Creating the Project Baseline

A successful project begins with a clear understanding of what needs to be done. The project schedule and budget are not random figures; they are determined directly by the work required to produce the final product or service. Approved project scope is the bedrock upon which all other planning activities are built. Without a well-defined scope, it's nearly impossible to accurately plan for time, cost, and resources.

This article explores how a clearly defined scope provides the necessary inputs for creating a reliable project baseline. We will examine the crucial role of the Scope Statement and the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in this process. We'll also look at a real-world case study to see these principles in action.

How Scope Feeds into Other Planning Processes

Before you can create a schedule or estimate a budget, you must know what you are building. The project scope outputs, once approved, become the primary inputs for subsequent planning. This ensures that every task on the schedule and every dollar in the budget is tied directly to a required deliverable. This foundational link between scope and other planning processes prevents scope creep and keeps the project team focused on delivering what was promised.

The Key Inputs: Scope Statement and WBS

Two documents are essential for translating project scope into actionable plans: the Scope Statement and the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

The Scope Statement provides a detailed description of the project's deliverables. This clear, written record ensures everyone on the team and all stakeholders have a shared understanding of what is included in the project. The list of deliverables within this statement is the starting point for the WBS.

The Work Breakdown Structure takes the deliverables from the Scope Statement and decomposes them into smaller, more manageable components. The WBS is a hierarchical breakdown of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team. It serves as a vital tool that directly informs project schedule, cost, and resource planning. By breaking down the work, teams can more accurately estimate the time and effort required for each piece, which then rolls up into the overall project plan.

Team Exercise: Building a Work Breakdown Structure

A practical way to understand this concept is to create a WBS. A summarized WBS should contain at least three levels. The top level represents the entire project. The second level breaks the project down into major deliverables or phases. The third level decomposes those deliverables into smaller, more discrete work packages. This exercise helps teams visualize the full scope of work and ensures no component is overlooked during the planning phase.

Case Study: Marriott's Bedding Replacement Program

A powerful example of scope driving a massive project is Marriott International's global bedding replacement program. The project's goal was to upgrade the bedding in over 628,000 beds across all its hotel brands. This massive, $190 million undertaking required meticulous coordination and planning.

The scope was enormous, involving multiple departments and facing significant challenges. Different hotel brands had unique bedding specifications, and the project team had to coordinate efforts across various time zones. To manage this complexity, the team relied on clear communication, extensive customer research to define the requirements, and sharp vendor negotiations.

By starting with a well-defined scope, the Marriott team could effectively plan the schedule for renovating each property, allocate the budget for purchasing and shipping new materials, and manage the vast resources required. The result was a resounding success. The program completed the entire conversion in just two years and came in under budget, demonstrating the power of using scope as the foundation for all project planning.