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February 16, 2010
Scoping the project too small or too big
Often BI projects are either too small to deliver anything of value or the scope is so large that project implementation never begins (or never ends).
Scope being too small can come from a sponsor that inherited the project or doesn’t see value. Other times it is caused by a project manager who has lost sight of value and reduced scope to the point where the project is not worth completing. Projects suffering from either disorder need to be examined by management to include value or be shutdown.
Scope being too large can stem from wanting to be thorough and expedite subsequent implementation with a detailed plan. Unfortunately, long planning cycles often create over-generalized, over-reaching and stale plans with little remaining value. At worst, long-term road maps might be signaling a lack of implementation experience and that people don’t know where to start.
Scope should be described in terms of very specific and tangible business goals. The size of the scope should be no larger or smaller than is required to achieve each specific business goal. The skill is in describing goals in a manner that creates a series of manageable, complementary and targeted projects whose outcomes deliver accumulating value over time.
Kelly Lautt and John West
NorthStarBI.com
Posted by Kelly Lautt and John E West at February 16, 2010 12:15 PM
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