northernSCOPE Goes International

A solid scope management approach makes a real difference in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) software development programs. Experiences from northernSCOPE programs in Finland and southernSCOPE projects in Australia have proven that success is achievable and predictable. Investing under 10K euros or dollars for thorough scope management during a development program results in upwards of hundreds of thousands of euros savings before the delivery of the new system, and practically guarantees a successful on-time and on-budget delivery to the delight of both customer and supplier companies alike. Can you imagine an ICT world devoid of the massive disaster projects gracing our headlines on a weekly basis? A world where remarkable schedule or budget overruns are the exception instead of the rule? It is possible through the use of a key new job role formalized by the EU Certificates Association: the Certified SCOPE Manager (CSM). A competent SCOPE manager equipped with specialized knowledge and applicable methods and tools, will not alone guarantee project success -- but together with receptive business managers and professional developers, the success probability is multiplied on ICT projects.

The northernSCOPE concept itself is just over a decade old – it was developed by members of the Finnish Software Measurement Association (FiSMA) during the 1990’s through to 2005. northernSCOPE consists of several different measurement methods, reporting standards, tools and training modules in a comprehensive program aimed at improving the customer/supplier relationship and committed involvement of the customer – in an appropriate productive manner. The FiSMA methods, which include the ISO standardized Functional Size Measurement Method: FiSMA 1.1, and a comprehensive project Situation Analysis are publicly available standards. These are proven, easy to use international standards that anyone can adopt rather easily. The various training modules in the northernSCOPE Certified SCOPE Manager program has been offered individually as separate 1-2 day training courses, and were already available for 10 years in Finland and Australia. However, the northernSCOPE 12-step process brings together the best practices and core concepts of these workshops to provide an overall, holistic approach to SCOPE management throughout the ICT development life-cycle. As such, for the first time outside Finland, the northernSCOPE Certified SCOPE Manager training program is available in the USA and Europe, with Asian programs set to launch in 2008.

While the original SCOPE Manager training program launched in Finland in spring 2006 included only 7 days of hands-on experiential training, 4SUM Partners has expanded it by two days to adequately cover the five ISO conformant Functional Size Measurement Methods so that SCOPE Managers are sufficiently knowledgeable and gain practice into Functional Sizing methods and their differences. At the end of the 9 day comprehensive program, there is a 3 hour certified SCOPE manager examination based on the EU Certificates Association standard that tests examinees on the knowledge gained from classroom participation, on-the-job experience, case studies, exercises and application of the formal lecture materials.

EQN-project and EU-Certificates Association (ECA)
A new way to guarantee the quality and emergence of different certificates is through a standardized approach involving tens of corporations. Out of the demand for high quality and standardization, the European Quality Network (EQN) project was initiated, and in late 2007 the EU Certificates Association was born. This association provides accreditation of the organisations responsible of ECA Job Role Definitions, accreditation of training organisations, manages an additional knowledge library, additional online exams and e-learning concepts. For the current 10-major new job roles (including the Certified SCOPE Manager), there are questionnaires administered for several purposes: 1.) to test the preliminary understanding before training, 2.) to check the understanding of training contents afterwards, 3.) gauge that the training was adequate to provide a professional and certifiable result.

4SUM Partners brings the northernSCOPE concept to the international stage and is sure to increase the success of major ICT programs worldwide as it has already in Finland, and through its sister model southernSCOPE in Australia.

4SUM Partners
Tekniikantie 14, FIN-02230 Espoo Finland
8430 Egret Lane, Seminole FL 33776 USA
Carol Dekkers, Partner
Mobile 727 686 1329
Office 727 393 6048


4SUM Partners – International Network for Scope Managers

4SUM Partners is a corporate entity registered in Finland with an office in the USA, with partners soon to be announced globally. 4SUM Partners was formed to work with individuals and corporations who want to leverage the best practices espoused by the northernSCOPE concept and create successful ICT program outcomes through professional SCOPE Management. To this end, 4SUM Partners offers a SCOPE Manager network of support, training, and consulting services for Certified SCOPE Managers (CSM) and the customers and suppliers who benefit from their services. Since incorporation, 4SUM Partners has made available for the first time outside of Australia and Finland the full professional CSM training program. The charter classes are already scheduled through our 4SUM training partner: Quality Plus Technologies, Inc. for Tampa, FL, U.S.A., and Amsterdam, The Netherlands before 2008. This training will be especially attractive to professionals in project management, business analysis, quality assurance, software development, and members of the software acquisition and supplier communities who want to make a real difference to achieve success on ICT sector programs and projects. 4SUM Partners was formed out of the successful management buyout of the Finnish corporation Software Technology Transfer Finland where 4SUM CEO Pekka Forselius, MBA, was formerly the CEO, and his business partner, Carol Dekkers, PMP, CMC, P.Eng., President of Quality Plus Technologies, in the USA. 4SUM Partners retains the rights to the Experience® Pro professional SCOPE Management software tool and the high quality Experience® database of over 800 successfully completed ICT projects.

This release was published on openPR.