Friday, May 29, 2009

Step 08: Project Initiation Stage Assessment

Description

Objective

 

To

 

            -  document the results of the Project Initiation stage and to have the results reviewed by management,

 

In a way that

 

            -  provides a comprehensive package of information from which a decision can be made,

 

            -  gains agreement on the scope of project,

 

            -  gains agreement on the overall approach and schedule for the project,

 

            -  gains agreement on the Business Case for the project,

 

            -  gains agreement on the Project Organization,

 

            -  gains commitment to making the necessary resources available for the project,

 

            -  gains agreement to the approach and schedule for the next stage of the project,

 

            -  gains agreement to the control procedures defined for the project,

 

            -  provides a record of the project and stage plans for use in managing and controlling the project if it gets authorization to proceed,

 

            -  confirms that the Project Initiation stage is complete,

 

so that

 

            -  a decision can be made as to whether to commit to and authorize the project.

 

Overview

 

An Stage End Assessment should be held at the end of every stage in the project. The Project/Stage Manager and Project Team report their progress and recommendations to the Project Board to gain the Board's approval to proceed with the project.

 

The work carried out in the Project Initiation steps is collated into a single product.

 

For small projects the document is the Project Initiation Checklist.  This single product comprises objectives and scope, organization, tentative schedule and estimate, milestone activities and products, business case, and risk analysis.

 

For medium and large projects the document is the Project Initiation Report.  It consists of:

 

            -  Project Objective

 

            -  Project Scope

 

            -  Project & Stage Schedules

 

            -  Project Organization

 

            -  Project Control Procedures

 

            -  Business Case for the project

 

            -  Risk Analysis

 

            -  Recommendation

 

For medium projects the Project Initiation Report will include the detailed schedule (Stage Plan) for the entire project.  A "go / no go" decision will be made for the entire project by the Project Board.

 

For large projects the Project Initiation Report will include the project level schedule (Project Plan) and a detailed schedule (Stage Plan) for the next stage only.  A "go / no go" decision for the next stage will be made by the Project Board.  Upon completion of this next stage, a recommendation to proceed with the entire project will be made to the Capital Aquisition Committee. The Project Schedule consists of:

 

            -  Project Level WBS Description

 

            -  Major Products List

 

            -  Overall Project Schedule

 

The Stage Plan for the next stage consists of:

 

            -  WBS Description Report

 

            -  Products List

 

            -  Resources Requirement (including roles and responsiblities)

 

            -  Baselined Stage Schedule

 

            -  Cost Worksheet for the next stage

 

By agreeing to the plans, the Project Board are committing to the provision of funding and other resources, and understanding and accepting the assumptions, pre-requisites and risks. They must ensure that appropriate Progress, Quality and Change Control procedures are being administered effectively.

Task .010          Compile Project Initiation Report

For medium and large projects, collate all the elements of the Project Initiation Report, and the project and stage plans, into a single product for review by the Project Board.

Task .020          Prepare Project Initation Stage Assessment

Decide what decisions the Project Board must make.  These will cover issues that have arisen during Project Initiation, and the decision on how to proceed with the project.

 

Determine the recommendations to be made to the Project Board concerning those decisions.  If the development Stage Manager and the Client Co-ordinator disagree, then record both with supporting arguments.

 

Determine the information the Project Board needs to make the decisions.

 

Determine the best way to provide that information to the Project Board.

 

Prepare advance material for the Project Board.

 

Arrange and schedule a Project Board meeting and send out the advance material.

 

Prepare a structured agenda for the Project Board meeting.

 

Prepare a brief report covering the work carried out during the stage.

Task .030          Conduct Project Initiation Stage Assessment

Follow the prepared agenda and present the results of the stage to the Project Board. 

 

Make recommendation.

Task .040          Follow-Up Project Initiation Stage Assessment

Update the Project and Stage Plans based on the decisions made by the Project Board. 

 

Create a Stage End Approval Report and obtain Project Board signatories.  Record any qualifications.

Task .050          Compile Small Project Initiation Checklist

For small projects, create the Small Project Initiation Checklist.  Attach the original Blue Form.

Task .060          Prepare Small Project Assessment

The Project Initiation Checklist is to be reviewed by the following parties in order to obtain the "go / no go" decision:

 

            -  Client Originator,

 

            -  Client Originator's Manager (Department Manager),

 

            -  development Project Manager,

 

            -  development Manager.

 

By agreeing to the Project Initiation Checklist the parties are committing to the provision of funding and other resources, and understanding and accepting the assumptions, pre-requisites and risks.

 

Determine the best way to obtain this decision.  Either distribute the Project Initiation Checklist to the individuals or organize a meeting.

Task .070          Review Small Project Assessment

Ensure that the parties clearly understand the character of the project, and how it will be executed.  Provide the parties with adequate information to enable them to make a "go / no go" decision.  Assess the urgency of the project relative to other outstanding projects.  Where possible set an expectation of the project Start and End date.

Task .080          Follow-Up Small Project Assessment

Authorized small projects will be subject to the Small Project prioritization process.  Rejected small projects are removed from the prioritization process.

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