What are the key elements of a project scope statement?

Objectives, deliverables, acceptance criteria, exclusions, and constraints and assumptions. Some templates add the project justification and the people who approve changes.

Who writes the project scope statement?

Usually the project manager or account lead, with input from the client and the people who will do the work. It should be agreed by both sides before delivery starts.

Project Scope Statement: Key Elements and Example

The key elements

Wording varies between frameworks, but a scope statement normally covers five things:

Objectives: the outcome the project exists to achieve.
Deliverables: what will be produced.
Acceptance criteria: the conditions each deliverable must meet.
Exclusions: what is explicitly out of scope.
Constraints and assumptions: fixed limits such as budget or dates, and what the plan takes for granted.

Scope statement example

Objective: launch a customer mobile app for booking appointments by 1 March. Deliverables: iOS and Android apps, an admin dashboard and handover documentation. Acceptance: all booking flows pass the agreed test cases. Exclusions: payment processing and marketing site changes. Constraint: a fixed budget of 600 hours.

Why it matters during delivery

A scope statement written at kickoff and never opened again does not prevent scope creep. It helps when the plan in the project tool mirrors it, so work outside the agreed deliverables stands out as it is created.

Project Scope Statement: Key Elements and Example

The key elements

Scope statement example

Why it matters during delivery

Common questions.

Stop finding out about risk in the retro.