Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Managing Change in the Project Scope
Change is inevitable, but that doesn't mean you should accept all changes.
You need a standardized process by which to evaluate changes as to whether
they are needed to meet the business requirements. Risks of these changes
should be evaluated and weighed along with the benefits before the change
is accepted. A simple Excel spreadsheet listing the risk, a description of the
risk, and what action is being taken on the risk is needed. An example would
be the use of a new technology such as Pig. The risk may be that you plan on
using Pig in your solution. The description can include information such as
youdon'thaveanyonewithintheorganization whoknowsPigLatin andthus
there is a risk to implementing it incorrectly. The action being taken may be
to send someone to training on Pig. Sometimes the risks will outweigh the
benefits and prevent changes in scope from occurring. That said, don't let
risk be an excuse to prevent change in scope if it is necessary.
Stakeholder Expectations
Most likely any executives that you are working with to implement your new
project have read countless stories during the past couple of years about
how big data solves everything. This is what you are up against, and setting
expectations from the outset is vitally important. Managing FEAR (false
expectations about reality) will be a full-time job for someone on your team.
Aswithallprojects, thisisdonethroughthoroughscopingoftheprojectand
communication of goals, timeliness of meeting milestones, and addressing
and clearing any roadblocks that you encounter along the way.
To manage false expectations, you first have to identify them.
Communication with the business sponsor about the goals and desired
outputs of the project is key here. For example:
• Does the sponsor expect the project to increase sales 25%?
• If so, what are the underlying assumptions about the data that make
him believe this number is possible?
• What are the acceptable variances above and below that number?
• Do all of these assumptions have to come true to make that number?
• If any one of these assumptions is incorrect, what happens to that
number?
