project scope statement, such as what will be in scope and out of scope for the project. This creates boundaries<\/a> for the project and makes clear what is essential and must be prioritized.<\/p>\n Now we get into explanations of the business objectives, such as targets that the project needs to hit in order to be successful, and the deliverables<\/a> that’ll be produced over the life cycle of the project.<\/p>\n From there, you’ll describe project exclusions, issues of time, cost, scope, risk, resources and so on that could constrain it and whatever is assumed to be done in the project.<\/p>\n Finally, you\u2019ll go into costs. The project scope statement is going to estimate the costs and list them all, including the estimated cost, the actual cost and the cost on completion of the project. Then you can show the variance, which is the difference between the estimated cost and the actual cost.<\/p>\n Now that we know what a project scope statement is, let\u2019s learn how to write this important project management<\/a> document. Similar to the five Ws of journalism\u2014who, what, when, where, why\u2014to properly outline your project scope statement, you must address these seven things:<\/p>\n Project goals and objectives are what define the purpose of a project. Project objectives are the smaller steps that lead to the project goals, which are broader. Start your project scope document by explaining them. These goals and objectives should be documented in a project charter<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n Project managers<\/a> and stakeholders must reach an agreement about the project scope and other project requirements such as the expected quality, risk, benefits and cost, among others.<\/p>\n It might sound easy enough, but this is the most important step. Here is where you\u2019ll define your project scope, which is all the work that needs to be done to complete the project. Here are some simple steps to help you define the project scope.<\/p>\n Project exclusions and constraints are essential because they help establish boundaries for the project to exist. They also manage your stakeholders\u2019 expectations\/input and give your team members some creative limitations to work within.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s imperative that you define the boundaries around what the project includes from the outset, it\u2019s also extremely important that you list what this project doesn’t include. For example:<\/p>\n Project constraints are what make managing projects such a puzzle to solve. The top three constraints to managing any project are typically time, money and scope, known as the triple constraint<\/a> of project management. They’re interconnected, meaning that if you pull one lever on \u2018scope,\u2019 another lever on \u2018money\u2019 or \u2018time\u2019 will also move.<\/p>\n But there are additional project constraints that can crop up at any time, including risk,<\/a> resources,<\/a> organization, method, customers and more. List all the constraints you foresee in your project, so you can try to have solutions in place ready to launch when needed.<\/p>\n Your project assumptions<\/a> typically revolve around the very things that end up being constraints, including time, money and scope. For example, it\u2019s in this section of your project scope document, \u201cthe front-end development team will be available during this project time period,\u201d or, \u201cthe customer support team will receive new product training by x time.\u201d It\u2019s important to list these out as this won’t only tell key stakeholders what your primary resource needs are to make the project go, but it also gives you fast insight as to where your biggest risk factors lie.<\/p>\n List out the deliverables<\/a> your team members need to produce in order to meet business objectives. This can include the product itself, instruction and installation manuals, marketing materials, press releases, advertising campaigns and more.<\/p>\n Your project scope statement outline helps act as a marker as you build out your full scope statement. Because while predicting the future of the project is impossible at such a high level, this is the first step to getting your project as close to the outcome as possible. By starting with the seven key statements above, you can get a head start on a successful project.<\/p>\n Gantt charts are the workhorses of scope management. However, most Gantt chart software is woefully limited in terms of its functionality. ProjectManager<\/a> has dynamic online Gantt charts that do the regular organizing, prioritizing and linking dependencies and adding milestones. But unlike other tools, you can filter for the critical path. When you set the baseline, you’re able to compare your actual progress to what you had planned. There’s no better way to monitor project scope.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s review two simple project scope statement examples to better understand how a scope statement can be used in different industries.<\/p>\n Defining the scope of a project is one of the most important steps in the project planning process<\/a>. In construction, defining the scope helps construction project owners, contractors and subcontractors not only reach an agreement on what the construction project will look like but also create an accurate project cost estimate based on the work, materials, equipment and labor that’ll be required.