How to write a project scope statement.

Many projects fail not because of a lack of effort, but because they lack clearly defined objectives. While team members may begin with a general idea of their responsibilities, relying on assumptions can lead to scope creep, missed deadlines, and projects that drift off course.

This is where a formal project scope statement becomes essential. By defining a project's purpose, key deliverables, and boundaries, clarifying what is and what is not part of the plan, a scope statement ensures everyone is aligned and working toward the same goal. This allows the team to fulfill their responsibilities in a transparent and timely manner.

Learning to write an effective project scope statement is a critical step toward improving project efficiency and success. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to craft and implement a project scope.

This post will cover:

• What is a project scope statement?
• Key components of a project scope statement
• Steps to create a project scope statement
• Project scope statement example
• Best practices for writing scope statements
• The importance of project scope statements
• Project scope statements vs. other documents
• Project scope statement vs. project charter vs. statement of work

A project scope statement provides a clear definition of a project's boundaries. It encompasses all assumptions, roles and responsibilities, requirements, constraints, milestones, and deliverables necessary to ensure the project's success. Project scope statements, also known as statements of work, are used by project managers and senior leadership to plan for and determine a project’s overall progress and execution.

These documents become a map that the entire team can use to navigate toward a desired outcome. They set the stage for the project by defining all the required outputs and the dates by which each component should be completed. From there, stakeholders can create project scope management plans and assign responsibilities to the appropriate resources to carry out the work — on schedule and budget.

Project scope statements are just one component of a thorough project management approach. These often also include communication frameworks, task schedules, detailed budgets, and risk assessments. A comprehensive project plan begins with a statement of work that clearly defines the project's goals and components, serving as a control point for the remainder of the initiative.

A powerful project scope statement is a meticulously crafted document that brings clarity and direction to your project. While the specific details may vary, every effective scope statement includes several core components that define the project's boundaries and expectations:

• Project goals and objectives. Clearly state the "why" of your project. What problem are you solving? What measurable outcomes do you aim to achieve?
• Deliverables. Precisely list all the tangible and intangible outputs the project will produce. This includes everything from a new software feature to a comprehensive report or a redesigned website. Be specific about their characteristics and quality.
• Scope description/statement of work. Provide a detailed narrative outlining the work required to achieve the project's objectives. This covers the major tasks, phases, and key milestones involved in the project's execution.
• Exclusions. Define what the project will not deliver or encompass. Clearly stating what's out of scope helps prevent misunderstandings and mitigates the risk of scope creep.
• Constraints. Document any limitations or restrictions that could impact the project, such as budget caps, strict deadlines, resource limitations, technological barriers, or regulatory requirements.
• Assumptions. Outline any factors that are considered valid for planning purposes. If these assumptions prove to be false, they could impact the project's viability, schedule, or cost.
• Acceptance criteria. Define the specific, verifiable conditions that must be met for the project deliverables to be considered complete and acceptable by stakeholders. This sets clear expectations for successful project completion.

Now that you understand how a project scope statement helps avoid pitfalls and misunderstandings, you may want to create one for yourself. Even if you’ve never made a project scope statement before, there’s no reason to feel overwhelmed. These documents can be easy to put together once the key elements to include are defined.

Of course, no two projects are the same, so project managers should expect variations in what might be applicable when getting started. Keep in mind that these documents are designed to clearly define deliverables and expectations in a way that’s both actionable and achievable. When crafting a project scope statement, consider the following:

1. Overview — providing a synopsis

Starting with a summary of the project can help everyone understand what is needed from them and what is expected in the end. This can also be an excellent opportunity to outline objectives for smaller milestones that lead to broader goals in a clear and actionable way.

Project needs are often itemized here to outline what should be included and what should be left out. Project managers can use this section to define the objectives and goals, and create a clear, one-sentence statement that outlines the initiative's purpose.

Let’s take the example of a company working on a website redesign for an ecommerce client. A sample project scope statement could be “The redesigned website will provide customers with faster and easier access to products while offering value-added content to increase session duration and reduce bounce rate.”

From here, the project’s detailed objectives could include the following:

• Create a new, engaging web design for an existing brand.
• Retain existing brand identity and requirements.
• Optimize website performance for a better user experience.
• Engage visitors with detailed, accessible content.
• Monitor key performance metrics to measure session duration and bounce rate.

2. Governance — attributing responsibility.

With the general concept established, stakeholders and individual contributors can be assigned to specific roles. This step outlines who will be working on the project and who will be responsible for reviewing and approving various deliverables.

Consider each objective outlined in the overview. The project manager should indicate who is involved with or accountable for each at a high level. Let’s use our previous example of the website redesign:

3. Approach — outlining steps

For everyone to contribute effectively to the plan, they’ll need to know their exact responsibilities and tasks, as well as their significance in the bigger picture. Reiterate the project scope statement and then outline what is and is not included in the scope. It can be helpful to redefine the measures of success to align tasks within or outside the scope itself.

In the case of the website redesign project, the approach could include reminders for the creative team to use the existing brand guidelines and confine their efforts to working within those boundaries. While a new website is in scope, a rebrand is not.

Another point of clarification could be around the measures for success. The project manager could define that while improving traffic figures is crucial, increasing the total number of sales for the client is outside the scope of this project.

4. Assumptions — expected risks and rewards

Every good project manager knows projects are bound to encounter obstacles. To help alleviate challenges, incorporate predictions of what is likely to sidetrack progress and provide recommendations on how to avoid these issues.

