need to develop the details. This step consists of completely
defining every aspect of the preferred solution. It’s a progressive
elaboration of the work to be done, beginning with the Project
Definition Document.
Preparing the Project Definition Document
The Project Definition Document takes the project alternative
that you’ve selected to the next level of detail. You could think
of the Project Definition Document as the “response” to the
Project Requirements Document. Several names are used for
this document, including Project Objective Statement, Project
Scope Statement, and Statement of Work Document. Whatever
the name, the objective is the same: to initiate the process of
fully defining the work to be done. This information then
becomes the basis for all future planning documentation.
The Project Definition Document serves many purposes:
- It identifies what work will be done and how it will be done.
- During planning, it forces stakeholders to agree on the
boundaries of the project scope. - During execution, it enables identification of changes
that fall outside the boundaries and would therefore
require renegotiation of the original contract. - It helps you establish completion criteria to which all
involved can agree. - It helps you establish success criteria to which all
involved can agree. - It helps the team agree on the approaches and methods
to use. - It facilitates widespread understanding of what the proj-
ect will not include.
Though the primary purpose of the Project Definition
Document is to describe work, it may include other information
to make it more comprehensive. Normally those items are just
carried over from the Project Proposal phase described above.
A comprehensive Project Definition Document should
include these elements:
Defining Your Project 67