PMP Practice: Break Down Scope

When stakeholders claim delivered work is incomplete despite meeting documented criteria, the root cause is typically a misalignment between expectations and documented scope. The project manager must facilitate stakeholder agreement by bringing together those with competing views, reviewing what was actually agreed upon versus what was understood, and building consensus on how to proceed. This approach addresses both the immediate issue and prevents similar problems. The scenario's closing fact—that the requirements are documented and approved but don't match stakeholder expectations—indicates a communication or requirements elicitation failure that must be resolved collaboratively. With only three weeks to launch, understanding whether this represents genuine missing scope or new requests is critical before taking action.

**Why not B:** Premature action without understanding whether this truly was an original requirement or a new request. The fact that it's not documented anywhere despite being 'discussed' suggests it may have been an informal conversation never properly captured. Adding it immediately bypasses both change control and the critical question of whether other stakeholders share this expectation or if it conflicts with the agreed minimum viable product for launch.

**Why not C:** Technically accurate but relationally damaging. While the module does meet documented criteria, dismissing multiple stakeholder concerns without investigation damages trust and may lead to a product that technically passes acceptance but fails to deliver expected value. The hybrid approach requires balancing documented scope with stakeholder collaboration—this response is too rigid for the situation.

**Why not D:** Escalating prematurely before investigating and attempting to resolve at the appropriate level. The project manager has the authority and responsibility to facilitate stakeholder alignment on scope questions. Escalation is appropriate when stakeholders cannot reach consensus after facilitated discussion, but going immediately to executives suggests the PM is avoiding the core responsibility of managing scope and stakeholder expectations.