UBC Award of Achievement in Project Management with Microsoft Project >

3. Initiating Projects right- Laying the foundations for success
Friday Oct 7, 2011

See detailed agenda and see answers to participant questions.

Client champions and project managers may be involved in project-initiation activities. All projects have a number of phases that precede project approval. Lay the foundations for project success by completing key front-end activities during the project conception, feasibility and initiation phases. High-level decisions at the front-end of the project determine the project scope and direction. Project scope has a big impact on probability of project success. Larger projects have a lower likelihood of success.

Evaluate project feasibility and compare project with other alternatives. Prepare initial project strategy and decide which portions of the project will be sub-contracted. Selecting contractors key decision. 

The organization should identify the project managers early. By involving the project manager during the feasibility phase you shorten the time to start a project once it is approved.

Managers need to evaluate their project portfolio and commit resources to projects most beneficial to the organization. A  consistent business case format expedites this evaluation.

Project initiation phase occurs after project approval. Resources are mobilized for the next phase.

The third session is first step in Project Management Methodology presented in UBC Award of Achievement Project Management with Microsoft Project.  

Participants will learn key front-end activities to lay the foundations for project success:

1. Prepare a scope document
2. Brainstorm and explore client objectives with turbo brainstorming.
3. Identify, analyze and mitigate project risks and constraints.
4. Evaluate alternative strategies.
5. Create preliminary master schedule.
6. Analyze costs and benefits.
7. Assemble a business case.
8. Create and respond to a request for proposal
9. Negotiate contracts.
10. Obtain approval from management.
11. Apply a project management methodology
12. Select standards and guidelines to expedite a project progress

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Updated: July 6 , 2011.
email Brian Mullen with your questions

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Questions and Answers

What are objectives of Project Management in an organization?

See an example of what fifteen participants brainstormed in June 2005. Define Project Management objectives with Turbo brainstorming

What is the difference between scope (in/deferred/out), objectives and goals?

Goals and objectives are what the business wants to achieve through this project. Goals and objectives define WHY the client wants to undertake the project.

Scope defines the size of the project. Scope can include such areas as departments, geographic locations, deliverables, features and functions. Often scope is limited by schedule and budget constraints.

Something in scope will be included in the current release or stage. Something deferred will be delivered in a later release. Something out-of-scope will not be included in the project. Its important to explicitly identify items out of scope to reduce misunderstandings which can generate conflict and hard feelings.

What is the difference between objectives, deliverables and requirements?

Objectives are the reasons for the client undertaking the project.

Deliverables are results the project must deliver so the client can achieve their objectives. Deliverables include: Facilities, systems, equipment, product designs, hardware, software, services, documentation, training, support, new methods and procedures. Projects deliverables are produced by the project and may be defined in a Statement of Work attached to the contract. Phases and activities may produce intermediate deliverables such as specifications, documents and components required to complete the project.

Requirements define the characteristics of the project deliverables. Requirements may include functionality, performance, reliability, integrity, security and other features. Requirements should be defined early in the project life cycle.

What is the difference between a Business Case, Project Charter and Vision & Scope document?

A business case usually prepared before project approval. If you are a contractor, your proposal would be similar a business case. A project charter providing the project manager with formal authorization to proceed with the project is issued to a team by the project sponsor before the project starts. Project Scope document defines the project scope. It should be attached to the business case and to the project charter. The project scope will be refined as you proceed through the project.

How to include cost in your business case if you do not know what your user requirements are?

Clarify the scope as much as time permits before you prepare the estimate. Make sure this scope is document and that a change control mechanism is in place to negotiate changes to budget and schedule when the scope changes. When you present an estimate you should have an approximate idea of how you intend to deliver the project. To maintain some realism, include the project manager who will be responsible for the project in the estimating process. In the original business case you present an estimate of the development cost. Your first estimate should error on the high side because clients remember the first estimate. Start to establish expectations about the project.  At each stage of the project the accuracy of your estimate will improve as more is defined. The profitability of your business depends upon your ability to deliver the project with the estimated schedule and budget. Your margin of error is low. A ten percent slippage may represent 100% of your profit.

Last update: July 6, 2011