These considerations could range from allocating the right resources to the project to ensure no one is shorthanded to reviewing PTO requests to maintain continuous coverage. Risk factors could include anything from personnel availability to the budget set forth by a client. To prevent conflict before it arises, clearly indicate any potential risks to the team and external clients.

5. Deliverables — defining success

Clearly defining the deliverables can help reiterate the overall definition of project success. Return to the original project scope statement and evaluate what can be used objectively and measurably demonstrate a job well done.

For example, the project manager could address this from several angles. When it comes to key performance indicators (KPIs), they can work with the client to establish baselines for session duration and bounce rate, determining what improvements will define success over a set period after the new website is launched. They can also work with the internal team to define the parameters for what a thorough, on-brand redesign entails and how different the website should ultimately look.

Let’s apply this format to our example and create a project scope statement of our own.

While every scope statement will look different, there are some best practices that project managers can follow to ensure their documents are as effective as possible.

• Define approvals. Be sure to indicate who will be responsible for submitting and reviewing the approval process. It can also help to set limits regarding when and how approvals will be communicated to keep everything on track.
• Avoid ambiguity. Be as specific as possible when outlining deadlines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Detail exclusions. Prevent scope creep by making sure it’s clear exactly what should not be done as part of the project. This will help keep everyone on track and avoid resource issues.
• Avoid jargon. Use plain language as much as possible so everyone involved can be clear on what is and isn’t included in the project. This can also help communicate success broadly to people who may or may not be familiar with industry-specific terms.

Project scope statements provide clear and immediate value to managers and stakeholders by eliminating the uncertainty that can arise from project management. Rather than wondering about tasks, everyone involved can work from clearly defined requirements and deadlines tied to direct outcomes.

A project scope statement provides a clear definition of a project's boundaries. It includes all assumptions, roles and responsibilities, requirements, constraints, milestones, and deliverables necessary to ensure the project's success.

The benefits of stating what the project scope is don’t stop with definitions. Instead, project managers, stakeholders, clients, and team members can benefit from a thoughtfully crafted Statement of Work (SOW) in several ways.

• Manage expectations. Stakeholders include internal staff and external clients. A project scope statement can clearly define what is and isn’t included in the project, ensuring that there are no disappointments or surprises when the end product is delivered.
• Mitigate risks. Since these plans break down deliverables, managers can easily identify obstacles and make informed decisions on what needs to be done to keep the project on track with expectations, without derailing deadlines or budgets.
• Ease burdens. Clear task definitions can lead to the appropriate allocation of assignments, ensuring that the right resources are leveraged to achieve goals efficiently and adequately by distributing responsibilities accordingly.
• Clarify agreements. Project scope statements can also be used to define the work being done, including the rate of pay, as well as the boundaries and deliverables, so that stakeholders and clients are clear on what will be completed and at what cost.

As vital as a statement of work can be to the project management process, it’s just one of many documents managers and stakeholders rely on. Here are some other project management documents that can help with the process.

• Non-disclosure agreement (NDA). An NDA prevents sensitive or private information from being shared with others.
• Master service agreement (MSA). An MSA outlines the terms between two or more parties for a series of engagements over a specified period.
• Independent contractor agreement. This document outlines the scope and deadlines applicable to any external or third-party resources utilized for a project.
• Service level agreement (SLA). An SLA outlines the terms for customer service responsibilities and response times between a client and a vendor.
• Project master plan. This is a long-term plan for an engagement with a client, including multiple project scopes and deliverables.

While these three documents are foundational to project success, they serve distinct purposes and are typically created at different stages:

• Project scope statement. Building upon the charter, the project scope statement defines the project's boundaries in detail. It meticulously outlines what is included (deliverables, features, functions) and what is explicitly excluded. It provides a clear blueprint for the project team and stakeholders, acting as the definitive source of truth for the project's scope. It answers what precisely will be delivered.
• Project charter. This is the foundational document that formally authorizes a project. It's a high-level agreement, often concise, that outlines the project's initial purpose, objectives, primary stakeholders, and assigns the project manager. Think of it as the project's birth certificate, granting official standing and resources. It answers why the project is being done and who is responsible.
• Statement of work (SOW). Often created by a vendor or service provider, a statement of work is a contractual document that details the specific work activities, deliverables, and timelines to be performed under a contract. While it incorporates aspects of the project scope, a statement of work is typically more focused on how the work will be executed, often including payment terms, legal provisions, and specific contractor responsibilities.

In essence, the project scope statement clearly defines the project's boundaries and deliverables. The project charter authorizes the project at a high level. The statement of work specifies the contractual and procedural specifics of how that scope will be delivered.

Scope statements are a critical component of project management that can help keep work on track and within budget. While they can take a bit of time to create upfront, they are well worth it because they set important boundaries with clients and internal stakeholders to ensure that requirements and inclusions (or exclusions) are clear.

When you’re ready to start writing a scope statement, it can be helpful to consider the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of project management — what the project is, why it’s happening, why it’s essential, and what it will achieve. This will provide a good starting point for creating the rest of the scope statement. When you’re ready to operationalize that strategy, Adobe can help.

Workfront is enterprise work management software that connects work to strategy and drives better collaboration to deliver measurable business outcomes. Workfront helps you define goals, automate workflows, and manage assets, providing a centralized platform to manage your projects effectively.

Watch the overview video to find out how Workfront can help you manage the scope of your projects.