INTRODUCTION

A company called Neel Gen Inc. wants to change the way it operates and has launched and
approved a new project. The Culture Change project at Neel Gen Inc. aims to reshape the
way the company operates due to high turnover rates over the past two years. The purpose of
this scope management plan is to define and control the project scope to ensure that the
project objectives are met within the allocated budget and timeline. This scope management
plan describes the process of gathering requirements, defining scope, developing a project
charter, developing project scope statement, developing a work breakdown structure (WBS),
validating scope, and controlling scope (Kloppernbord et al., 2019). As the project manager
appointed for this project, my team and I will develop the project's overall scope management
plan to ensure successful project completion. This plan shall serve as a guide for managing
project scope and helps identify and manage scope changes (Kloppernbord et al., 2019). This
also ensures that everyone involved is consistent with the project goals. The Culture Change
Project is a critical endeavour for Neel Gen Inc. as the project envisions a culture redesign.
The scope management plan is communicated to all stakeholders to ensure everyone is aware
of the scope of the project and how it is being managed (Kloppernbord et al., 2019).

COLLECTION OF PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

According to (Kloppernbord et al., 2019), requirement collection can be defined as : ‘a

systematic effort to understand and analyse stakeholder needs in to define and document
these needs and requirements with the aim of fulfilling project objective’. The requirement
gathering process can be carried out in two phases :

 Phase 1: Collect information from all interested project stakeholders.

 Phase 2: Collected information analysis.

In the first phase, the project team and I will conduct interviews with stakeholders,
including management, employees, and customers, and other relevant players to determine
the goals and objectives of the project. This very phase is crucial as if performed thoroughly
and correct, it can ensure the whole project team is clear and fully understands key project
objectives (Kloppernbord et al., 2019). The requirements according to Kloppernbord et al.,
(2019), can be classified as functional and non-functional. The set-out of the questions won’t
just focus on asking questions but rather my project team and I shall place ourselves in the
stakeholder’s shoe and imagine the best outcomes. One of the key questions I will include as

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a project managers will be not limited to the following (Kloppernbord et al., 2019) : What is
the key reason or need for the project ?, What is the impact of not implementing the project ?,
What actions need to be undertaken to implement the project ?, Will the actions if undertaken
successfully yield the expected end-product or project with all expected deliverables ? How
will the project quality be evaluated and so forth? .

In the second phase, the project team and I shall then analyse the information gathered in
the first phase and identify the specific requirements that the project must meet. This includes
identifying their needs and expectations and understanding the purpose of the project. The
project team will use various tools and techniques including surveys, focus groups and
questionnaires to collect and analyse requirements. The information collected will be
thoroughly analysed and a requirement document afterwards will be created (Kloppernbord et
al., 2019). Then project team and I will document the requirements in a requirements
traceability matrix, which is going to be useful in ensuring that all the requirements are met
throughout the project. This document will further serve as a guide to project scope creep and
will be used to review and validate project results.

Typical example of requirement traceability matrix for culture change project (Kloppernbord
et al., 2019):

No The Acceptance Requirement Status Stakeholder Priority Objective

. Requirement Criteria Classificatio
n
1. The project Early and regular Functional Approved Neel Gen Inc. Must Yes
upon system notifier Senior (means (Project
completion about upcoming Management. mandatory) Objective
shall provide meetings, no. 1)
better deadlines and
communication other
process.

DEFINING THE SCOPE

According to Kloppernbord et al., (2019), define scope can be defined as : ‘a process of

translating stakeholder needs and requirements into detailed specifications of the project
results ’. It includes identifying the project potential boundaries and constraints, as well as
what is included and excluded in the project. Hence, project requirement collection is of
ultimate importance because project scope is fundamentally the result of reviewing the

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stakeholder collected requirements and identifying what is required in terms of performance
and other project components and how to meet them. The project team and I will prepare a
project scope and document it in the project scope statement, which will include the project
goals, deliverables, and milestones. The project sponsor and stakeholders will then approve
the project scope statement to ensure everyone involved in the project understands the scope
of the project. Therefore, the scope statement as a document will be used as a reference
throughout the project life cycle (PMBOK Guide, 2017). The project team and I will
collaborate with the stakeholders to ensure that the project goals and business goals are
aligned, prioritized, and achieved.

Project Scope : Neel Gen Inc. as a company who experienced a high turnover in the past two
financial year and as a result wants to re-engineer it manner of operation. The company’s
project allocation board has approved the funds necessary to undertake the project which
amounted to R 5 000 000.00 (five million rands). The time allocation for the project is six (6)
months. The project execution will include installation of system in all laptops, computers,
and personal devices. But laptops and computer fixing will be excluded. Project constrains
are project duration, project budget and loadshedding. It assumed that all work devices are
functional and workers are able to operate them.

DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT CHARTER

The project charter is going to be prepared by the project team and I and approved by the
project sponsor and interested stakeholders. According to PMBOK Guide (2017),
development of a project charter can be defined as : ‘a process of preparing a document that
will formally authorize the existence of the project and provide project managers with the
authority to apply organizational resources to project activities’. The project charter sets out
the overall goals and objectives of the project, as well as the budget and timetable (Ray,
2023). The project charter also lists the project team members that will be involved, their
roles and responsibilities, and the resources available to the project team. The project charter
is used as a reference throughout the project to ensure the project stays on track (PMBOK
Guide, 2017). The project charter is in this case prepared to facilitate the Culture Change
project. This includes defining the project scope, goals, stakeholders, constraints, and
assumptions. The project charter shall be further utilized to ensure that all stakeholders and
sponsors are aligned with the project's goals and objectives and most importantly project

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process (Ray, 2023). The project sponsor and other relevant stakeholders shall approve the
project charter.

The typical Project Charter for Neel Gen Inc. Culture Change Project :

1. Project Description and Purpose : Neel Gen Inc. has experienced high turnovers in
the past two years, and as a result the organization wants to re-engineer and change it
way of operation. The purpose of this project ‘Culture Change’ is to introduce a new
‘easy for communication’ application system which will enhance and better the level
of communication and feedback between project department, parties and teams,
managers, supervisors.
2. Project Objectives :
 Easy project groups and meeting setup system with immediate notification to
recipients and sender.
 Early and regular reminder about upcoming project meetings, inspection,
deadlines, etc. to all project relevant players.
3. High level Requirements : Application system setting meetings and sending
notifications to all involved players immediately and early and regular reminder about
upcoming project events.
4. Project Participants :
 Project Team – Project Manager- Managing overall project output, Project
Developer x2 – System developers, coding and programming, Technician x5
– assisting developers with coding and programming and installation,
Administrators x2- verifying new systems with current and expected
information.
5. Available Resource : Project Budget, Project team, Laptop & Computers & smart
devices.
6. Project Milestones :
 Project Groups and Meeting setup system with immediate notification : 01
June 23 – 31 July 23 (2 months)
 Early and regular reminder of upcoming events : 01 August 23 – 30 Sept. 23
(2 month)
 System checking and commissioning: 01 October 23 – 31 October 23 (1
month)

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 7. Project Constraint : Power supply Load shedding, 5 months project duration, project
budget.
8. Potential Risks : Project might be delayed due to current power supply challenges
faces by the country. Company working devices (computers and smart devices)
outdated and/or dysfunctional.
9. Authority & Approvals : Project Evaluation Board Director, Managing Director,
Project Manager, Finance Manager.

DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT SCOPE STATEMENT

The project scope statement is developed by the project team and approved by the project
sponsor and all related stakeholders. According to Pham (2023), a project scope statement
can be defined as : ‘a well prepared document that defines a project’s scope of work’. The
project scope statement includes the project goals, deliverables, and milestones, as well as
any limitations or assumptions that may affect the project (Pham, 2023). The Project Scope
Statement also provides a detailed description of the project scope, including what is included
and excluded from the project. The project scope statement is used throughout the project as a
reference for other components to ensure that the project stays within its defined scope
(Pham, 2023). The project scope statement is used to ensure that the project stays within its
defined scope. Therefore, in order to ensure, as the responsible project manager, that the
project does not deviate from the parameters of its originally defined scope, the project scope
statement is used.

The typical project scope statement for Culture Change Project :

Project Name The Culture Change Project

Project Sponsor Neel Gen Inc. Project Evaluation Project Mr. Thabede S. T
board. Manager
Project Approval 26 May 2023
Date

Scope Description In Scope : 1.Commucation application system setting meeting and

other project groups with immediate notification to recipient and
sender. 2. Communicating system enabling early and regular reminder
of upcoming project events (meeting, deadlines, inspection, etc.) to all
involved participants. 3. System checking and commissioning.

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 Out of Scope : Fixing and updating dysfunctional devices (laptops,
computers, personal devices) to install the new system.
Project 1. A system enabling easy project meetings with immediate notification
Deliverables to both parties. 2. A system enabling early and regular reminder about
project upcoming events.
Acceptance The project will be accepted and approved by the Managing Director,
Criteria The Project Evaluation Board and appointed Project Manager.
Project National Power supply Challenges ‘Load shedding’, 5 months project
Constraints duration, project budget
Project All laptops, computers and other smart devices are functional and up to
Assumptions date with software operations.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)

The project team and I will develop a WBS to break down the culture change project scope
into smaller, manageable components and subtasks. The WBS is developed by breaking down
the project results into smaller, more manageable tasks (PMBOK Guide, 2017). The WBS is
used to develop the project schedule and allocate resources efficiently. The WBS is also used
to track the progress of the project and ensure that all tasks are completed within the allotted
budget and timeline (PMBOK Guide, 2017). A hierarchical breakdown of the results, work
packages and activities related to the project will be included in the WBS together.

