Collect Requirement Process Explained (PMBOK Scope Management)

Scope Management - Scope Management

Introduction

Collect requirements is an important process in project scope management, and also a vital component of the PMP exam, as the project success is greatly influenced by this process. It is performed to define the project scope, by elaborating the needs of stakeholders, provides basis for defining & managing project scope and product scope. Project success is closely related to the precise definition of needs, and their decomposition into requirements.

Project Scope Baseline

Requirements of sponsor, customer, and other stakeholders are documented, such as the conditions or capabilities to be met by the project deliverables. Requirements are analyzed, recorded in the project scope baseline, and measured as execution starts, to ensure their correctness and completeness according to the stakeholder’s expectations. Project scope baseline has a vital role in the project scope management.

Project Planning

During project scope management, when project scope is defined, WBS (work breakdown structure) is created based on the requirements desired by the stakeholders. All the project management plans, such as cost, schedule, quality, and procurement plans are developed based on the requirements. Development of requirements begins with analysis of the project charter, stakeholder register, and stakeholder management plan. During project planning, stakeholders and the project team is involved, and differences are reconciled, as communication leads to consensus.

Group Creativity Techniques

Following techniques may be employed during the process of collect requirements in project scope management, to define the project scope:

• Brainstorming - generate and collect multiple ideas

• Nominal group - it is a type of brainstorming with voting

• Delphi - experts give opinion, responses are anonymous

• Idea/mind mapping - ideas mapped after brainstorming

• Affinity- ideas are sorted into groups for analysis

• Multicriteria decision analysis - decision matrix is created for decision making

Conclusion

Time utilized during the process of collect requirements may seem being wasted, but it saves many issues which may occur if the project requirements are not collected precisely. Stakeholders involvement may prevent disputes during the process validate scope, when the customer is reviewing the project, before it is closed. Close coordination is required with the stakeholders to understand their exact need, rather than the stated need.