Scoping in complex technology projects can be made simple yet methodical in this time-tested modeling tool from the US Department of Defense. Likewise, the work breakdown structure or WBS of any technology project can be efficiently and effectively well-considered in this free manual. Most significantly, business managers can be equipped with a simple analytical tool to understand the architecture of complex enterprise projects.
Project Scoping and WBS
Project scoping is the responsibility of both the organization issuing the Request for Proposals or RFP as well as the bidders detailing their technical bids or offers on each of their proposed methodology or WBS.
Quite often, when it comes to technology projects, the organization issuing the RFP have requirements based on a general knowledge of the features and functions that they want. This general knowledge essentially serves as the Preliminary Design.
The track of the Detailed Design, however, is to be proposed by bidders wherein the RFP issuer will choose the best methodology or WBS among a selection of many. Most often, some of the features or functions that the RFP issuer requires are not possible under limited budgets or rigid schedules.
Thus, different bidders will propose different time frames, various methodologies or WBS, several disclaimers and a list of limiting clauses on what bidders can fulfill or deliver on time and within the allotted budget.
Simply, bidders for technology projects will try to meet most of the RFP issuer's requirements as long as these fit within the budget and deadline. They are essentially 'Scoping' the technology project to be able to deliver most of the requirements realistically according to an ideal methodology or WBS.
Free Manual Advantages
(1) This free manual provides the RFP issuer ideas in advance on what features and functions are essential, possible and readily achievable. Hence, the requirements are methodically balanced with the budget allocation. The risk of having no bidders for the RFP is also minimized.
(2) This free manual helps provide the bidder several methodologies on how to address the RFP quickly without yet getting into an elaborate Detailed Design. Moreover, an archive of process components or work packages that have been made for prior projects through this free manual can already quickly provide detailed costs for current RFPs to be bid.
Thus, adding each of the work package with detailed figures could help a bidder quickly come up with a more realistic costing. Simply, actual figures plus ballpark figures for all of the project components are better than 100% ballpark figures alone.
(3) This free manual helps provide a more detailed and well-considered WBS or methodology. Thus, project staffing is better considered, project time lines are more realistic, supply and material requirements are more realistic, and financial estimates more accurate and reliable.
Enterprise Architecture
An enterprise with a global business or in the case of local operations, an enterprise with several offices, retail branches, production plants and suppliers in many locations across the country will need an integrated view of its entire operations.
Of course, enterprise software can only handle certain portions or entities of the enterprise. Hence, technology projects to make this integrated view possible or to automate certain portions of the enterprise are bid.
In another light, since RFPs are required for each portion or entity to be automated, this individualized approach strays from integrated thinking making an integrated view more complex due to failure of coordinated thinking in technology project RFPs.
This free manual makes sense because it will simplify this integrated view by coordinating all enterprise technology projects with sufficient detail to determine which RFP shall be funded and bid first. Why? It gives the enterprise an inventory of its processes in all of its entities thus empowering executives in knowing how the business actually works versus how it works theoretically.
If the above rationales are sufficient to consider this 163-pages manual, then click THIS to download.
Recommended Readings:
- Technology Innovation Management Basics
- Project Versus Operations Management – Comparative Analysis
- Introduction to Business Project Management
Melvin Tandoc - Melvin currently works for the project management software company that makes 2-plan Desktop and 2-plan Team.
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