Typical work breakdown structure for Culture Change Project :

Culture Change
Project(WBS)

1. Meeting Setting 2. Early & Regular 3. Systems

System events reminder Inspection
System

1.1 Software 2.1 Software 3.1 System

Development Development Approval and
Commissioning

1.2 System Check

2.2 System Check and
and Installation
Installation

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VALIDATION OF THE SCOPE

According to Kloppernbord et al., (2019), validate scope can be defined as : ‘a formal

acceptance of the completed project deliverables’. The project team validates the scope by
ensuring that the project deliverables meet the requirements outlined in the project scope
statement (Usmani, 2022). The project team conducts regular reviews of the project
deliverables to ensure they are on track and meeting the project goals (Usmani, 2022). The
project team also conducts periodic reviews of the project scope to ensure it remains relevant
and meets the needs of the project. All project scope changes are documented and approved
by the project sponsor and stakeholders. When the project stakeholders (managing director,
project evaluation board, project manager) has formally accepted the final project
deliverables, automatically the project completes the ‘execution stage’ and process into
project close out stage (Kloppernbord et al., 2019).

Validate Scope Process for Culture Change Project :

The project consists of 3 key milestones. Upon every completion of each, the new system
will be practically tested: how many groups can it organize? how many meetings can it
prepare? how quick is notification receipt? After project setup in the system, how quickly and
regularly are notifications sent to relevant parties regarding upcoming events ?. Hence, once
all project components are inspected and double checked, should the managing director and
other be satisfied, an acceptance letter will be signed, and issue and the project shall be
regarded as successful.

CONTROLLING THE SCOPE

Control scope can be defined as : a process of monitoring the status of the project scope and
managing the changes to the scope baseline (PMBOK Guide, 2017). Project scope control is
a critical aspect of project management and involves the monitoring and management of
project scope changes to ensure that the project is delivered within defined scope, time, and
budget (PMBOK Guide, 2017). Control scope is considered to be the last undertaken process
of project scope management (Monnappa, 2023). There are various data analysis techniques
that can be used to control scope such as the variance analysis. By simple definition, variance
analysis is a scope control technique that is utilized to compare the project baseline to the
actual results and determine if the found variance is within the allowed threshold amount or a
prevention or corrective action will be needed (Monnappa, 2023). The scope control process
includes ensuring that all project deliverables have been completed and meet project

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requirements (Monnappa, 2023). This is accomplished by comparing the completed
deliverables to the project scope statement to ensure all requirements have been met. As the
Culture Change project manager, I will work closely with the project team and stakeholders
to ensure that all deliverables are within project scope

The following are some of the steps and action to be undertaken to control project scope:

 Scope review : The scoping review reviews the scope of the project to ensure it is
consistent with the project's goals and requirements (Monnappa, 2023). The project
manager conducts regular reviews of the project scope to ensure it remains relevant
and up-to-date. Any discrepancies or issues identified during the audit are
documented and corrective actions are taken to address them.
 In scope change control : Scope change control involves the monitoring and
management of changes to the project scope(Global Knowledge, 2020). The project
manager is responsible for reviewing any proposed scope changes and determining
their impact on the scope, schedule, and budget of the project (Monnappa, 2023). The
project manager uses a change control form to document all proposed changes and
follows the established change control process to evaluate, approve, or reject changes
to the project scope. This includes reporting on any scope changes and the impact on
the project schedule and budget. The project manager will also report on it.
 Project scope closure : Project scope closure includes the formalization of
acceptance of the project results and the closure of the project (Monnappa, 2023).
The project manager works closely with the project team and stakeholders to ensure
that all deliverables have been completed and meet project requirements (Global
Knowledge, 2020). Once all deliverables have been accepted, the project manager
completes the project scope and hands over the deliverables to the project sponsor.

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CONCLUSION

In summary, the scope management plan is an important part of project management and will
guide project scope management throughout the project life cycle. By following the defined
scope management processes, the project team can ensure that the project is delivered within
the defined scope, time and budget constraints and that all stakeholders are satisfied with the
project results. The project manager is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of
the scope management plan and works closely with the project team and stakeholders to
ensure its success. The Scope Management Plan developed for the Culture Change project at
Neel Gen Inc. serves as a guide for managing the project scope. In addition, the plan is
regularly reviewed, and any necessary changes are documented and managed as part of the
change control process.

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REFERENCE

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(Accessed 19 May 2023)
 Ray, S. (2023). How to write a Project Charter : Examples & Template Included.
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charter (Accessed 19 May 2023)
 Project Management Institute, (2017). A guide to the project management body of
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