Scope

How much should the solution be able to achieve?

The scope of a project defines how big it is going to be, and how broadly it will search for causes and possible solutions to the problem.

What should the solution be able do?

What limitations are acceptable in the solution?

What should be the benefits of the solution to the user?

The scope states the boundaries or parameters of the solution in terms of their efficiency and effectiveness.

A broad scope entails a lot of changes and lots of work. A broader scope makes fewer assumptions about the cause and solution of a problem, and requires more investigation of different factors before deciding on a solution. A broad scope will affect more parts of the information system. (Information systems are made up of people, equipment - hardware and software, procedures and data).

While a broader scope is bigger and slower, it is more likely to accurately identify the true cause of a problem and fix the problem effectively.

A narrower scope more tightly limits the changes required, so the project is smaller and quicker to finish. On the other hand, it makes more assumptions about the true cause and best solution of the problem. If any of the assumptions are wrong, the problem may not be solved when the project terminates.

e.g. if a faster internet connection is needed, one could simply increase bandwidth (a narrow scope, because it assumes inadequate bandwidth is the cause of the problem) or one could investigate all of one's internet hardware and software (a broad scope) before designing a solution.