2 PROJECT INITIATION

Purpose

The purpose of Project Initiation is to begin to define the over-

all parameters of a project and establish the appropriate proj-
ect management and quality environment required to complete
the project.

Development of the Project Charter is a pivotal starting point

for the project, establishing the project definition that will
serve as the foundation for all future efforts. The completion of
this process is marked by the Project Kick-off Meeting, in which
the Project Manager presents the Project Charter.

Successful projects begin with a detailed project definition that

is understood and accepted by Stakeholders. Putting everything
down in writing helps ensure a commitment among Project
Team members and between the team and the Stakeholders. As
part of Project Initiation, an initial Project Plan is developed,
which comprises the Project Charter, Cost/Scope/Schedule/
Quality (CSSQ) documents, and preliminary risk identification
list. These documents, once approved, ensure a consistent
understanding of the project, help to set expectations, and
identify resources necessary to move the project to the next
level of detailed planning. Potential problems are identified so
that they can be addressed early in the project.

Also during Project Initiation, a high-level Project Schedule is

developed as the roadmap to more detailed Project Planning
and Project Execution and Control. This high-level schedule will
be refined over time, and will serve as the primary source of
information regarding project status and progress. An accurate,
realistic, and complete schedule, rigorously maintained, is
essential to the success of a project.

Sponsorship of the project must be confirmed or gained during

Project Initiation. Having a Project Sponsor, and securing
approval early in the project management lifecycle, helps to
ensure a commitment to the project.

51
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List of Processes

This phase consists of the following processes:

◆ Prepare for the Project, where the Project Sponsor and
initial Project Team are identified and work with the
Project Manager to create the Project Charter.
◆ Define Cost/Scope/Schedule/Quality (CSSQ), where the
Project Manager, along with the Project Team define the
scope of the project and identify the preliminary budget,
high-level schedule and quality standards to complete the
project.
◆ Perform Risk Identification, where the Project Manager
and Project Team begin to identify and document any risks
associated with the project.
◆ Develop Initial Project Plan, where the Project Manager
and Project Team identify all Stakeholders and document
their involvement in the project, develop means of commu-
nicating with them, and compile all documentation created
during Project Initiation to produce the Initial Project Plan.
◆ Confirm Approval to Proceed to Next Phase, where the
Project Manager reviews and refines the Business Case,
secures resources required for Project Planning and pre-
pares the formal acceptance package for review and
approval by the Project Sponsor.

The following chart illustrates all of the processes and deliver-

ables of this phase in the context of the project management
lifecycle.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 53
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Figure 2-1
Project Origination Project Initiation Project Planning

Prepare for the Project Conduct Planning Kick-off

Identify Project Sponsor
Develop Project Proposal
Identify Project Team Orient New Team Members
Develop Business Case
Project Review Historical Information Review Project Materials
Project
Develop Proposed Solution Proposal Develop Project Charter Kick Off Project Planning
Charter
Conduct Kick-off Meeting
Establish Project Repository
Refine CSSQ
Refine Project Scope
Refine Project Schedule
Define CSSQ Refine Quality Standards
Define Project Scope Refine Project Budget
Develop High-Level Schedule
Evaluation Identify Quality Standards
Criteria
Establish Project Budget Scope Statement Perform Risk Assessment
High-Level Schedule
Quality Management Identify Risks
Evaluate Project Proposals Plan
Preliminary Budget Quantify Risks
Present Project Proposal Estimate Develop Risk Mgmt Plan
Screen Project Proposals Perform Risk Identification
Identify Risks
Rate Project Proposals Evaluation
Ratings Document Risks Refine Project Plan
Define Change Control Process
List of Risks Define Acceptance Mgmt
Define Issue Mgmt & Escalation
Refine Communications Plan
Develop Initial Project Plan
Define Organizational
Document Stakeholder Change Management Plan
Involvement
Establish Time/Cost Baseline
Develop Communications Plan
Develop Project Team
Selection Produce Initial Project Plan
Criteria Description of Develop Implementation/
Stakeholder Transition Plan
Involvement
Communication Plan
Select Projects
Prioritize Project Proposals Confirm Approval to Proceed
Confirm Approval to Proceed
Review/Refine Business Case
Choose Projects Review/Refine Business Case
Proposal Prepare for Acceptance
Notify Project Sponsor Prepare for Acceptance
Decision Gain Approval Signature
Notice Approval Form Gain Approval Signature
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List of Roles

The following roles are involved in carrying out the processes

of this phase. Descriptions of these roles can be found in the
Section I Introduction.
◆ Project Manager
◆ Project Sponsor
◆ Project Team Members
◆ Customer
◆ Customer Representatives
◆ Stakeholders
◆ Performing Organization

List of Deliverables

Project deliverables for this phase fall into three categories of

importance and formality:

◆ Phase deliverables – major deliverables approved by the

Project Sponsor or a designated alternate that allows the
project to proceed to the next phase.
◆ Process deliverables – drafts of major deliverables or
minor deliverables that may or may not require a formal
sign-off but nevertheless must be reviewed by Project Team
members, Customer Decision-Makers, and the Project
Sponsor. The review validates the project’s progress, and
allows the Project Manager to move on to the next process
in confidence.
◆ Task deliverables – drafts of process deliverables or
works-in-progress that are verified within the Project Team,
and may or may not be reviewed by the Project Sponsor or
Customer Representatives. Each task culminates with the
production of one or more tangible deliverables, which
allows the Project Manager to monitor project progress
using concrete and real results.

Figure 2-2 lists all Project Initiation tasks and their outcomes
and deliverables.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 55
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Figure 2-2
Processes Tasks Task Deliverables
(Outcomes)
Prepare for Identify Project Sponsor Project Sponsor
the Project Identify Initial Project Team Project Team
Review Historical Information Information Reviewed
Develop Project Charter Project Charter
Conduct Project Kick-off Meeting Kick-off Meeting
Establish Project Repository Project Repository
Define CSSQ Define Project Scope Scope Statement
Develop High-Level Schedule High-level Project Schedule
Identify Quality Standards Quality Management Plan
Establish Project Budget Preliminary Budget Estimate
Perform Identify Risks Risks and Impacts
Risk Identification Document Risks List of Risks
Develop Initial Identify and Document Description of Stakeholder
Project Plan Stakeholders’ Involvement Involvement
Develop Communications Plan Communications Plan
Compile All Information to Initial Project Plan
Produce the Initial Project Plan
Confirm Approval to Review/Refine Business Case Refined Business Case
Proceed to Next Phase Prepare Formal Acceptance Approval Form
Package
Gain Approval Signature Signed Approval Form
from Project Sponsor

Figure 2-3 illustrates the evolution of deliverables from task

through process to phase output.
56 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-3

Evolution of
Project
Prepare for the Project
Identify Project Sponsor
Initiation
Identify Project Team Deliverables
Review Historical Information
Project
Develop Project Charter
Charter
Conduct Kick-off Meeting
Establish Project Repository

CSSQ:

Define CSSQ
Define Project Scope
Develop High-Level Schedule
Identify Quality Standards
Establish Project Budget Scope Statement
High-Level Schedule
Quality Management Plan
Preliminary Budget
Estimate

Perform Risk Identification

Identify Risks
Document Risks

List of Risks

Initial Project Plan

Develop Initial Project Plan
Document Stakeholder
Involvement
Develop Communications Plan
Produce Initial Project Plan
Description of Stakeholder
Involvement
Communications Plan

Confirm Approval to Proceed

Review/Refine Business Case
Prepare for Acceptance
Gain Approval Signature
Approval Form
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 57
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2.1 PREPARE FOR THE PROJECT

Purpose

After formal project approval, the project is assigned to a

Project Team whose first responsibility is to Prepare for the
Project. The Project Manager must work to ensure
Roles that the Performing Organization’s expectations
and all available project information are effectively
● Project Manager conveyed to the Project Team. This can be done
● Project Sponsor collaboratively with the Performing Organization’s
management team.
● Project Team Members
● Stakeholders

Tasks

2.1.1 Identify the Project Sponsor

If a Project Sponsor has not been identified, the Project Manager
must work with Performing Organization management to identi-
fy and formally appoint someone to that position. Because the
Project Sponsor will champion the project within the organiza-
tion, secure spending authority and resources, and provide sup-
port to the Project Manager, it is imperative that he/she be
identified as early in the project management lifecycle as pos-
sible. Building the relationship between the Project Manager
and the Project Sponsor is critical to project success.

2.1.2 Identify the Initial Project Team

The extent to which the Project Team has been defined at this
point may vary. At a minimum the manager for the project and
certain individuals who can provide support in
The tasks to preparing for the project should be identified.
Prepare for the Project are:
2.1.1 Identify the Project Sponsor During Project Origination, a Project Proposal
2.1.2 Identify the Initial Project Team was created. During Project Initiation, the
Proposal is reviewed to determine the roles
2.1.3 Review Historical Information
required to staff the project. With the help of
2.1.4 Develop the Project Charter appropriate Stakeholders, the Project Sponsor
2.1.5 Conduct Project Kick-Off should take the lead in identifying the names of
Meeting individuals within the Performing Organization
who could fill the roles and become Project Team
2.1.6 Establish the Project Repository
58 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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members. Names of the individuals needed to complete Project

Initiation tasks will be documented in the Project Charter. In
selecting the Project Team, definition of the skills required to per-
form current tasks as well as skills for future project tasks is
needed. Immediate project needs should be met first. After
Project Team members have been identified, the Project Manager
should provide them with a project orientation and review with
individual team members their current and future roles on the
project. This establishes a baseline understanding of team mem-
bers’ project responsibilities, which will be useful for conducting
performance reviews later in the project.

Some agencies hold a meeting at the beginning of Project Initiation, where all potential
Stakeholders come together to review the Project Proposal, discuss required roles, and
assign Project Team members. In other agencies, establishing a Project Team is a less
formal process. You should choose and use the method to identify your Initial Project Team that
will work best for your project and within your organization.
Take the opportunity, from the outset, to establish the concept of a Project Team that compris-
es not only the folks reporting directly to you, but also your Project Sponsor, Customer
Representatives, Customer Decision-Makers, and all other players participating in the Project
Schedule.

2.1.3 Review Historical Information

Development of the Project Charter will require review of doc-
umentation compiled or presented during Project Origination.
Materials and information reviewed may include:
■ the strategic plan, a formal document produced by the
Performing Organization that outlines the business goals
and direction over a designated number of years
■ the Project Proposal, including the initial Business Case,
which describes the project objectives and how they sup-
port the Performing Organization’s strategic business
direction
■ project selection criteria, defining the parameters used in
determining whether or not to undertake a project and
identifying its business justification and measurements of
its success
■ information from a previous project similar in size, scope
and objectives
■ project knowledge and experience of the individuals on the
Project Team
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2.1.4 Develop the Project Charter

The purpose of developing the Project Charter is to document
critical success factors and define and secure commitment for
the resources required to complete Project Initiation. The char-
ter also documents the project’s mission, history, and back-
ground, describes the business problem the project is intended
to resolve, and lists the benefits to be realized by the
Performing Organization as a result of implementing the prod-
uct or service.

