Sample HS7022 Project Management Report

HS7022 Project Management Report Sample

Holmes Software Technologies has opted to undertake the development of its upcoming ERP solution using the SCRUM methodology. As a project management consultant for the company, your task is to address client concerns regarding the likelihood of SCRUM projects experiencing greater scope changes compared to other project types. To provide a comprehensive analysis, conduct a literature review focusing on this scenario. Subsequently, generate an analytical report that examines the methods employed in handling scope changes within SCRUM projects, explores the challenges associated with them, and outline the effective scope management strategies to maintain control over project scope.

Your task involves conducting a literature search to identify at least ten (10) academic research papers relevant to this research area. Following this, you are expected to perform a critical analysis of the chosen references, offering a comprehensive discussion on how they contribute to the understanding of the topic. This assessment constitutes a substantial 40% of the unit's grade, signifying its importance. It is recommended to initiate work on this assignment early in the semester, steadily progressing to develop a high-quality literature review by the semester's conclusion.

Deliverable Description

You need to submit the final version of your assignment in Week 6. The structure of the final report consists of 5 sections as follows:

- Introduction

State the purpose and objectives of the report.

- Literature Review

Document a review of literature on Agile/SCRUM project scope management.

- Discussion

Discuss the references, and critically analyse them and discuss how they reflect the topic.

You need to discuss the methods employed in handling scope changes within SCRUM projects, explore the challenges associated with them, and outline the effective scope management strategies to maintain control over project scope.

- Conclusion

Summarize your findings by emphasizing the key points of the report.

- References

Provide the list of references following the Adapted Harvard Referencing style.

Your literature review should present the current state of knowledge in the specific area of the topic, and it should have a narrative that flows smoothly from one paragraph to the next. Additionally, the final submission should consist of no fewer than 2,500 words.

Solution

Introduction

In the last few decades, SCRUM has been embraced fast as an agile approach to managing large-scale projects, mainly in the IT and Software Development sectors. Stepwise and adaptable to changing requirements, this approach for The Assignment Helpline has also gained traction among organisations, making project management more effective and flexible. Concerns from clients about the fact that SCRUM projects can have more scope changes than other methods are addressed in this report. By studying academic research, the report looks at how SCRUM handles changes to the project scope, the challenges they present, and the strategies that can be used to handle these changes. Looking closely at linked literature, on the other hand, shows how to handle the scope of SCRUM projects well. The report’s three major objectives are the following-

- To examine the methods employed within the SCRUM framework for managing and handling scope changes effectively.

- To explore the challenges associated with managing scope changes in SCRUM projects.

- To outline effective scope management strategies that help maintain control over project scope in SCRUM projects.

Literature Review

Within SCRUM project management, managing the projects scope has become important to ensure the project is finished successfully. Grebic and Stojanovic (2021, p37(1)) stated that familiarity with the SCRUM frameworks jobs, events, and outputs is crucial for managing the project scope. Everyone in SCRUM is responsible for keeping changes to the scope under control, from the product owner to the development team. While working on IT projects, SCRUM finds it easier to handle changed project scopes due to this planned method. Due to its natural flexibility, the system can handle multiple growth cycles. As a result, it works well in areas like IT that need to accommodate change.

Additionally, Alsaber et al. (2021, p361(2)) examine the issues that software project managers (SPMs) face when they try to balance the needs of users with the project's limitations. Open and flexible SCRUM can cause problems with the project's scope if workers do not know the rules. Their study shows that when teams do not have enough information or are not working together properly, it can lead to lower product quality, more competition, and conflict within the company. This shows how important it is to get effective SCRUM training and make sure everyone is on the same page to handle scope changes well, especially in software settings that are hard to understand, like health information systems and teaching solutions.

Moreover, Mkoba and Marnewick (2020, p126460(4)) talk about how agile project management is becoming more and more important, especially for IT projects that are meant to help an organisation reach its strategic goals. As they are flexible and can finish IT projects on time, agile methods like SCRUM are becoming more popular instead of standard methods like Waterfall.

However, the experts point out that there is no way to check on agile projects, especially those that use SCRUM, which can harm the success of the projects. The research also suggested a means of verification for agile project success through the use of monitoring procedures that are incorporated in each of the SCRUM phases.