<\/p>\n Manufacturing projects generally involve the production of physical products. This takes a series of steps needed to transform raw materials into finished goods. Here\u2019s a simple scope statement example for manufacturing.<\/p>\n There are a few things that project scope statements typically get confused with, including your scope of work<\/a>. They may sound like similar project scoping documents, but here are the primary differences between these two.<\/p>\n Your scope of work is an agreement of work, typically between consultant and client, that details the work plan<\/a> to be performed, including, but not limited to:<\/p>\n While your scope of work can be time-consuming to write, it outlines the project itself and not necessarily the plan that\u2019s to follow. The project scope statement, in turn, fulfills that role by detailing and mapping out exactly what to expect with the project plan<\/a> and the project itself.<\/p>\n They might sound similar, and the outcome of the project may be similar, but a project scope statement is different from your project scope management plan<\/a>. A project scope management plan is what follows the project scope statement, detailing the scope management process from the start to the finish of your project life cycle.<\/p>\n Additionally, it helps define the work that must be done over the course of the project, and it controls and monitors those processes. It also documents and tracks phases to avoid scope creep<\/a>\u00a0and assists with project closing, including an audit of deliverables and assessing the project outcome for success factors.<\/p>\n Your scope statement isn\u2019t nearly as involved\u2014it\u2019s just the umbrella over your project scope management plan, acting as a rubric for stakeholders and team members to follow.<\/p>\n This crucial document significantly benefits a project team in many ways. It acts as a guide that provides clarity and understanding, outlining what is included and excluded from the project. It clarifies project deliverables and connects the project to the overall business needs<\/a>.<\/p>\n A project scope statement also breaks the project into manageable tasks, making it easier to determine what resources are needed for each. All stakeholders, including the client, sponsor and team, have a shared understanding of the project scope, which minimizes disagreements. Ultimately, this document can contribute to a more successful project outcome.<\/p>\n Here are the best practices to consider as you write your project scope statement:<\/p>\n Major project rollouts can be demanding on both your time and energy. Don\u2019t let it overwhelm you before kick-off. For starters, you can use our Gantt chart software<\/a> to create a WBS and get a visual on deliverables, as well as the tasks needed to complete before submitting your project scope statement.<\/p>\n From there, you can try ProjectManager<\/a> and use our task management features to get all the necessary tasks organized, prioritized and sorted by project phase. You can even ask other people for input: team members can comment directly on the tasks so communication stays organized and to the point.<\/p>\n Keep tabs on your resources, tasks, deliverables and more so you can keep your project on track. With ProjectManager, you can practice mapping out your project timeline by using our Gantt chart, listing out deliverables using our task list or kanban tool and inviting team members to review the timeline before submitting the scope statement to key stakeholders. Start your free 30-day trial today.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Project](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Project-Scope-Template-1.png\")
\t<\/div>Project Scope Template<\/h3>\n
What Does a Project Scope Statement Include?<\/h2>\n
Project Scope Statement Sample<\/h2>\n
![\"Project](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/project-scope-statement-example-pt-1-600x394.png\")
<\/a>![\"Project](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/project-scope-statement-example-pt-2-600x334.png\")
<\/a>![\"project](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/project-scope-statement-example-pt-3-600x162.png\")
<\/a>How to Write a Project Scope Statement<\/h2>\n
1. Project Goals & Objectives<\/h3>\n
2. Project Requirements<\/h3>\n
3. Project Scope Description<\/h3>\n
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4. Project Exclusions<\/h3>\n
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5. Project Constraints<\/h3>\n
6. Project Assumptions<\/h3>\n
7. Project Deliverables<\/h3>\n
![\"Gantt](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-CTA.png\")
<\/a>Project Scope Statement Examples<\/h2>\n
Construction Project Scope Statement Example<\/h3>\n
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Manufacturing Project Scope Statement Example<\/h3>\n
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![\"PM](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PM-101-eBook-banner-ad.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h2>\nProject Scope Statement vs. Scope of Work<\/h2>\n
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Scope Statement vs. Scope Management Plan<\/h2>\n
How Does a Project Scope Statement Help a Project Team?<\/h2>\n
Tips to Write a Project Scope Statement<\/h2>\n
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ProjectManager & Project Scope Management<\/h2>\n
![\"Task](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Manufacturing-overlay-LIST-ZOOM-task.jpg\")
<\/a>\nRelated Project Scope Management Templates<\/h2>\n
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