Project initiation
| Project initiation |
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| See also |
Project initiation stage covers all preparatory and start-up activities of the project. This is where the planning process of the entire project begins. It aims to ensure that the project has a solid "baseline plan" so that all key decision makers understand exactly what is involved and to get their formal acceptance of the original project plan. This stage includes, among others: quality planning, establishing project control elements and establishing its documentation system.
The "Project Initiation" process results in the "initiating document" of the project. It is used throughout the entire project. It helps ensure that the work done and products produced support the main objectives of the project and meet the customer's needs. Such a document must always include:
- identification of benefits and risks along with the assessment of management proposals for identified risk areas
- providing a basis for the project on which the project initiating document can be prepared or prepared
- providing supporting information on the basis of which the steering committee will be able to confirm the initial validity of the project
- an incentive for the steering committee to understand the project and take responsibility for its success
- providing the steering committee with sufficient information to approve the entire project and formally commit resources to the next stage of management
- providing a baseline for all decisions made throughout the project
- initiation of the project in an orderly manner, establishing "norms" for the rest of the project
- monitoring progress in the process of project initiation against accepted plans.
This document is also used in the "Closing a Project" stage to assess project results in relation to acceptance criteria.
During the "Project Initiation" stage, the "quality plan" of the project is created. It plays an important role in projects carried out in accordance with PRINCE2. The project quality plan should be built and adapted to the client's and supplier's own organizational quality standards. Once it has been created, you go to the "project planning". This action must be taken at the very beginning of the project. Requires a project manager presented the project in the long term. He does not need to know all the dangers threatening the venture, but he should try to show his future and plan his reserves. The next step is to clarify the business case. A preliminary assessment of this action must be accepted by the steering committee to develop a more detailed 'Project initiating document'. The business case of the project should be clearly defined, and after its approval review Page data and updated during the preparations for each stage of the management review. At this point, the risks associated with the project should also be identified. The business and risk justifications, if possible, should be considered together.
Project control
During the implementation of the "Project Initiation" phase, project control elements are gradually established. They are the key to the success of any project. They enable project control only to the degree of detail for which it was planned. These elements can be assigned to two categories:
- Control elements used by the steering committee:
- The conference initiating the project and initiating the project,
- Management stages,
- Deviation reporting and deviation management - Extraordinary assessment,
- Tolerances - for time and costs ; scope and quality; benefits and risks,
- Reporting on important events,
- Re-assessment of business justification,
- Risk estimation, response to risk occurrence and risk management
- Closing the project
- Control elements used by the project manager and team manager:
- Checkpoints,
- Quality reviews (informal),
- Quality reviews (formal),
- Daily communication and informal meetings.
A large amount of documentation is created during the creation of each project. It should be stored and collected in a secure manner. The PRINCE2 methodology does not impose a strictly defined way of collecting documentation. One of the most popular approaches is collecting documents in both electronic and physical form. All files with documentation should be archived at the end of the project. Successful initiation of a project can determine its success. The elements elaborated at this stage give a solid basis for further decision-making on proposed changes in the direction of action or resource investment.
References
- Kloppenborg, T. J., Tesch, D., Manolis, C., & Heitkamp, M. (2006). An empirical investigation of the sponsor's role in project initiation. Project Management Journal, 37(3), 16-25.
- Kloppenborg, T. J., Manolis, C., & Tesch, D. (2009). Successful project sponsor behaviors during project initiation: an empirical investigation. Journal of Managerial Issues, 140-159.