Information compiled during Project Origination is used and

applied in the development of the Project Charter. To further
understand how the project was selected and to write an effec-
tive, comprehensive charter, the Project Manager must work
with the Project Sponsor and any appropriate subject matter
experts and Stakeholders.

If issues or conflicting project expectations are uncovered while

developing the Project Charter, the Project Manager must com-
municate with Stakeholders to resolve the discrepancies, ele-
vate the issues when appropriate, and obtain consensus.
Decisions that impact project expectations significantly should
be thoroughly documented.

The Project Charter contains the following sections:

■ Background
■ Objective
■ Critical Success Factors
■ Required Resources
■ Constraints
■ Authority

(see Figure 2-4, the New York State Project Charter)

Developing the Project Charter is a collaborative effort. Work-

ing with the Project Sponsor, the Project Manager should doc-
ument the outcomes that must be achieved in order for the proj-
ect to be considered a success. These critical success factors
should correlate with the goals and objectives of the project.

An effective way to define a critical success factor is to complete the following sentence,
“The project will be a success if ———— .”
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Various areas of the Performing Organization may be required

to provide resources to the project in order to complete Project
Initiation. The Project Sponsor and Project Manager must
determine specific resource requirements and effort estimates,
and include them in the charter. The Project Sponsor must
communicate with the affected areas of the Performing
Organization, proactively gaining agreement and securing the
necessary resources.

Once the Project Charter has been developed, the Project

Manager should schedule a meeting to review its contents,
secure necessary resources, and gain formal approval. Meeting
attendees should always include the Project Sponsor and the
members of Performing Organization Management whose
resources are affected. Attendees may also include other mem-
bers of the Performing Organization who are able to provide
resources that will add value to the project. During the meeting,
the Project Manager presents the Project Charter for review.
Resources are formally secured by gaining the signatures of the
appropriate Performing Organization managers. At the conclu-
sion of the meeting, the Project Sponsor will formally approve or
reject the charter. Should the Project Sponsor reject the char-
ter, he/ she must provide the reasons for rejection to allow the
Project Manager to make necessary adjustments.

Based on the contents of the Project Charter, the Project

Manager should have a general understanding of the amount of
effort that will be required to complete Project Initiation and
produce an initial Project Plan. It is imperative that the Project
Manager begins to track the remaining Project Initiation efforts
and communicate status. Items to discuss during status meet-
ings include accomplishments, progress against schedules,
work to be done, and any open issues that need resolution. As
part of the Communications Plan for the project, a Project
Status Report should be prepared and reviewed during the meet-
ings. See 2.4.2, Develop a Communications Plan and Figure
2-10, the Project Status Report template, for more information.

At this early stage in the project management lifecycle, the Project Manager needs to
ensure that only Project Initiation resources are secured. Resources required in subse-
quent project management lifecycle phases will be determined and documented later, in the
Project Plan.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 61
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Figure 2-4 New York State Project Charter

New York State

Project Charter

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date:________________________________

Project Manager: _____________________ Project Sponsor: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.
62 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-4 (Continued)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Project Background:
Explain the events leading up to the project request. Describe any related projects that have or
could have led to this project. Identify who has been involved, how they have been involved,
and the current state of the project.

Project Objective:
The Project Objectives identified in the Proposed Solution should serve as the basis for this
Section. Be explicit as to how the expected outcome of the project will benefit the organization
and help it achieve its business needs or fix the business problem. Provide details relative to the
business cost benefit. It may be advantageous to provide a one-to-one correlation as follows:
Business Need or Problem: Project Objectives:
● Business Need 1 ● Project Objective 1
● Business Need 2 ● Project Objective 2
● Project Objective 3
In developing this list, consider that a business need may be addressed by multiple project
objectives and the same project objective may address multiple business needs.

Critical Success Factors:

Provide a list of at least five (5) project Critical Success Factors. Critical success factors are
outcomes that must be achieved in order for the project to be considered a success. They
should correlate with the Project Objectives described in the section above.

Required Resources:
List the names of all individuals needed to perform Project Initiation and whose participation
must be approved by Performing Organization Management.

Constraints:
List any known factors that limit the project’s execution. The most frequent Constraint is the
project end date. For each Constraint listed, be sure to elaborate on how it is limiting the
project and how the project would benefit from its removal.

Project Authority:

This section of the Project Charter describes the levels of Authority to the project. It identifies
who is involved with the project and their expected authority, who has the ability to resolve
decision conflicts, and who will provide overall direction to project efforts.
This section should contain, at a minimum, the roles and responsibilities of the Project Team
and the Stakeholders. It should also identify any known governing body or steering committee
to which the project is accountable and how they are accountable.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 63
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Figure 2-4 (Continued)

PROJECT CHARTER APPROVAL

Project Sponsor Name: ____________________________________________________

Action: Approve: ■ Reject: ■
Comments:

Project Sponsor Signature: _________________________________________________

Date: _________________

Enter the Project Sponsor Name. The Sponsor should indicate approval or rejection of the
Project Charter by checking the Approve or Reject box. If the Sponsor is rejecting the charter,
he/she must indicate the reason in the Comments field.
The Sponsor indicates final acceptance of the Project Charter (including securing individual
resources) by providing his/her signature on the Project Sponsor Signature line and the
approval date on the Date line.

AGREEMENT TO SECURE REQUIRED RESOURCES

Approver Name: __________________________________ Role: _________________

Approver Comments:

Approver Signature: _______________________________________________________

Date: _________________

Enter the Approver Name and Role. The approver is a member of Performing Organization
Management. He/she indicates his/her agreement to provide required resources for the project
by providing his/her Approver Signature and the approval Date.
NOTE: Duplicate the Approver Information section on this template if more than one approval
signature is required.
64 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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2.1.5 Conduct Project Kick-off Meeting

When the Project Charter is complete, the Project Kick-off
Meeting is conducted. The Project Kick-off Meeting is the event
that formally marks the beginning of the project. It is most like-
ly the first opportunity for the Project Sponsor to assemble the
entire Project Team to discuss his/her vision of the project,
demonstrate support, and advocate project success. Project
Team members are introduced to each other and given the
opportunity to discuss their areas of expertise and how they
will contribute to the project. The Project Charter is presented
by the Project Manager and discussed in an open forum, to fos-
ter a mutual understanding of and enthusiasm for the project.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Project Team members will
understand their “next steps,” and will leave the meeting ready
and excited to begin work.

Prior to the meeting, an agenda and a presentation highlighting

the contents of the Project Charter should be prepared by the
Project Manager. The Project Manager should designate one of
the Project Team members as the scribe for the session, to cap-
ture decisions, issues, and action items. The Project Charter
and any applicable supporting materials are distributed to
attendees for their review. The review of the charter contents
ensures that expectations for the project and its results are in
agreement. If not already done, the Project Manager must
ensure that the Project Sponsor has provided his/her signature
on the Project Charter, indicating his/her approval of the con-
tents of the document. If the Project Sponsor does not approve
the charter, he/she must indicate the reason, to allow the
Project Manager to make necessary adjustments.

Following the session, the notes and action items should be

compiled into meeting minutes and distributed to all attendees.
(See Figure 2-5 for a sample agenda.)
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 65
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-5 Project Initiation Kick-off Meeting Agenda

Project: ______________________________
Project Initiation
Kick-off Meeting Date:________________________________
Agenda Time: From: ___________ To: ___________
Location: _____________________________

Invitees: List the names of individuals invited to the meeting

Invitees should include the Project Manager, Project Team, Project Sponsor, and any
Customers with a vested interest in the status of the project.

Attendees: During the meeting, note who actually attended. If attendees arrived late or
left early, indicating they missed some of the topics discussed, note their arrival or
departure time.

AGENDA
Use the following suggested times as guidelines–the time you need to cover agenda topics will
vary depending upon the needs of the project.
PRESENTER NAME TIME (MINUTES)
Introductions Project Manager 5 min.
Project Manager welcomes everyone and briefly states the objective of the meeting.
Allow individuals to introduce themselves, and provide a description of their role within the
Performing Organization and their area of expertise and how they may be able to contribute to
the project efforts.
The material to be presented by the following agenda topics should come right from the
Project Charter.

Sponsor’s Statement Project Sponsor 5 min.

After brief introductions, the Project Sponsor should describe the vision for the project, demon-
strate support, and advocate for its success, setting it as a priority for all parties involved.
Project Request & Background Project Manager 5 min.
Project Goals & Objectives Project Manager 10 min.
Project Scope Project Manager 10 min.
Roles & Responsibilities Project Manager 10 min.
When reviewing roles and responsibilities be explicit about expectations relative to stakeholder
availability and Project Sponsor commitment and support for the project.

Next Steps Project Manager 5 min.

Questions Project Manager 10 min.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Handouts:
Provide a list of the material to be distributed to the attendees.
66 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-5 (Continued)

Project: ______________________________
Project Initiation
Kick-off Meeting Date:________________________________
Time: From: ___________ To: ___________
Location: _____________________________

Be sure that one of the Project Team members in attendance is scribing for the session, captur-
ing important project-specific information that requires further review or discussion as well as
potential issues that could impact the project. At the end of the meeting, the Project Manager
and Project Team should review these points as well as any other notes captured by other team
members to identify any additional actions required. The notes will be compiled into meeting
minutes to be distributed to all the attendees and retained in the project repository.

DECISIONS

Decision Made Impact Action Required?

Document each project decision reached and its impact. Also indicate if the decision requires
follow-up actions. If so, these should be captured below.

ISSUES

Issue Description Impact Action Required?

Document any project issues identified and its impact. Also indicate if the issue requires follow
up actions. If so, these should be captured below.

ACTION ITEMS FOR FOLLOW UP

Action Responsible Target Date

Capture any follow up activities and the individual responsible for them as well as set a date as
to when the action needs/should be completed.

At the end of the meeting, the scribe should recap the action items. These should also be
included in the meeting notes to be distributed.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 67
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2.1.6 Establish the Project Repository

Maintaining information about the project in an organized fash-
ion facilitates new team member transitions and creates a cen-
tral point of reference for those developing project definition
documents. Most importantly, it provides an audit trail docu-
menting the history and evolution of the project.

All relevant project-related material, documents produced,

decisions made, issues raised and correspondence exchanged
must be captured for future reference and historical tracking.
The project repository can be kept as hard copy in a binder or
notebook, or as electronic files and email folders, or both, at
the discretion of the Project Manager, in accordance with orga-
nizational records management policies. All files related to the
project should be grouped by categories within project-specific
folders. The structure should be intuitive so that anyone brows-
ing the directory can easily locate needed information. Within
the primary hard copy repository, information should be organ-
ized in indexed volume(s) to enable easy access. An index
should provide reference to all material maintained electroni-
cally (e.g., a file directory or email folder by drive, directory,
and filename). The most current hard copy of documentation
should be kept in the primary hard copy repository, with earli-
er versions in the electronic file.

