What makes a good project? Introduction to the 4 key stages of project management from initiation through to completion.

1. PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
E.O’Connor
September 2010

2. Projects bring together resources, skills & technology to
achieve the objectives & deliver the business benefits.
Good project management helps ensure risks are identified &
managed, objectives & benefits are achieved on time, in
budget & to the required quality.
Projects are finite in duration

3. What makes a good project? Governance
 Clarity of scope & deliverables
 The right people, systems & processes
 Good communications
 Standardised reporting of issues, risks, assumptions & contingencies
 Management of an overall schedule with active reviews
 A business case & budget
 A transition plan into business as usual

4. The 4-step process
Initiation
Planning & design
Execution
Completion

5. Initiation
Project Brief documents what the project is expected to accomplish,
how this will be measured, the key workpackages & participants plus
any constraints & assumptions.
Outline Business Case is developed & refined during next phase.
Project Manager assigned.

6. Planning & design
This phase involves determining the set of discrete activities required
to deliver the project. Captured as a Work Breakdown Structure.
Project Initiation Document provides the baseline ‘agreement’ against
which the project can be assessed.
Develop Project Schedule.

7. Example: high-level work breakdown structure

8. Example: outline project schedule

9. Execution
Consists of undertaking the work and co-ordinating resources to
accomplish the project’s objectives in accordance with the plan.
Measure, monitor & control. Trust, but verify!
Maintain project schedule.

10. Completion
The formal acceptance of the project against the defined criteria,
together with an end-of-project report including lessons learned.
Transition project into ‘life’ (business as usual).
Ensure tools, processes, skills & resources are in place, together with
appropriate documentation.

11. The project management quality triangle
One side of the triangle cannot be changed without affecting the others.
For example: increased scope typically
means increased time and increased cost.
Time
Scope Cost