In this manner, control over the processes of management becomes less complicated, and the implementation of agile information technology projects becomes more organized and accountable. Controlling scope changes in SCRUM projects, on the other hand, presents serious challenges, especially in the IT field where adaptability and quick thinking are crucial. According to Marnada et al. (2022, p.291(3)), SCRUM is praised for being flexible, but changes to the project's scope that are not controlled can cause delays and cost overruns. According to the study, some of the biggest challenges they face are prioritising user requirements, overscoping, communication, and teamwork. Their argument is that in Agile methods, scope management is often forgotten. Careful planning and ongoing tracking are required because these challenges can cause project delays and higher costs.

Similarly, Ma arif et al. (2018, p2357(1)) looked at how Malaysian IT companies use Agile SCRUM to deal with challenges like bad cost management, confusing project signs, and a lack of team control. It is harder to handle scope well and projects take longer to finish because of these issues. One area of IT that is hard to understand is ERP and building business planning. This is highly important. This project shows how important it is to speak clearly and have good cost management tools to keep the project's scope from getting out of hand. Aizaz et al. (2021, p109166 (1)) also said that scope creep is one of the main reasons projects fail, especially when it comes to normal software development projects. Despite the fact that agile methods are intended to handle challenges related to scope, they can still have bad effects, especially in settings that use Global Software Development (GSD). In SCRUM projects, scope creep usually means lower quality, longer plans, and more money spent.

To address these concerns, Aizaz et al. (2021, p109166 (2)) also proposed a model to deal with the issue of scope creep in Agile projects. This model assists project managers in monitoring the alterations made to the project’s scope as well as assessing the effect of such changes on the triple constraints of the project. Likewise, Lous et al. (2018, p1(3)) investigate how Agile and remote software development can be used in SCRUM project management, a developing field of IT. Their study on a Danish small company with teleworkers and distant offices demonstrates how Agile concepts can be effectively implemented in these kinds of circumstances, avoiding the typical challenges of co-location. A big part of this success comes from trust, open leadership, working from home, and regular review. As they worked from home, it was hard to stay true to Agile's core values. They did this by focusing on changing systems and getting rid of waste.

In addition, Multiple studies have shown that managing scope in SCRUM-based software projects in the IT field comes with its own challenges and possibilities. Hayat et al. (2019, p145(3)) stated that project scope is an important part of software project management, along with time and cost. As they work in small steps, iteratively, agile methods, especially SCRUM, are highly effective at controlling scope because they allow for lots of changes, quick delivery, and lower risk. Hayat et al. discovered that almost all of the software companies they studied used SCRUM. They found that it improved project management by focusing on ten key knowledge areas, which led to better project results overall.

At the same time, Buklaha (2017, p8(3)) looks at how Agile project management, especially SCRUM, can be used to keep things under control. The author talks a lot about how organised SCRUM is when it comes to project work. Key partner jobs, meetings, and ways to report help with effective tracking and control during project implementation. The research also shows how SCRUM can handle changes in the project's scope more easily than standard cascade project management by comparing the two. This enhances SCRUM at aligning itself with project control and decision making. It has also availed real time information and intelligence that aids in efficient scope management over the life span of the project throughout the SCRUM process, which is constant.

In addition, Tytkowska et al. (2015, p2(1)) also add to the literature by proposing a method for project teams based on SCRUM to improve. Their software makes project management easier by letting the team do things like handling tasks and seeing what is going on with a Kanban board. This method helps the project team with its communication and information sharing issues, which are often caused by scope management challenges. Adding methods for creating and storing sprints makes sure that tasks are kept track of correctly, which makes it easier to see and manage changes to the project's scope during both the testing and delivery stages.

Discussion

Methods for managing and handling scope changes effectively

The literature assesses the methods for managing scope changes within SCRUM projects, offering different views on their applicability. For instance, Grebic and Stojanovic (2021, p39(2)) talked about how adaptable the SCRUM structure is and emphasised its main ideas of change, inspection, and openness. It is emphasised that the product owner must oversee the Product Backlog, which enables tasks to be sorted and altered as the project moves forward. The project management can use this method to keep the project's goals in mind even if the project's scope is continually changing, which is a reasonable approach to handling changes.

Similarly, Alsaber et al. (2021, p361(8)) evaluate the approaches for managing scope modifications in Scrum projects and enumerate their advantages and disadvantages. The research shows that while team members have a clear framework with defined roles and duties, they do not always follow SCRUM's guidelines, which reduces their value. The method of regular daily scrums makes it easier for team members to talk to each other and share progress reports. However, the study shows that many employees do not know important SCRUM rules, which causes projects to get behind schedule and the scope to grow. The Product Owner's responsibility is highly important for keeping the list organised and handling changes to the scope well. On the other hand, if the team does not follow these rules, it can lead to poor change control, which makes scope management even harder.