By the end of the project, a project repository may include the

following materials:
■ Project Proposal and supporting documentation, including
the Business Case
■ Project description/definition documents such as the
Project Charter, the CSSQ, and the Project Plan
■ Any working documents or informal documents defining
Cost, Scope, Schedule and Quality (CSSQ) of the project
■ Project Schedules (baseline and current)
■ Project financials
■ Project Scope changes and requests log
■ Project Status Reports
■ Team member Progress Reports and timesheets
■ Issues log and details (open and resolved)
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■ Project acceptance log by deliverable

■ Products
■ Risk identification/model documentation
■ Audit results, if encountered
■ Correspondence, including any pivotal or decision-making
memos, letters, email…etc.
■ Meeting notes, results, and/or actions

The project repository should be available to everyone involved

in the project and must, therefore, be considered “public infor-
mation.” It is not advisable to keep sensitive information con-
cerning individuals on the project, such as salaries or evalua-
tions, in the project repository. Some project-related documents
may also be regarded as confidential. A confidential project
repository should be established in a separate location to
secure sensitive information.

Deliverable

◆ Project Charter – this is a document that provides author-

ity to establish the project, broadly defining its purpose,
goals, and objectives. Resources required to complete
Project Initiation are also identified and secured. The char-
ter serves as a contract between the Project Team and
Project Sponsor. The Project Charter is the first in a series
of project definition documents defining the business goals
and objectives the project will meet. Information within the
Project Charter is provided at a general level that will be fur-
ther refined in documentation produced during subsequent
project activities.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 69
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2.2 DEFINE CSSQ

Purpose

CSSQ is the acronym derived from a project’s quadruple con-

straints: Cost, Scope, Schedule, and Quality. Because the con-
straints are interdepend-
Roles
ent, they are defined and
managed together. The
CSSQ concept is incorpo- ● Project Manager
rated throughout all proj- ● Project Sponsor
ect management lifecycle ● Project Team Members
phases and is, therefore,
● Customer Representatives
documented throughout
this Guidebook. The ● Stakeholders
CSSQ work products are ● Performing Organization
first created during
● Customer Decision-Maker
Project Initiation.

The purpose of Defining CSSQ is to:

■ Develop a written Project Scope statement to define
the project. The scope statement will be used as the
foundation for scope and schedule refinement during
Project Planning.
■ Establish a preliminary Project Schedule to define, at a
very high level, the activities that must be accomplished at
certain points in the project in order to deliver the product
described in the scope statement.
■ Define the quality processes and standards that will be
used throughout the project.
■ Determine the appropriate approaches for staff and
materials acquisition, and establish a preliminary budget
for the project.
70 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Tasks

2.2.1 Define Project Scope

The written scope statement is a document that serves as input
to future project planning efforts. The scope statement (see
Figure 2-6) should include:
■ the business need the project will address.
The tasks to
Define CSSQ are: ■ what the project will accomplish, how it
will be accomplished and by whom.
2.2.1 Define Project Scope
■ what the end result of the project will be
2.2.2 Develop High-Level Schedule
(e.g., a product, service, other).
2.2.3 Identify Quality Standards
■ a list of project deliverables, which, when
2.2.4 Establish Project Budget produced and accepted, indicate project
completion. Also included is a list of those
items/deliverables that are
not in scope for the project. The Project Manager must be
specific about what is in scope and what is not in scope,
as the weaker the boundaries between the two, the more
difficult it will be to effect the change control process if
required later in the project. Also, the details regarding
what is in and what is out of scope are critical input to the
creation of a detailed Project Schedule.
■ critical success factors (usually cost, schedule, and quality
measurements) that determine whether or not a project
was successful.

The Project Charter, including the project outcome description,

provides necessary information for defining the Project Scope
relative to the business need and benefit for the organization
undertaking the project. The scope statement will build on the
outcome of the project described in the Project Charter by
developing an approach to deliver that result, and by develop-
ing additional detailed information about the scope of work to
be done. Interviews with other Project Managers who have had
experience developing scope statements for similar projects
can also be helpful.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 71
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“Scope creep” is a major bane of project management. How do you combat it? By
pre-empting it with a thorough, accurate, precise, and mutually agreed upon Scope
Statement. Avoid words and statements that require judgment or invite interpretation,
such as ‘improve,” "enhance," "better," "more efficient" and "effective." Use numbers, facts,
and concrete results. Use quantifiable terms, and provide target values or ranges. Emphasize
outcome, not process. "We will work very hard for a long time to improve our response capa-
bility and enhance our effectiveness" belongs in a Dilbert cartoon.

While writing the Project Scope, the Project Manager and

Customer Representatives must consider the effect the out-
come of the project may have on the Performing Organization.
The organization must be prepared to support the product once
it is transitioned. If implementing the product will result in a
change to the way the organization will conduct business, the
Project Manager, Project Sponsor, and Customer must antici-
pate impacts and communicate them proactively to the
Consumer community. Sometimes people are resistant to
change. Selling the positive aspects of the project and the ben-
efits of its product throughout the project’s duration will facili-
tate acceptance. If adaptation to the new environment requires
new skills, the Project Manager will need to identify appropri-
ate training opportunities and include them in the Project
Scope and Project Plan. (for information regarding training and
training plans, see Develop Project Team, 3.4.7)
72 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-6 New York State Project Scope Statement

New York State

Project Scope Statement

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________________

Project Sponsor: _____________________ Project Manager: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 73
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-6 (Continued)

New York State

Project Scope Statement

A. BUSINESS NEED/PROBLEM:

State the Business Need/Problem the project will address. This should be consistent with the
Project Business Case developed during Project Origination. Tie the business need to the
agency’s mission.

B. PROJECT OBJECTIVES (FROM PROJECT CHARTER):

Include a description of the deliverables that will be produced as part of the project. Be
specific when describing what is in scope and out of scope. Note: This section will most
likely be several pages in length.

C. PROJECT RESULTS:

State what will signify that the project is complete. Include the measures that will determine
whether or not the project was successful from a cost, schedule and quality standpoint.

D. PROJECT CONTENT:

Describe the Contents of the project, listing all deliverables of the project in detail. Also
include items NOT in scope.
74 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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2.2.2 Develop High-Level Schedule

A Project Schedule is a calendar-based representation of work
that will be accomplished during a project. Developing a sched-
ule means determining the start and end dates for all tasks
required to produce the project’s product, and the project man-
agement deliverables.

At this early stage in the project management lifecycle, infor-

mation required to complete a Project Schedule is known only
at an overview level, often based solely upon the expert judg-
ment of the Project Manager or other individuals with experi-
ence managing projects with similar lifecycles. Even at a high
level, this information still provides insight into preparing the
first draft of a Project Schedule. The activities documented in
the schedule at this early stage will be further broken down
during Project Planning, when the schedule will be refined to
include the specific individuals assigned and the amount of
time required to complete the work.

A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a very useful work prod-

uct that a Project Manager should create to facilitate develop-
ment of a Project Schedule. A WBS is a graphical representa-
tion of the hierarchy of project deliverables and their associat-
ed tasks. As opposed to a Project Schedule that is calendar-
based, a WBS is deliverable-based, and written in business
terms. All tasks depicted are those focused on completion of
deliverables. There are no dates or effort estimates in a WBS.
Using a WBS, Project Team members are better equipped to
estimate the level of effort required to complete tasks, and are
able to quickly understand how their work fits into the overall
project structure.

The first hierarchical level of a WBS usually contains the phas-

es that are specific to the lifecycle of the project being per-
formed. (For example, the first level of the WBS for a software
development project would most likely contain System
Initiation, System Requirements Analysis, System Design, etc.)
For this reason, a WBS may be reused for other projects with
the same lifecycle. Once the first level has been completed, it
is broken down into more detailed sub-levels, until eventually
all tasks are depicted. When defined to the appropriate level of
detail, a WBS is very useful as input to both creating and refin-
ing a Project Schedule, including estimating required
resources, level of effort, and cost.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 75
NYS Project Management Guidebook

In Project Initiation, the information required to illustrate a

complete WBS representing the entire project will not be known
in sufficient detail. There will be enough information, however,
to illustrate the tasks required to produce Project Initiation
deliverables. The WBS is not static - the Project Manager
should work with the Project Team during each project lifecycle
phase to refine the WBS and use it as input to refining the
Project Schedule.

Figure 2-6A is a sample High-Level Work Breakdown Structure

organized by lifecycle phase for a software development project.

Figure 2-6A High-Level Work Breakdown Structure for Software

Development Project
System Development Lifecycle
Work Breakdown Structure
System
System System System System System
Requirements
Initiation Design Construction Acceptance Implementation
Analysis

Established
Established Requirements Established Established Established Established
Initiation Analysis Design Construction Acceptance Implementation
Environment Environment Environment Environment Environment Environment

Data
Validated Deployed and
Business Technical Refined System Initialization
Proposed and Conversion Operational
Requirements Architecture Standards
Solution Test Results System

System Business System Coded Software Acceptance Transitioned

Process Support
Schedule Standards Modules Test Results
Model Responsibilities

Logical Data Physical Unit, Integration Updated

and System Supporting
Model Database
Test Results Materials

Functional System User and

Component Training
Specification
Prototypes Materials

Technical Technical
Specifications Documentation

Project Management Lifecycle

76 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

A preliminary list of the roles and skills required to perform the

necessary work (e.g., Architect, Team Leader) should be creat-
ed at this stage in the project. This list will be refined in sub-
sequent phases, as more becomes known about the project.
Additional constraints, such as completion dates for project
deliverables mandated by the Project Sponsor, Customer, or
other external factors, will most often be known early in the
project management lifecycle and should be noted. There may
be financial, legal, or market-driven constraints that help dic-
tate a project’s high-level timeline.

