Project Scope Statement

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The scope statement is an agreement among the project team, the project sponsor and
key stakeholders. It represents a common understanding of the project for the purpose
of facilitating communication among the stakeholders and for setting authorities and
limits for the project manager and team. The scope statement includes relating the
project to business objectives, and defining the boundaries of the project in multiple
dimensions including approach, deliverables, milestones, and budget.

A. Business Objectives

1.

Business Need/Opportunity/Objective

To
improve services for library staff and patrons with an updated circulation system by
migrating to Polaris; which will increase functionality and lower the cost of service and
maintenance after three years.

What created the need, or how the opportunity was recognized

Cost

Spending $14,000 per year on TLC

Continuously increasing price 5-10% each year
Added maintenance fee
Side by side price comparisons displayed potential savings opportunity

User satisfaction
Staff disliked TLC
Had TLC for 10 years and saw no improvement
Not user-friendly
Limited functionality - system meant for school libraries not public

The magnitude of the need/opportunity

Savings after year 3

Contributing factors, such as workload increases or staff reductions, and fiscal constraints
High cost, staff frustration with TLC

An understanding of the extent to which the need/opportunity would be addressed if an
appropriate alternative were implemented

Savings after year 3, more functionality and user-friendly

The consequences for the State and its customers if the need or opportunity is not addressed.
Costing more money than necessary, get less features for our money, better service for

patrons, as well as spending less of their tax dollars on unnecessary costs

2.

Product Description (Solution)

Solution description.

Replace TLC by migrating to new circulation system, Polaris.

Benefits of doing the project. Benefits should link back to the business need or opportunity.
This project has two primary goals: the first is to put a more user-friendly system into

place, the second is to ensure the library is using the most appropriate and cost-effective system
available in their budget range.

The criteria by which the project will be deemed successful by key stakeholders.

Increased staff and patron satisfaction, updated features, under or at budget points

Implementation of this new service will reduce operational expenses by at least $15,000 per
year.
3.

Deliverables

Deliverables included:

A new circulation system with new features such as - emailing notifications, maintaining
reading logs, user surveys at different points within the system

Recommendations on future technology upgrades

A feasibility study or a cost/benefit analysis
Deliverables excluded:

Implementation of the new service

Implementation of technology upgrades/recommendations


Maintenance of the new system

B. Project Description
1.

Scope

Includes:
This project will include a price/feature comparison between competing software, a
budget analysis, user-satisfaction analysis
Does Not Include:
The project will not include training library staff on the new system
2.

Completion Criteria
This project will be complete when Polaris is successfully installed and is made available

for use by library staff and patrons.

3.

Risk Assessment
1. Funding
a. City Council cannot afford funding for entire project
2. Glitches within the new system
a. books/other materials not successfully transferring to new system
b. minor incompatibilities
3. Mitigation plan
a. Contractual obligation from City Council to fulfill funding . commitment?
b. Verification of comprehensive understanding by library IT specialist(s)
c. Verification of constant access to Polaris IT support within contracted services

4.

Constraints
1. Workload increase - Staff training
a. Full time staff training for 4 full days
b. Additional staff meetings to train part-time staff
2. Financial
a. Extra payroll costs for covering full-time shifts while they are in training
b. Not enough funding in the regular library budget
c. Upfront costs would need to be split between City and Library
3. Time
a. During the transition, parts of the circulation system will have to be shut down
while the new program is being installed. For one week, patrons will not be able

to place holds on materials but will still be able to check items in/out. Patrons
will be made aware of this via physical and electronic newsletters and push
communications. If the transition lasts longer than the estimated time, it has the
potential of becoming a public relations issue which may later affect survey
responses.
5.

Dependency Linkages
1. Polaris compatibility - verification of compatibility was a crucial step in the librarys
selection of Polaris but
2. City Council-verification of city councils partnership in funding the project
3. Training - Polaris must train the current staff on the new system to an acceptable level of
competency.

6.

Impacts
1. Training on new system
2. Polaris maintenance
a. updates/bugs/virus protection
3. Increase in operating budget after 3 years

7.

Measures of Project Success

The librarys primary goal is to offer a more user-friendly circulation system to its staff

and patrons. Project success will be measured using tools such as surveys, interviews and
satisfaction questionnaires among library staff and patrons. Another indication of project
success will be whether or not the project stayed on budget from start to finish.
8.

Assumptions

It is assumed that Polaris will, as part of the service that the library is paying for, offer
multiple training sessions for library staff.

It is assumed that the city council will offer additional funding beyond the librarys
budget.

It is assumed that the new circulation system will be compatible with existing technology
which lessens the need for further expenditures.

9.

Critical Success Factors

1. Adequate funding

a. The library has budgeted a certain amount that, combined with funding
from City Council, will cover the expense(s) of the Polaris installation and
its related costs
2. Support
3. Staff willingness to learn
a. Full comprehension and acceptance of Polaris by library staff is crucial to
educating patrons and, thus, reaching the primary project goal.
4. Patron acceptance
a. Do the patrons feel that the new system is fulfilling their expectations.
5. Compatibility of Polaris with existing technology
a. Verification of compatibility was achieved prior to officially selecting
Polaris but incompatibility on some level is always a possibility.
6. The project will be completed on schedule in order to reduce patron disturbance.