In contrast, Mkoba and Marnewick (2020, p126462(7)) highlighted auditing agile projects and suggested models for ongoing auditing that can help keep track of changes to the project's scope. They use metrics that are specific to agile, like velocity and burndown charts, to track and measure project scope in the IT fields. By adding measures of agile project success, they provide a monitoring model that can find and react to changes in the project's scope over time. In other words, one research focused on role-based scope management methods, another focused on following the rules, and the final research looked at ways to keep track of scope in Scrum projects through audits. All these methods try to be flexible, but they do so in different ways when it comes to control and oversight of changes to the scope of IT-based SCRUM projects.

Challenges in managing scope changes in SCRUM projects

Project success can be impacted by managing scope changes in SCRUM projects, especially in the IT industry. Marnada et al. (2022, p291(4)) talk about how the COVID 19 pandemic made things less certain, which is why more adaptable methods like Agile project management were needed. However, they stated that while Agile influences change quickly, changes to the project's scope that are not managed can cause costs to go up and time to be wasted, especially when it comes to communication and user needs. Conversely, Ma'arif et al. (2018, p2357(1)) point out specific challenges associated with implementing Agile SCRUM methods in Malaysian IT projects, such as ambiguous management signs and a lack of team ownership. These things can make scope management harder because they make it harder to make better decisions and be accountable. The SCRUM approach is acknowledged by the research as being beneficial in software development. However, it should be implemented properly; otherwise, there are risks of scope creep in the project.

While scope creep occurs more often in conventional project management, Aizaz et al. (2021, p109167(1) contended that scope creep is still a concern in Agile environments. The research claims that although Agile techniques are supposed to be flexible, this might make it more difficult to concentrate on factors like cost and quality, which could lead to poor project results. The challenges associated with merging Agile methodologies with online development are also discussed by Lous et al. (2018, p2(5)). Being physically separated, for instance, might make interactions more difficult a major component of Agile. This separation might aggravate scope management problems as teams cannot function effectively when they are scattered. In other words, there are significant management challenges associated with such modifications even if Agile SCRUM methodologies allow for changes in the course of a project. Overcoming these challenges during project execution and the accomplishment of this goal depends on effective communication, ownership and planned management.

Effective scope management strategies

In SCRUM projects, a number of researchers look at effective project scope management strategies and generate many related concepts. Controlling scope requires iterative and flexible SCRUM, as Hayat et al. (2019, p1(5)) said. They highlighted that the gradual approach of the SCRUM method guarantees that the scope is in accordance with the demands of the client by allowing the needs of the project to be continuously reevaluated. In conventional project management, the project's scope is often determined early on; however, this method is more flexible. The project's scope is kept in check by the iterative model, which divides it into sprints that make it simple to edit.

On the other hand, Buksaha (2017, p10(2)) illustrates the way SCRUM organizes both strategic and operational tasks. This is facilitated by the fact that each member of the team; the product owner and the ScrumMaster inclusive, understands the scope of their work. The person in charge of the product makes sure that the most important tasks are done first. This gives them more control over the scope of the project. The way Buksaha organises tasks based on roles adds a level of planning control that fits well with the study by Hayat et al. (2019, p1(5)), which was about flexibility. Moreover, the research by Tytkowska et al. (2015, p4(2) presents an approach to scope management that makes use of automated processes. As a result, communication and workflow management is enhanced. Kanban boards and sprints enable them to monitor the progress of work and when tasks are defined and assigned scope is controlled. This technology complements Hayat's emphasis on gradual emancipation and undergirds that of Buksaha's role-based governance quite well.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the report investigated the effectiveness of SCRUM in managing scope changes in projects, particularly, in the IT and software development industries. The outcomes concentrated on a structured approach to SCRUM, which involves having a product owner, maintaining clear communication and working in iterative sprints in order to cope with how the project is changing. Poor communication, scope creep, and the chance of cost and time overruns when changes are not handled properly were also mentioned in the report as major challenges. Training, adherence to SCRUM rules, and the use of tracking tools like pace measures were highlighted as important strategies for solving these challenges. For SCRUM projects to be successful, scope management must find a balance between freedom and organised tracking to make sure that changes do not harm project timelines, quality, or costs. In simple words it has been identified from the investigation that SCRUM adoption has room for expandability as long as there exists proper communication, definite roles and processes for continual evaluation.

References