Using the information from the WBS as input, the Project

Manager should begin to document effort estimates, roles and
dependencies, in preparation for creating a Project Schedule
using a project management tool. It may also be helpful to
solicit input from past Project Managers, Project Team mem-
bers and subject matter experts for insight into past project
performance, and to help uncover required activities, depend-
encies, and levels of effort. Researching and documenting this
information first will not only help organize thoughts on paper,
but may bring new information to light. (See Figure 2-7, New
York State Project Schedule Worksheet.)
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 77
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-7 New York State Project Schedule Worksheet

New York State

Project Schedule Worksheet

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________________

Project Sponsor: _____________________ Project Manager: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.
78 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-7 (Continued)

New York State

Project Schedule Worksheet

PROJECT SCHEDULE INFORMATION

Phase Process Task Estimated Dependent Role

Hours Upon

Enter the name of the project Phase. Identify the Process within that Phase, and then list the
Tasks that make up that Process.
Enter the Estimated Hours needed to complete each Task. If the current Task is dependent
upon the completion of a prior Task, identify that prior Task under Dependent Upon.
Enter the Role and/or individual(s) to complete the activity, if known (e.g., Architect,
Programmer, Civil Engineer).
Information entered on this worksheet will be used as input to the High-Level Schedule.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 79
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Once the worksheet has been completed and reviewed, the

Project Manager should enter the information into a project
scheduling tool (e.g., Microsoft Project® or PlanView®) to pro-
duce the high-level Project Schedule. Information typically
required for a project management tool includes activities,
effort estimates to complete the activities, the role or individ-
ual assigned to them, and any known dependencies among
them. The activities entered into the tool should be those
required to complete the deliverables described in the Project
Scope statement. Information will only be known at a very high
level at this point, but will be refined during Project Planning.

2.2.3 Identify Quality Standards

If the Performing Organization has established quality stan-
dards, the Project Manager can reference the document con-
taining the quality standards the organization already has in
place. In most cases, however, this document does not exist,
or the quality standards are not in place. The Project Manager
and Customer Representatives must identify and document
standards for each project deliverable during Project Initiation.
If quality standards are not identified and documented, the
Project Manager will have no way to determine if deliverables
are being produced to an acceptable quality level.

The Project Scope statement documents what the outcome of

the project will be, and will help determine the appropriate
quality standards to use. Additional information discovered
when defining your project approach (e.g., your materials
acquisition strategy) that is above and beyond that contained in
the scope statement may aid in identifying quality standards.
Performance of a cost/benefit analysis can show whether the
benefits of implementing the desired quality standards out-
weigh the cost of implementing them. Research of past projects
that implemented quality standards similar to those that are
candidates for the current project can also be helpful.
80 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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The amazing thing about quality standards is that nobody has them available when
the project starts, but everybody knows what they were supposed to be when the
product is delivered. Do not accept lack of documentation as an excuse to skimp on
your homework. On the contrary, dig down through organizational layers to discover what
was used in the past (here’s another way your historical data research pays off!) and what will
be expected in the future. And if you can’t find anything – create it, document it, publicize
it, and put it in your Project Status Report and your project repository.

Compliance to specific New York State standards and regula-

tions may be required and could dictate the quality standards to
be measured against for a particular project. Preliminary stan-
dards should be reviewed again and modified or refined during
Project Planning. (See Figure 2-8, the New York State Project
Quality Management Plan.)
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 81
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-8 New York State Project Quality Management Plan

New York State

Project Quality Management Plan

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________________

Project Sponsor: _____________________ Project Manager: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.
82 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-8 (Continued)

New York State

Project Quality Management Plan

PART A. QUALITY PLANNING – IDENTIFIED QUALITY STANDARDS

List the Quality Standards that have been identified for each deliverable of the project.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 83
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-8 (Continued)

New York State

Project Quality Management Plan

PART B: QUALITY ASSURANCE ACTIVITIES

Describe the processes that will be implemented to evaluate project performance on a regular
basis, and validate that the quality standards defined in Part A are appropriate and able to
be met.
(To be defined during Project Planning and refined during Project Execution and Control.)
84 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-8 (Continued)

New York State

Project Quality Management Plan

PART C: QUALITY CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Describe the processes that will be implemented to measure project results, compare results
against the Quality Standards defined in Part A, and determine if they are being met. This also
identifies ways to minimize errors and improve performance.

(To be defined and implemented during Project Execution and Control.)

 Section I:2 Project Initiation 85
NYS Project Management Guidebook

2.2.4 Establish Project Budget

Using available tools, the Project Manager calculates the prelim-
inary budget that will be required to complete project activities.
All aspects of the project, including the cost of human resources,
equipment, travel, materials and supplies, should be incorporat-
ed. At this point information will be presented at a summary
level, to be refined during Project Planning, as more detailed
information becomes known. However, the budget should be
more detailed and more accurate now than it was during Project
Origination. The Project Manager should use manual or auto-
mated tools to generate a Preliminary Budget Estimate. The
budgeting tools may be simple spreadsheets or complex mathe-
matical modeling tools. (See Figure 2-9 for the Preliminary
Budget Estimate.) For historical purposes, and to enable the
budget to be refined, the Project Manager should always main-
tain notes on how this preliminary budget was derived. Cost esti-
mating checklists help to ensure that all preliminary budgeting
information is known and all bases are covered.

The Project Manager must also have a general understanding

of the cost of both the human resources and the equipment and
materials required to perform the work. The method by which
staff and products will be acquired for the project will directly
affect the budgeting process.

In coming up with the project’s budget, many Project Managers fall into either of the two
extremes, depending on their temperaments and prior experience: those that are risk-
averse or have been burned in the past "aim high," inflating the Project Budget to protect
against all eventualities; and those that are "green," optimistic, or afraid of rejection "aim low,"
underestimating the risks and realities. Neither approach, of course, is optimal: both put the whole
project at risk, the former by either disqualifying the project in view of limited funds or inviting
uninformed wholesale cuts, the latter by setting unrealistic expectations and guaranteeing multi-
ple additional requests for more money. The best approach is to use organizational experience,
your own expertise, and the best advice you can muster, to predict with the greatest possible accu-
racy what the project will actually cost, and then set up a separate change budget.
Above all, document the basis of your estimates!

A number of constraints, financial, political, and organization-

al, may dictate the methods by which required individuals,
equipment, and materials are acquired. The Project Manager
needs to be aware of existing resource acquisition policies,
guidelines, and procedures. In addition, the preferences of the
Performing Organization’s management team and/or the
86 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Customer Representatives may influence acquisition decisions.

In any case, the strategies defined should satisfy the needs of
project Stakeholders. Information from similar past projects
can be used to gain an understanding of acquisition strategies;
those that were successful and applicable may be considered
for implementation on the current project.

Once the Project Manager assesses the needs of the project,

financial considerations, time constraints, and individual skills
and availability, a method is defined for acquiring project staff.
Depending on the way different organizations relate to one
another, strategies used to acquire staff may vary. It is impor-
tant for the Project Manager to understand the reporting rela-
tionships, both formal and informal, among different organiza-
tions, technical disciplines, and individuals. Staff may be allo-
cated from within an organization or from an outside source
using an established staff procurement procedure. The Project
Manager should work with the Project Sponsor to determine
staffing options.

The skills required for the project influence the means by which
staff members are acquired. If there are limited qualified in-
house resources available to staff a project or if a Project
Manager has had positive experiences with contract staff, for
example, he/she may elect to retain contractors to fill the posi-
tions rather than allocating resources from within. If it is deter-
mined that it is necessary to recruit staff from outside the
Performing Organization, the Project Manager should work with
the agency Human Resource office. The Human Resource office
can assist in the recruitment of qualified staff in accordance
with Civil Service Rules. If the decision is made to utilize pri-
vate consultants or contractors, the Project Manager should
contact the agency Contract Management office for assistance
regarding State Contract vendors, and Procurement Guidelines,
as established by the NYS Office of General Services.

As is the case with human resources, a method is defined by

which equipment, materials, and other non-human resources
will be obtained. The Project Manager, in conjunction with the
Project Sponsor, should determine the method to be used to
acquire these resources. Section II:3 contains more information
regarding Procurement and Contractor Management.

Regardless of how staff and products are acquired for the proj-
ect, the Project Manager must add the estimated cost of all
resources to the Preliminary Budget Estimate.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 87
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-9 New York State Preliminary Budget Estimate

New York State

Preliminary Budget Estimate

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________________

Project Sponsor: _____________________ Project Manager: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.
88 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-9 (Continued)

New York State

Preliminary Budget Estimate

BUDGET INFORMATION

Phase Process/Task Labor Material Travel Other Total Planned

Cost Cost Cost Cost Cost Date of
Expenditure

TOTAL Budget

The Phase, Process, and Task Names come from the High-Level Schedule.
The Labor Cost is the cost of human resources required.
The Material Cost is the cost for equipment and supplies.
The Travel Cost is any predicted cost that will be incurred if travel is required.
Enter any costs outside person, material, and travel costs under Other Costs.
Total the costs for each activity and enter the total under Total Cost. Then enter the Planned
Date the expenditure will be made.

Calculate the total of all rows in the table and enter the values in the TOTAL Budget row at the
bottom of the worksheet.

COMMENTS: (List any assumptions pertaining to the costs entered above.)

 Section I:2 Project Initiation 89
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Deliverables

◆ Project Scope Statement – documents a description of the

project’s deliverables, results, and critical success factors,
and defines what is out of scope.
◆ High-Level Project Schedule – a representation of tasks,
durations, dependencies, and resources, to the extent that is
currently known about the project. It should be produced
using an automated project management tool. This schedule
should be reviewed and approved by the Project Sponsor and
Customer Decision-Makers.
◆ Quality Management Plan – describes how the Project
Team will implement the identified quality standards, the plan
can be a very informal or highly detailed document, based on
the needs of the project. It defines how project reporting will
work, controls to be used in managing the project, audit
needs, communication commitments, and any other quality
processes that will be used throughout the course of the proj-
ect. The Quality Management Plan will become part of the
final Project Plan created during Project Initiation and
revised during Project Planning. At the end of Project
Initiation, the Quality Management Plan should include a
description of the policy and standards the organization has
put in place to address quality. Any type of structured tool or
checklist can be used to ensure that all quality measures have
been considered. It may be a complex, industry-standard tool,
or a simple “To Do” list.
◆ Preliminary Budget Estimate – documents a preliminary
estimate of the cost to complete the project.
 90 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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2.3 PERFORM RISK IDENTIFICATION

Purpose

Risks are events that can potentially affect the cost, schedule,
and/or efforts of a project. Risk Identification begins during
Project Initiation with the documentation of known proj-
Roles
ect risks so that early planning can mitigate their
effects. Throughout the duration of the project, risks
● Project Manager must continue to be identified, tracked and analyzed to
● Project Sponsor assess the probability of their occurrence, and to mini-
mize their potential impacts on the project.
● Project Team Members
● Customer Representatives

Tasks

2.3.1 Identify Risks

The Project Manager solicits input from the Project Team,
Project Sponsor, and from Customer Representatives, who try
to anticipate any possible events, obstacles, or issues that may
produce unplanned outcomes during the course of
The tasks to Perform Risk
the project. Risks to both internal and external
Identification for Project
aspects of the project should be assessed. Internal
Initiation are:
risks are events the Project Team can directly con-
2.3.1 Identify Risks trol, while external risks happen outside the direct
2.3.2 Document Risks influence of the Project Team (e.g., legislative
action).

