7 Project Purpose Statement Examples: How to Describe Your Project Scope or Mission
Find out how to write an excellent project purpose statement to identify how your team will come together to complete the project on time.
Before you begin a new project, you have to think about the project scope, who is going to be involved and what you’re trying to achieve. After refining these initial considerations, they become your project scope statement. So, how do you write a project statement? This article will cover what a project purpose statement is, how to write them and provide you with project purpose statement examples so that you can take control over your project and execute the necessary steps with booming success.
- What is a project purpose statement?
- How do you write a project purpose?
- Writing your own project purpose statement
- 2 Purpose statement examples
What is a project purpose statement?
A project scope statement is usually written by the project manager leading the upcoming project. The project purpose statement outlines the entire project from beginning to completion, which includes elements such as the project deliverables and their different components, who is involved and to which capacity, as well as anyone who will be affected by the project. Your project statement will also include any major goals, and objectives that will help you keep track and measure your success.
How do you write a project purpose?
How you write your project purpose is going to ensure that everyone on the team is clear about what will be delivered and how. In this way, the project manager facilitates and tracks the project’s success. A great way to remember what to include in your project statement or purpose is to use the 5 W’s of journalism: Who, What, When, Where and Why? This is going to adequately outline the questions that need answers. Here is specifically what you should add to your project purpose statement:
Set clear expectations for your next project
Stay on top of your project with collaborative check-ins and create one source of truth for next steps with a tool like Fellow.
Writing your own project purpose statement
1 Justification
First, you need to justify exactly what the need is for this project to take place. This is your project mission statement. Here, explain why there is a need for this project, including its impact, it’s importance, it’s purpose and how the completion of this project will either solve an issue, make an improvement or add value to the organization. When you identify why this project is needed, it helps you understand which steps actually need to be taken in order to get it done.
2 Scope
Having a clear scope is one of the most important elements in creating a project purpose statement. Here, identify from a high-level what is within and what is outside of the scope of this project so that you can narrow your focus and draw the appropriate boundaries needed. In creating your scope and drawing your boundaries, you also clearly define the expectations for the project so that everyone is on the same page. In order to keep with your project scope, it’s essential that you remain organized. In this sense, it can be useful to use a meeting management software like Fellow, where you can keep track of your project meetings, take notes, assign action items and collaborate with your team.
3 Objectives
Next, you want to outline your business objectives. This begins with looking at your larger, organizational goals and relating them back to this specific project. It’s also important that you identify and are aware of other projects that may be running simultaneously. This awareness will help you in understanding what kinds of resources are available and how you may be able to achieve your objectives in conjunction with the other projects taking place. Make sure that when you define your objectives you assign specific launch dates and due dates. You also want to ensure that your objectives are specific and measurable.
4 Deliverables
Before you reach this step, you’ve already thought about what kind of deliverables exist for the project. Now, it’s time to specifically outline them. This asks, what is the team going to be doing to achieve the project goals? List out the tangible actions that each team member needs to produce in order to meet your business objectives and in order to keep the project on line and on track with deliverable fates. When you specify your deliverables, you can include tools, materials, communications, the product itself, etc. This includes anything that is going to help you achieve the end result.
5 Exclusions
Now that you have defined your scope, it’s important that you specify exactly what your project doesn’t entail. List out everything that is not and will not be included in this project. Sometimes related tasks somehow sneak in and add extra responsibilities that actually have nothing to do with the project deliverables. It may be a good idea to start with tasks that are related to this project but do not fit within the scope of your current focus. That way, if and when additional responsibilities arise, you can refer back to the project purpose statement and make it clear that this is not your current aim.
6 Constraints
The most typical project constraints are nothing new to project managers: Time, money and scope. These constraints are what pose challenges during the course of the project and require some problem-solving as the project unfolds. It’s important that you identify your constraints and then specify exactly why you think that these challenges may arise across the duration of the project. This way, as the project progresses, you can make modifications as needed. As much as any project manager would like to be able to foresee any kinds of obstacles that may arise, this is often out of your control. It’s likely that constraints will come up but preparing for them will certainly allow you to handle them in a more effective fashion. This way, you can try to prepare solutions to launch as needed.
7 Assumptions
Your assumptions are a result of the constraints that you’ve identified. These are typically time, money and your initially identified scope. Here, you need to outline all of the people and processes that you expect to have in place so that you can actually deliver the project and its components on time. Not only does this identify your key resource needs but it also identifies your largest risks so that you can keep your eye out for any changes to the flow of the project as it advances.
2 Purpose statement examples
Here are two project purpose statements that will help you define your project vision and identify what needs to be done in order to get there.
Example 1:
Project Purpose Statement
Title of project: Engineering Safety Application Date: 11/18/21
Project Manager: Jennifer Liu
Project Justification: A more efficient way for on-site civil engineers to complete safety checklists and ensure safety protocols are up to standard with regulatory bodies.
Project Scope Description: App to be used as a tracking tool to review that all safety protocols are completed with the task completion of each task.
Business Objectives: To create an app that ensures the safety of on-site engineers and keeps the organization aligned with legal and regulatory requirements.
Business Deliverables:
- Design user interface
- Access granting for support team
- Administrative access to support team
- User access granting for all on-site engineers and line managers of project
- Enable remote access
- Launch app/ troubleshooting
- App implementation into business processes
- Management to review digital safety reports weekly
Out of Scope:
- Creation of additional app functions
- Access to app from personal device
- Access to other on-site employees
Constraints:
- First time launching a digital reporting app
- User-friendliness
- Adoption from engineers and managers
- Technical issues when on-site
- Unforeseen additional costs
Assumptions:
- Senior management will grant budget approval as outlined in the project proposal
- Manager of Dev Ops will assign project to front-end developers who will train support team prior to launch
- On-site engineers will agree to adopting the app rather than filling out paper forms
- Engineering manager will review safety reports once a week to ensure compliance
Example 2:
Project Purpose Statement
Title of Project: Product Marketing Christmas Campaign Date: 12/02/21
Project Manager: Alicia DeAndre
Project Justification: Increase customer sales and attract new sponsors and partners
Project Scope Description: Create engaging full-scale marketing campaign for newest holiday beauty products
Business Objectives: Provide value to customers, increase sales, attract new sponsors and partners
Business Deliverables:
- Draft communications plan for social media
- Create competitive analysis and strategy
- Gain budget approval from senior management
- Design team to gain approval from marketing director to send out holiday product design to manufacturers
- Confirm product placement in store locations with partners
- Beauty product gift baskets to be sent to influencer team- delivery service to be booked
- Obtain 2 new sponsorships
Out of Scope:
- Television advertisements
- Internet ads outside of social media
- Product giveaways
Constraints:
- Time constraints are tight
- Projects responsibilities are additional to marketing and design team’s day-to-days and require substantial time
- Delays in delivering influencer gift baskets
- Unforseen additional costs
Assumptions
- Senior management will grant budget approval as outlined in the project proposal
- Marketing manager will put together social media plan and assign graphic design tasks
- Manager of partnerships will assign team to confirm location of products within each store
- Marketing director will approve holiday design and organize with manufacturer
- Marketing manager will assign team to put together influencer gift baskets and delivery
- Sales team will work on acquiring new sponsorships