A list of risks is started, and as the scope, schedule, budget,

and resource plan are refined during Project Planning, it is
updated to reflect further risks identified.

The project should be analyzed for risk in areas such as:

■ culture of the Performing Organization
■ anticipated impact on the Performing Organization of the
resulting product or service
■ the level to which the end result is defined (the more com-
plete the definition, the lower the possibility of risk)
■ technology used on the project (proven vs. new)
■ relationships among team members
■ impact on work units
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 91
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Documentation associated with Project Initiation can also be

used to help identify risks. Some examples are:
■ the Project Scope Statement may uncover previously
unidentified areas of concern (again, the more complete
the scope definition, the lower the possibility of risk);
■ project constraints indicate likely risk sources;
■ the High-Level Project Schedule may produce extremely
aggressive or unrealistic scheduling
■ preliminary staffing requirements may be problematic if
required resources have limited availability or unique skills
that would be hard to find and/or replace should they leave
the project.
Refer to the parts of this document concerning CSSQ and
Project Charter information, to review for possible areas of
risk.

Historical information can be extremely helpful in determining

potential project risks. Data and documentation from previous
projects, or interviews with team members or other subject
matter experts from past projects provide excellent insight into
potential risk areas and ways to avoid or mitigate them.

2.3.2 Document Risks

The Project Manager documents identified risks to inform the
risk identification and assessment process. Risk identification
lists are typically organized by source of risk to help the Project
Manager organize and record ideas. These lists may be gener-
ic or industry-specific. The Project Manager may even decide
to create risk identification lists specifically geared toward the
current project. At this point, the Project Team is simply iden-
tifying and listing risks. During Project Planning, the items on
the list will be transposed to a Risk Management Worksheet,
where they will be quantified and plans will be developed to
mitigate them should they occur.

Deliverable

◆ The List of Risks – a listing of identified sources of risk and

potential risk events. Risk Assessment will be performed
during Project Planning using the list of risks.
92 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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2.4 DEVELOP INITIAL PROJECT PLAN

Purpose

The Project Plan is a collection of information used to describe

the environment that will govern the project. The work prod-
ucts previously produced during Project Initiation become part
of the Initial Project Plan. In addition to compil-
Roles ing these work products, developing the Initial
Project Plan involves identifying the Stakeholders
● Project Manager that will be involved in the project and establishing
and documenting a plan for project communica-
● Project Sponsor
tions. The Project Plan is an evolving set of docu-
● Project Team Members ments - new information will continue to be added
● Customer Representatives and existing information will be revised during
Project Planning.

Tasks

2.4.1 Identify and Document Stakeholders’ Involvement

The Project Manager defines the organization of the Project
Team and outlines Stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities. All
Stakeholders who will be involved in some capacity on the proj-
ect should be identified. Some may be indirectly involved in an
ancillary agency unit, a Steering Committee, or as external ven-
dors or suppliers. Necessary contacts with agencies such as
the Department of Civil Service, Division of the Budget, Office
For Technology, CIO’s office, and Office of the
The tasks to Develop
State Comptroller must be included. Members
Initial Project Plan are:
of these agencies are key Stakeholders in many
2.4.1 Identify and Document projects and interaction with them should be
Stakeholders’ Involvement coordinated and planned.
2.4.2 Develop a Communications
Plan In defining the high-level schedule for Define
2.4.3 Compile All Information to
CSSQ, a preliminary list of roles and skills
Produce the Initial Project Plan
required for the project was produced. This list
may be useful when creating the list of stake-
holder roles needed to perform the tasks lead-
ing to the desired project outcome and the responsibilities for
each role. Even if the information is known only at a prelimi-
nary level, it is helpful to the Project Manager. When docu-
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 93
NYS Project Management Guidebook

menting roles and responsibilities, the Project Manager should

evaluate whether the individuals being assigned are in appro-
priate roles, if this information is known. If it is decided that
assigned individuals may be weak in certain areas, or there are
no individuals to fill certain roles, the Project Manager docu-
ments this information.

One of the greatest challenges in project management is getting the work done by indi-
viduals and business units that do not report to the Project Manager, or even to the Project
Manager’s entire chain of command. The earlier you can identify whom you need coop-
eration from, and the more detail you can provide as to the extent and outcome of that cooper-
ation, the better your chances of actually influencing the work done. Make your case early and
convincingly (emphasizing how the folks that DO have influence will benefit), and you may actu-
ally get them to do what your project requires.

2.4.2 Develop a Communications Plan

The Communications Plan is a document describing the means
by which project communications will occur. The communica-
tion process must be bi-directional. The Project Manager must
receive input from Project Team members and Stakeholders
about their information and communications requirements,
determine the best and most cost effective way in which the
requirements can be met, and record the information in a for-
mal, approved document. Similarly, the Project Manager must
provide details to the team and the Stakeholders regarding the
communications he/she expects to receive, and document these
requirements in the plan.

The Communications Plan is developed early in the project

management lifecycle. It must be reviewed regularly through-
out the course of the project and updated as necessary to
ensure it remains current and applicable.

Some of the requirements the Project Manager and Stake-

holders will need to communicate and understand, and which
should be documented in the Communications Plan include:
■ How often and how quickly information needs to be
disseminated.
■ By what means the Project Manager and Stakeholders
prefer to receive information (via phone, email, paper).
94 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

■ The communication mechanism currently used in the

organization, and how it might be leveraged or improved.
■ The effectiveness of communications in past projects and
whether specific improvements were recommended.

The methods and technologies used to communicate informa-

tion may vary among departments or organizations involved
in the project, and by Stakeholders. These differences must
be considered when creating a Communications Plan. For
example, will all departments have access to email, or
will exceptions need to be made? Are there any other
considerations that may affect or limit communication? For
example, there may be regulatory or contractual obligations
that will affect the means by which communication can take
place.

A great way to communicate with the Project Sponsor and the Customer Representatives
is to conduct a status meeting. Some items to discuss during the meeting include
accomplishments, progress against schedules, work to be done, and any open issues that need
resolution. A Project Status Report should be prepared and reviewed during the meeting. Use
Figure 2-10, the Project Status Report template, as a guide.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 95
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-10 New York State Project Status Report

Agency Name
Project Name

Project Status Report

As of (Date)

Distribution:

Original Copy
Project Repository

Project Team
(List names)

Stakeholders
(List names)

Prepared By:
(Project Manager name)
96 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-10 (Continued)

Project Status Report

STATUS SUMMARY:

Summarize the project’s Status. This section should be brief, presenting a few major accom-
plishments or possibly a critical issue. On large projects with many teams it may present the
points you most want noticed. Remember, the point(s) in the Status Summary will be repeated
in the appropriate section of the Status Report. If possible, present a high level Gantt chart of
deliverables to visually represent the schedule below.

SCHEDULE:
Project Project Planned Actual Planned Actual Explanation
Phase Process Start Start End End of Variance

Enter planned and actual start and end dates pertaining to each Phase and Process of the
project. Explain variance when planned and actual dates are not in agreement.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
A B C D E F G
Original Total Total Amount Estimated Forecast Project
Project Approved Current Expended Amount to Total Variance
Estimate Changes Estimate to Date Complete

Explanation of Variance:

Enter the dollar amount of the Original Project Estimate.

If any changes have been approved, enter the Total Approved Changes in dollars.
Total the dollar amounts in columns A and B and enter the result as Total Current Estimate.
Enter the dollar Amount Expended on the project as of the date of this report.
Enter the dollar Amount Estimated to Complete the project.
Total the dollar amounts in columns D and E and enter the result as Forecast Total.
Subtract the dollar amount in column F from the dollar amount in column C and enter the
result for Project Variance.
Figure 2-10 (Continued)

Project Status Report

ISSUES AND ACTION ITEMS:
Issue Identification Action Plan
Issue # Date Priority Issue Name Description Action Owner Due Date Status
1.

2.

3.

Section I:2 Project Initiation

NYS Project Management Guidebook
Develop an Action Plan for each identified Issue, and track its progress via the Activity Log.
Assign an Issue # to each Issue on the report, for easy reference.
Enter Date when the Issue was originally raised.
Record Priority (High, Medium or Low) that the Issue was assigned.
Assign a short but descriptive Issue Name, and provide a detailed Description of the Issue and its impact on the project.
Describe an Action (or a series of Actions) that will be performed to resolve the Issue.
Assign an Owner to that Action, and establish a Due Date by which the Action should be complete.
Record action Status (Open or Closed). As long as any Actions for an Issue are open, the Issue itself stays on the Issues and Action Items page of
the Project Status Report; when all Actions are Closed, the Issue moves to the Closed Issues page for one reporting period, and subsequently is
removed from the report.

97
There are likely to be multiple Actions per issue.
98 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-10 (Continued)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS REPORTING PERIOD:

For Reporting Period of xx/xx/xxxx – xx/xx/xxxx
Enter project Accomplishments for the reporting period, identifying activities, meetings, and
any deliverables produced.

PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT REPORTING PERIOD:

For Reporting Period of xx/xx/xxxx – xx/xx/xxxx
List project activities planned for the next reporting period. Use the Project Schedule as a basis
for this information, adding meetings, presentations, etc. as necessary.

ACCEPTANCE AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT:

Deliverable Acceptance Log
Deliverable Name Sent for Review Sent for Approval Action Action Date
(Date) (Date) Approve/Reject

List the Deliverable Name of each deliverable completed, the Date it was Sent for Review,
the Date it was Sent for Approval, the Action taken and the Date the action was taken.

Change Control Log

Change # Log Initiated Description Action Action Reject
Date By Accept/Reject Date Description

As change requests are received, indicate the Change Number, the Date it was received in
the Log Date column, the name of the person who Initiated the change request, a
Description of the change, the status of the change (whether Accepted or Rejected), the
Date it was Accepted or Rejected, and a brief Description of the reason for Rejection.

Lost Time
If there was time on the project during the report period when no productive work could be
done by the Project Team due to actions outside of their control, explain how much time and
why. For example, if there was a power outage necessitating leaving the building, this is con-
sidered lost time. This period of inactivity may result in project variance. It is important to note
that this is not due to the inability of the team to meet work estimates. Change control may be
instituted to cover the effort and cost impact for this lost time.

Closed Issues
This follows the same format as open issues. Use the table for Issues and Action Items above.
Identify Closed Issues and retain only until the next Status Reporting period.

Staffing
Team Member Role Information/Notes

Identify the name of each Team Member, their Role on the project, and any pertinent
Information relative to the project, such as availability, pre-planned absences, etc.
Figure 2-11 New York State Project Communications Plan

New York State

Project Communications Plan

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _________________________________ Date: _________________________________________

Project Sponsor: ______________________________ Project Manager: ______________________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.

Section I:2 Project Initiation

NYS Project Management Guidebook
99
Figure 2-11 (Continued)

100
New York State

NYS Project Management Guidebook

Section I:2 Project Initiation
Project Communications Plan

Stakeholder Message/Information Need Delivery Vehicle Frequency

Project Sponsor

Project Manager

Project Team Member

Quality Team Member

Procurement
Team Member

Other Stakeholder

Enter the Stakeholder role in the Stakeholder column. Sample stakeholders are provided for your use. Describe the different types of informa-
tion needed in the Message/Information Need column, and how each type of information will be delivered to the stakeholders in the Delivery
Vehicle column. (Phone, email, formal documentation, etc.) Describe how often and how quickly the project stakeholders will need information in
the Frequency column.
Figure 2-11 (Continued)

New York State

Project Communications Plan

EXISTING SYSTEMS:

Discuss any communications vehicles ( or methods) already in place, and how they will be leveraged on this project.

METHOD FOR UPDATING THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN:

Describe how and when the plan will be updated throughout the project.

Section I:2 Project Initiation

NYS Project Management Guidebook
OTHER COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION:

Discuss any communications information not yet covered.

101
102 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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2.4.3 Compile All Information to Produce the Initial Project Plan

All work products and deliverables from Project Initiation
processes will be compiled for the Initial Project Plan. At this
point in the project management lifecycle, the Project Plan will
consist of the following information:
■ Project Charter
■ CSSQ
■ List of Risks
■ Description of Stakeholder Involvement
■ Communications Plan
This information will be refined and supplemented in later proj-
ect phases as the Project Manager and team become more
knowledgeable about the project and its definition. The Project
Plan is not a static document; it requires iterative refinement.

"Don’t judge the book by its cover." Hogwash! While we are not advocating style over
substance, the format, style, and presentation do mean a lot. During the few minutes
that most decision-makers will spend reviewing your written deliverables you want them
to be well disposed towards you, and able to abstract the most information in the least amount
of time. A professional-looking document will make a good first impression; a well-organized
text that clearly and logically builds your case will solidify that impression. So don’t just slap
some papers together, snap a rubber band around them, and submit it as the deliverable; treat
your Project Plan as a repository of your brightest hopes for the future.

Deliverables

◆ Description of Stakeholder Involvement – a document

describing, to the level of detail currently known, the roles
and responsibilities of all Stakeholders, internal and exter-
nal, who will in any way be involved in the project. This doc-
ument is part of the Project Plan. This document will most
likely be updated later as more about the project becomes
known.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 103
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◆ Communications Plan – a document written by the Project

Manager that describes:
■ How often and how quickly information will be needed
by internal and external Stakeholders
■ How different types of information will be disseminated
to the Stakeholders (via email, phone, spreadsheets,
formal documentation, etc.)
■ The communications systems already in place and how
they may be leveraged on the current project
■ How the Communications Plan will be updated through-
out the course of the project
■ Any other information regarding the means by which
information will be communicated to all project
Stakeholders

◆ Initial Project Plan – the key deliverable produced during

Project Initiation. The initial plan will be refined iteratively
throughout the entire project management lifecycle and will
serve as the main guide to follow during Project Execution
and Control. The Initial Project Plan incorporates the deliv-
erables above and is used to:
■ Document project planning assumptions
■ Document project planning decisions regarding alterna-
tives chosen
■ Facilitate communication among internal and external
Stakeholders
■ Define key management reviews as to content, extent
and timing
■ Provide a baseline for progress measurement and proj-
ect control

For an example of a Project Plan, see Figure 2-12, the New York
State Project Plan.
104 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-12 New York State Project Plan

New York State

Project Plan

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________________

Project Sponsor: _____________________ Project Manager: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.

REVISION HISTORY

Revision # Revision Date Section Revised Revision Description

Once the Project Plan has been approved, changes to any component of the plan should be
tracked for historical purposes. Prior to applying the change, the previous version(s) should be
retained. The Project Manager should append the following revision information to the new ver-
sion being created:

Revision # is the next sequentially generated number based on the method established by the
Project Manager.
Revision Date is the date on which the revisions were started.
Section Revised highlights which component of the plan was updated. This could include the
Project Charter, the Communications Plan, the Quality Plan…etc. A revision could affect more
than one component of the Plan. If a revision affects all components, the use of “ALL” would
suffice.
Revision Description provides a brief account as to why the component required updating,
and what was changed. This could be the same for each component listed (i.e., all components
require updating as a result of completing Project Initiation) or could be very specific.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 105
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-12 (Continued)

New York State

Project Plan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Describe, at a summary level, what is presented within this document, to allow the reader to
understand its contents at a glance.

The Executive Summary may include, but is not limited to:

● Purpose of the document
● Structure of the document
● Material presented – provide a short description of each component of the Project Plan and
its relevance
106 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-12 (Continued)

New York State

Project Plan

DESCRIPTION OF STAKEHOLDER RESPONSIBILITY

Name/Title Agency/ Project Role Responsibility Phone Email

Department

List all Stakeholders involved in the project, with their associated Agencies, Roles,
Responsibilities, Phone numbers and Email addresses. Be sure to include NYS Employees,
contractors and consultants.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 107
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-12 (Continued)

New York State

Project Plan
PROJECT PLAN DOCUMENTS SUMMARY

When compiling information to produce the Project Plan, prepare the following documents in a
consistent, comprehensible format. Be sure to provide a logical flow between documents, to
enable the reader to follow and understand the collection of material being presented.

Documents to be Created in Documents to be Created in

Project Initiation Project Planning
Project Charter
Project Scope Statement Refined Project Scope
Project Schedule Worksheet Project Schedule
Project Quality Management Plan Refined Project Quality Management Plan
Preliminary Budget Estimate Project Budget
Including Staff Acquisition Plan and
Materials Acquisition Plan
List of Risks Risk Management Worksheet
Description of Stakeholder Refined Description of Stakeholder
Involvement Involvement
Communications Plan Refined Communications Plan
Change Control Process
Acceptance Management Process
Issue Management and Escalation Process
Organizational Change Management Plan
Project Team Training Plan
Project Implementation and Transition Plan
108 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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2.5 CONFIRM APPROVAL TO PROCEED TO NEXT PHASE

Purpose

The purpose of Confirm Approval to Proceed to Next Phase

is to formally acknowledge the completion, review and accept-
ance of all deliverables produced during Project
Roles Initiation. Formal acceptance and approval by the
Project Sponsor or an authorized designee also
● Project Manager signifies that the project can continue into its
● Project Sponsor next phase, Project Planning.
● Project Team Members
Acceptance and approval are ongoing. The
● Customer Decision-Makers Project Manager should review and gain approval
from the Project Sponsor and Customer Decision-
Makers for all interim deliverables upon their completion.
Interim acceptances should streamline final acceptance.

Tasks

2.5.1 Review/Refine Business Case

At the completion of Project Initiation, the Project Manager
must review the Business Case that was created during Project
Origination. Because more information is now
The tasks to Confirm Approval known about the project, the Project Manager
to Proceed to Next Phase are:
will need to refine the Business Case to include
2.5.1 Review/Refine Business Case the new information. The refined Business
2.5.2 Prepare for Formal Acceptance Case will be presented to the Project Sponsor
as part of gaining approval to proceed.
2.5.3 Gain Approval Signature from
Project Sponsor

2.5.2 Prepare for Formal Acceptance

At this time, the Project Manager should schedule a meeting to
discuss and gain agreement to secure Project Planning
resources. Meeting attendees should always include the Project
Sponsor and the members of Performing Organization
Management whose resources will be affected. Attendees may
also include members of other agencies who are able to provide
resources that will add value during Project Planning. During
the meeting, resources are formally secured by gaining the sig-
natures of the appropriate Performing Organization managers
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 109
NYS Project Management Guidebook

on the Project Deliverable Approval Form. (See Figure 2-13 for

an example of a Project Deliverable Approval Form.)

In addition to reviewing the Business Case, all other deliver-

ables produced during Project Initiation should be reviewed by
the Project Manager to ensure that Customer and Project
Sponsor approvals have been received. Once the review has
been completed, the Project Manager should organize the
refined Business Case and all other deliverables into a cohesive
package and prepare a formal approval form.

2.5.3 Gain Approval Signature from Project Sponsor

The Project Manager must review the revised Business Case
and the Initial Project Plan with the Project Sponsor. Based
upon changes to the Business Case and policies within the
Performing Organization, the Project Sponsor must decide if a
project re-approval cycle is warranted. If project re-approval is
necessary, the Project Manager should ensure the appropriate
Project Origination processes are followed.

At this point in time, the Project Sponsor may decide to termi-

nate the project. This “go/no-go” decision may be based upon
factors outside the control of the Project Manager (i.e., the
organization may have new priorities that are in direct conflict
with the project or increased risk may have been introduced to
the project.) Realistically, termination of a project could hap-
pen at any point during the life of a project and is something a
Project Manager should always keep in mind.

At the end of this task, the Project Manager must present the
deliverable acceptance package to the Project Sponsor or an
authorized designee and obtain his/her signature on the Project
Deliverable Approval Form, indicating approval to proceed to
Project Planning. If the Project Sponsor does not approve the
contents of the acceptance package, he/she should indicate the
reason for rejecting it. It is then the responsibility of the
Project Manager to resolve any issues regarding the deliver-
ables and to present the updated package to the Project
Sponsor again.

Deliverable

◆ Signed Project Deliverable Approval Form – a formal

document indicating that the deliverable has been reviewed
and accepted.
110 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-13 New York State Project Deliverable Approval Form

New York State

Project Deliverable Approval Form

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION

Project Name: _______________________ Date: ________________________________

Project Sponsor: _____________________ Project Manager: _____________________

Enter the Project Name.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the name of the Project Sponsor.
Enter the name of the assigned Project Manager.

DELIVERABLE INFORMATION

Project Phase: _____________________________ Date: __________________________

Deliverable Name: __________________________ Author: _________________________

Enter the current Project Phase.

Enter the current Date.
Enter the Name of the Deliverable being presented for approval and the Author’s name.
If appropriate, information for multiple deliverables may be included for approval on a single
acceptance form.

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
Criteria:

For each deliverable being presented, describe the Criteria that must be met in order for the
deliverable to be considered acceptable. The text from the Project Plan can be used.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 111
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-13 (Continued)

New York State

Project Deliverable Approval Form
REVIEWER INFORMATION

Reviewer Name: ___________________________ Role: ___________________________

Deliverable Name: __________________________________________________________
Recommended Action: Approve: ■ Reject: ■
Reviewer Comments:

Reviewer Signature: _________________________________________________________

Date: _____________________________________________________________________

Provide the above information for each individual designated as a Reviewer for a deliverable.
The Reviewer should include his/her recommendation for Approval or Rejection of the deliv-
erable, any Comments, and the Date reviewed. If the recommended action is rejection of the
deliverable, the reviewer must explain the reason. NOTE: If the deliverable being presented
for approval is a project MANAGEMENT deliverable, the reviewer is most likely a member
of Performing Organization Management who is agreeing to secure required resources for
the next project management phase. If the deliverable being presented for approval is a
PROJECT deliverable, the reviewer is most likely a subject matter expert who is providing
subject expertise and recommending that the approver either approve or reject the
deliverable. Duplicate the above if more than one reviewer is required.

APPROVER INFORMATION

Approver Name: ___________________________ Role: ___________________________

Action: Approve: ■ Reject: ■
Approver Comments:

Approver Signature: _________________________________________________________

Date: _____________________________________________________________________

Provide the above information for each individual designated as an Approver for a deliverable.
The Approver should check whether he/she is Approving or Rejecting the deliverable and
include any Comments. If the approver is rejecting the deliverable, he/she must provide the
reason. If the deliverable is being approved, the approver should sign the form and enter the
Date approved.

Duplicate the above section if the signature of more than one Approver is required.
112 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Figure 2-13 (Continued)

New York State

Project Deliverable Approval Form

PROJECT MANAGER INFORMATION

________________________________________________
Name (Print)

________________________________________________ ___________________
Signature Date

Once a deliverable has been approved, the Project Manager should indicate his/her agree-
ment by providing a Signature and Date.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 113
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Project Initiation
End-of-Phase Checklist

How To Use
Use this checklist throughout Project Initiation to help ensure
that all requirements of the phase are met. As each item is
completed, indicate its completion date. Use the Comments
column to add information that may be helpful to you as you
proceed through the project. If you elect NOT to complete an
item on the checklist, indicate the reason and describe how the
objectives of that item are otherwise being met.

Figure 2-14
Item Description Page Completion Comments Reason for NOT
Date Completing
Prepare for the Project: 57
Identify and assign the 57
Project Manager
Identify and appoint the 57
Project Sponsor
Identify Project Team Members 57
Identify Customer 58
Representatives
Review historical information 58
Document how issues were 59
resolved and decisions made
Review Project Charter template 60
Work with Project Sponsor and 60
Project Team to gain consensus
on project expectations
Write the Project Charter 60
document
Schedule time and location of 60
Kickoff meeting
Invite appropriate attendees 64
Prepare meeting presentation 64
and agenda
Designate meeting scribe 64
Prepare materials for 64
distribution at meeting
114 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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Item Description Page Completion Comments Reason for NOT

Date Completing
Conduct Kick-off meeting 64
Distribute notes to all 64
attendees
Establish the project repository 67
Update the repository with 67
all project correspondence
Define CSSQ: 69
Write the Project Scope 70
Statement
Create preliminary list of roles 76
and skills required
Complete the Project Schedule 76
Worksheet
Create High-Level Schedule 79
Identify organization’s existing 79
quality standards, if any
Identify and document quality 79
standards for each deliverable
Develop staff and materials 85
acquisition plans
Estimate costs of all resources 86
Calculate the preliminary 86
project budget estimate
Perform Risk Identification: 90
Solicit input on risk identification 90
from Project Team, Project
Sponsor, and Customer
Representatives
Analyze scope, charter, historical 91
information
List all risks identified 91
Develop Initial Project Plan: 92
Identify Internal and External 92
Stakeholders
Outline Stakeholders’ roles 92
and responsibilities
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 115
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Item Description Page Completion Comments Reason for NOT

Date Completing
Understand Stakeholder 93
communication requirements
Write Communications Plan 94
Compile all documentation 102
and deliverables from
Project Initiation
Produce Initial Project Plan 103
Confirm Approval to
Proceed to Next Phase: 108
Review and refine the 108
initial Business Case
Review all other deliverables 108
from Project Initiation
Obtain buy-in from other 108
managers
Organize deliverables into 109
package
Prepare formal approval form 109
Present approval package 109
to Project Sponsor for signature
Resolve any issues 109
Update package as needed to 109
resubmit to Project Sponsor
Get Approval Signature 109

Measurements of Success

The main measurement of success for Project Initiation is the

decision to proceed with – or to halt – the project. While in the
majority of cases, a well-executed Project Initiation leads to a
transition to Project Planning, in some cases the organization
is best served by deciding that the project should not continue.

Before the final sign-off, however, the Project Manager can

assess how successfully the project is proceeding through its
processes by utilizing the measurement criteria outlined below.
More than one “No” answer indicates a serious risk to the con-
tinued success of your project.
116 Section I:2 Project Initiation
NYS Project Management Guidebook

Figure 2-15

Process Measurements of Success Yes No

Prepare for the Project Do you have a committed, interested and influential
Project Sponsor attached to the project?
Did you verify that your Project Charter reflects the
vision of the areas of the Performing Organization
affected by/involved in the project?
Did you identify specific benefits the product or service
developed by your project will bring to the Customer?
Do you have a clear structure for the project repository?
Define CSSQ Has your Scope Statement been reviewed and accepted
by Customer Representatives who will benefit from
your project?
In your High-Level Project Schedule, do you know if the
effort allocated to various project phases correlate to
industry-accepted norms?
Has your Quality Management Plan been approved by
the member of your organization responsible for
quality assurance?
Did you review the impact your project costs will have
on upcoming fiscal year budgets with the Finance office?
Have your staff and materials acquisition plans been
reviewed with the Performing Organization who will be
paying for the staff and products being acquired?
Perform Risk Has the Project Sponsor reviewed your list of risks?
Identification
Develop the Initial Are your Internal and External Stakeholders satisfied
Project Plan with the frequency and content of communications
you are providing (consistent with your Communications
Plan) as evidenced by a lack of complaints?
Have you proactively sought to gauge Stakeholders’
satisfaction level?
Confirm Approval Do you have an approval form signed by your
to Proceed to Project Sponsor authorizing you to proceed to
Next Phase Project Planning, or halting the project?
Have you provided sufficient information in your Initial
Project Plan to allow the Project Sponsor to take the
necessary action?
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 117
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Phase Risks / Ways to Avoid Pitfalls

Project Initiation lays the foundation for the rest of the project
management lifecycle. In the same way that a faulty foundation
will result in an unstable and eventually unusable building, an
incomplete or improperly executed Initiation will result in a
flawed project.

What are some of the key elements of Project Initiation that

require the most attention? The following table identifies
processes and tasks that are highlighted in this section.

Figure 2-16
Process Task Why is it important?
Prepare for the Identify Project Sponsor A project without a Project Sponsor is like a
Project ship without a rudder – no matter how sleek
the hull or how tall the masts, it just can’t get
anywhere useful.
Conduct Kick-off Meeting To continue with a ship metaphor, it’s
important to get everybody on board before
setting sail!
Define CSSQ Develop High-Level Schedule Can’t sail the seven seas without a map!
Perform Risk Identify and Document Risks Identifying and documenting risks is like
Identification putting up lighthouses. Fewer wrecks.
Develop Initial Develop Communications Plan Frequent and comprehensive communications
Project Plan is one of the key project success factors.
Confirm Approval Gain Approval Signature Just how far out on the plank are you willing
to Proceed to to walk? Thought so.
Next Phase
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PITFALL #1 – NO SPONSOR, NO CHAMPION

In Prepare for the Project, the first imperative is securing a
Project Sponsor. Without the Project Sponsor to guide and
support the project, the Project Manager has an impossible
choice of either trying to take on the responsibilities of a
Project Sponsor – for which he has no authority, or trying to
secure the commitment of unwilling or uninterested executives
– over whom he has little influence.

Having one Project Sponsor who is high enough in the organi-

zation to be of help, and interested enough in the outcome to
be involved, is ideal. However, in many cases, the organization
insists on two people – usually managers from two main busi-
ness functions involved in the project – serving as joint Project
Sponsors. This situation is not a disaster – unless the man-
agers are severely at odds with each other, especially about
what the project ought to accomplish. In most cases, the
Project Manager can sit down with the Project Sponsor(s) (as
early as possible), and hammer out a common vision of what
the project is supposed to do. Some of the useful questions to
ask to gain consensus are:
■ What are we trying to accomplish? What is the desired out-
come?
■ Who will benefit, and in what ways?
■ Why is the project important to YOU?
■ How is it going to change the way people do their work?
■ How will the organization adjust?

However, when the number of Project Sponsors exceeds two,

trouble may be afoot. There will be so many more delays getting
everyone to the same place, or chasing everyone down, so
many more difficulties achieving a consensus, so many more
corrections to deliverables, so many more minds to convince,
so many more personalities to please. You’d better add lots of
time to your schedule for securing necessary approvals!

The effort you will expend in securing an interested, influential

Project Sponsor now will pay dividends throughout the duration
of the project. In some organizations, often those with a defined
project selection method, projects may only be requested by
someone willing to be the Project Sponsor.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 119
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PITFALL #2 – INEFFECTIVE KICK-OFF MEETING

The importance of selecting an effective Project Team and writ-
ing a comprehensive Project Charter is self evident and well
understood. However, the other key, but frequently overlooked
or lightly regarded task in Prepare for the Project is the kick-off
meeting. When conducted, the kick-off meeting is often wasted
in a pro-forma, listless exercise of bringing unwilling partici-
pants together and stultifying them with boring recitations of
project objectives, replete with industry buzzwords and techni-
cal jargon. Instead, you should look at the kick-off meeting as
your opportunity to ignite interest in the project, secure enthu-
siastic participation in crucial activities later on, and set accu-
rate expectations about what the project is – and is not – like-
ly to accomplish.

How? First of all, the kick-off meeting should be a creative, par-

ticipatory exercise, involving all attendees. Second, it should
emphasize and focus on how the project and its eventual prod-
uct will benefit each attendee. And third, it should be a show-
case for the Performing Organization’s commitment – and
interest – in this project, and your team’s enthusiasm for it.

To make it a creative, joint exercise, you may consider asking

the attendees to share ideas on why the project is important
and how it will benefit the organization as a whole. To involve
self-interest, you may also want to ask participants to explain
how the project will benefit each of them specifically, making
their jobs better, easier or more fulfilling; and if they can’t come
up with anything, have the Project Sponsor make appropriate
suggestions. To showcase executive commitment, develop a
draft of “talking points” for the Project Sponsor to use in a
statement at the beginning of the kick-off meeting, explaining
why the organization is making a significant investment in this
project, from both budgetary and human resource standpoints.
Finally, this is a great opportunity to showcase yourself and
your team, and demonstrate great enthusiasm for the project,
which will be contagious and will set the tone for the activities
to come.
120 Section I:2 Project Initiation
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PITFALL #3 – CHICKEN BEFORE EGG, SCHEDULE BEFORE TASKS

The task that gives Project Managers the most trouble is com-
ing up with a Project Schedule before the project tasks are well
defined and before many important project decisions are made.
It is a lucky Project Manager who is not seized by “analysis
paralysis” at this stage of the game. How can I commit myself
to an estimate (and let’s not kid ourselves – the estimate you do
put down will become a commitment, which the Performing
Organization will immediately embed in whatever budgetary or
strategic plan they are developing) without knowing enough
about the project? This paradox is easily resolved if you can
estimate as you go along – one phase at a time. Unfortunately,
that is a luxury afforded few, if any, Project Managers. The
budgeting process demands answers well ahead of the game,
and there is no avoiding it.

The one thing that can help at this stage is experience – either
personal, or in the form of organizational historical data. If you
have been involved in similar projects in the past, you develop
a feel for how long things take, and what obstacles – other than
product-related – must be overcome and accounted for in the
schedule. However, if you are new to project management, to
the Performing Organization, or to the technology, you need to
fall back on organizational knowledge. If you are lucky, the
organization captured lessons learned from prior projects, and
you can find out how long similar efforts have taken. More like-
ly, no such knowledge base exists other than in people’s heads,
and your Project Sponsor can perform an important service in
helping identify and recruit Project Managers who may have
been involved in similar efforts. Make sure those efforts were
actually successful – after all, you do not want to make the
same mistake twice. Ask to see their initial and final Project
Schedules. If they don’t have either one (or worse, both) move
along – anecdotal evidence is of very limited use in real life.

Armed with all applicable knowledge, the moment finally comes

to grab a mouse and start scheduling. Most of the time, the end
date for the project will be pre-defined by some event outside
your control – executive commitment, governmental mandate, or
some physical constraint. In that case, “backing into” an esti-
mate is eminently reasonable. Walk through the entire project
lifecycle backwards, making informed “guesstimates” along the
way, and see if you end up at the beginning with today’s date.
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 121
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Keep in mind that most early estimates tend to be

on the optimistic side, before reality sets in.
Consider your first attempt optimistic. Now make a
second, more pessimistic attempt, assuming Murphy’s law.
This will provide you with the worst-case scenario. The truth
is probably somewhere in the middle.

In other cases, there is a budget limit that must be adhered to.

Once again, you can back into your schedule by estimating how
many weeks, months or years of effort by a reasonably-sized
team the expected budget would support, and from there you
can use the industry-standard percentages for product devel-
opment lifecycles to approximate what your effort is going to
be. Decide whether you will schedule according to effort, which
is defined as the number of hours, days, or weeks per person,
versus duration, which is defined as the number of work days
or work weeks per task regardless of number of people. For a
phase for which you have the most data (or experience), run a
“reasonableness” check to see if the estimate makes sense.
Finally, you may have a completely blank slate – freedom to
commit necessary resources over a reasonable time frame to
get the job done in quality fashion. And when you wake up from
that pleasant dream, you will go back to the first two options.

But most of all, do not obsess over your preliminary schedule

(that’s why it’s called “high-level”). Document carefully all your
estimating assumptions, and run it by as many experienced and
knowledgeable people as you can – not the least, your Project
Sponsor (that’s also why it’s called “high-level”).

PITFALL #4 – PRETENDING NOTHING WILL GO WRONG

The one process that shockingly few organizations engage in
despite the fact that it can provide the most “bang for the buck”
is risk management, which consists of risk identification,
assessment, and mitigation. Notice, there is nothing here that
says “risk avoidance.” You can’t avoid risk – stuff will happen,
and most of it will negatively impact your project, if you let it.
What you can do is anticipate it, and be ready with a solution
before the problem arrives. Once again, either your own expe-
rience, or organizational knowledge (captured as historical
data in a repository, or as knowledge in people’s heads) is the
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key. What obstacles, problems and disasters did other projects

run into before? How were they dealt with? What was the
impact on the schedule?

Consider every aspect of your project. Ask yourself, what can

possibly go wrong? What assumptions am I making that may not
be accurate, or consistent? Then, for every risk factor that you
identify, you need to determine how it can affect your project.

PITFALL #5 – NOT ENOUGH TALK

Another activity that costs very little, but can provide enormous
benefits, is communication. In fact, one of the few success fac-
tors consistently cited by the majority of New York State agen-
cies in analyzing successful projects was frequent and compre-
hensive communication. Communication keeps all the players
in the loop, avoids unpleasant surprises, and builds confidence
in project progress and success. Nobody ever complains that
they are being told too much, but they usually resent being told
too little.

Building an effective Communications Plan starts with accu-

rately accounting for all the players. Don’t forget the Project
Team, the Project Sponsor(s), all of the Customers, and inter-
nal and external Stakeholders. Anyone who will be in any way
affected by the product or service that your project will devel-
op must be communicated to at some point, and most likely
throughout, the project lifecycle. For every player involved,
determine how frequently the communication should occur
(hint: early and often) and what it should contain (hint: the
more the merrier). Of course, make sure it’s OK with your
Project Sponsor(s), but if you run into opposition on that front,
remind them that even the old Soviet Union did end up discov-
ering glasnost (openness).

PITFALL #6 – IS THE PROJECT OFFICIAL?

Finally, you are all done with Initiation. Your schedule is a work
of art. Your Project Charter inspires masses to commit great
deeds. Your Project Plan is correct and complete. You think you
are done? Not until you have a signature of someone that mat-
ters on a piece of paper that certifies that your opinion of your
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NYS Project Management Guidebook

work is justified, and that you have authorization to proceed to

the next phase.

Remember that unless you are in the highly unusual situation

of being your own boss, you do not have the authority to certi-
fy your own work, or the clout to commit resources to continue.
And unless you want to go very far out on that proverbial limb,
you need to have proof that someone with proper authority –
most likely, your Project Sponsor – is on board with what you
have done, and what you are about to do.

No matter how happy your Customers and your Project Sponsor

may be with your approach and your schedule, no matter how
enthusiastic your Project Team, or your whole department, is
with your plans, the only cover that you will have when things
go terribly wrong (which, of course, if you’ve done everything
correctly – including getting the approval form – will not hap-
pen) is that signature on that piece of paper. So please, do
yourself a favor, and get that bulletproof vest before venturing
into the shooting gallery known as The Rest of the Project.

PITFALL #7 – WE DON’T REALLY NEED TO FOLLOW ALL

THESE STEPS, DO WE?
Skipping tasks and their documentation in Project Initiation
can cause serious consequences affecting all of the subse-
quent phases of your project. Project Management (as well as
just basic Management) methodologies were developed not
because people had nothing better to do with their time, but in
response to crises and disasters that resulted precisely from
seat-of-the-pants approaches. (See PITFALL #5 in Project
Planning.)
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? Frequently Asked Questions

What if no one will agree to be the Project Sponsor?

Although no one may have assumed the official role of Project

Sponsor, someone secured the funding for this project, and
someone appointed you to manage it. Talk to that person,
explain the role of the Project Sponsor, and notify him that you
will consider him your Project Sponsor unless someone else is
identified to fill that position. (See Pitfall #1, No sponsor, no
champion.)

What happens later on if my time/money estimates are off

by 50 to 100 percent?

Accurate estimating takes a lot of effort, knowledge, available

historical data, and a bit of luck. Chances are, your estimates
are going to be off; the only questions are, by how much, and
what will you do about it.

Your lack of accuracy could be due to one or both of the fol-

lowing: (1) you did a lousy job estimating (usually due to lack
of historical comparative data) and/or (2) things changed. In
the first case, take responsibility for your mistake, use it as a
“learning opportunity,” and make sure everyone realizes what
you are doing. In the second case, make sure everyone’s aware
of the changes as soon as they occur, and use the change con-
trol umbrella to cover you. Remember – management hates
“surprises.” It is better (for your career, at least!) to be off by
a lot if everyone knows about it well ahead, than to be off by a
little – and have it be a total surprise to the decision-makers.
In both cases, it behooves you to document your estimating
process and assumptions, and reforecast on a regular basis. If
an underestimate becomes apparent, identify root causes,
define corrective actions and alternatives, and work back with
the Project Sponsor to head off any significant degradation of
Project Schedule.

And finally, if your project is in real trouble, it may be time to

initiate Project Triage. (See Section II:1, Project Triage.)

How do I justify the initiation time to the Project Sponsor

or Customer who just wants it done?

It’s called “Customer education.” Encourage your Project

Sponsor and your key Customers to read (or at least peruse)
 Section I:2 Project Initiation 125
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this Guidebook. Explain to them the benefit they will derive

from proper planning. Illustrate your arguments by pointing to
other projects (hopefully, disastrous) and explaining why they
failed (hopefully, due to lack of planning). Seek persuasive
allies among their colleagues. And finally, use it as a continu-
ous improvement opportunity: explain what has to be accom-
plished, and ask for a creative way of getting the same result
using some other means. Who knows, they may actually come
up with a process improvement that you can use as a best prac-
tice later on. (See Pitfall #7 for more details.)

What can you do if the Performing Organization doesn’t

recognize the importance of project management or feels
that they can do it better?

This is a kind of variation on the theme of the previous ques-

tion. You can either try to persuade the folks that it’s the right
thing to do, or lead by example and just do it the right way. It
is unlikely that everyone doesn’t understand project manage-
ment; seek out people with similar ideas, and have them bolster
your arguments. Seek assistance from OFT PMO with justifica-
tions and examples of successful projects done right. Brandish
this Guidebook and follow the practices it advocates.

Is the Project Manager expected to perform all of the

tasks required of the role? Can some tasks be delegated
in whole or in part?

Great question! Management means “getting work done through

others.” Delegation is one of its principal tenets. Depending on
the size of the project, the Project Manager may be physically
unable to perform some of the duties outlined in this book. For
example, take new team member orientation. Ideally, the
Project Manager would spend a chunk of time with every team
member, inculcating proper disciplines and techniques.
However, what if the Project Team comprises hundreds of mem-
bers? Project Team Leaders must be identified to take on those
responsibilities. But remember, it is still the Project Manager’s
responsibility to verify that delegated tasks are being executed
correctly.

The most succinct way to answer this question is this: the

Project Manager must do whatever it takes to have every task
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done right, on time, and within budget. Whether you accomplish

this by sitting on the beach and firing off occasional e-mails
(improbable), or by spending all your waking moments in the
office (undesirable), you are still doing a fine job.

What do you do if the Project Sponsor doesn’t fulfill his/

her role to the level of satisfaction expected by the Project
Manager?

The first thing to remember is it doesn’t pay to fight your Project

Sponsor. The Project Sponsor is your principal ally and bene-
factor. Reason, persuasion and education are the way to go.

First, make sure your Project Sponsor knows that you are both
trying to accomplish the same goal: to solve a business issue
with the product of the project. Second, make sure the Project
Sponsor understands – and agrees with – the approach the proj-
ect is taking. Finally, once you have established commonality of
interests, you can gently educate your Project Sponsor on the
responsibilities of the position, and if his understanding differs,
try to come to terms to which you both agree. Always argue
from the benefit standpoint, explaining how a particular action
on her part will benefit the project – and eventually the Project
Sponsor.