3 July 2013

How to Initiate a project

This is the first part of a 5 part series on kicking off a project. It's a basic check-list of things to consider. The purpose of sharing this is to point you in the right direction to get started. The series starts here.

In the PMI framework, the Initiate phase of a project covers taking a bright idea to making it a formal piece of work. In the broader context it is simply the activity you undertake to get started. This is where you start to assemble the frameworks and approaches to the project.

Here are some things to consider;
  • What’s our big idea?
  • Who owns this thing? 
    • Who will manage and live with the thing we create? Who is paying for it?
  • Who are the key players? 
    • And we will start iterating on the broader stakeholder network from now)
  • What are the key constraints? 
    • (Does it have to happen by a certain deadline, do we have limited money? Do we have to comply with any regs, etc?)
  • Our first thoughts on what success look like?
On top of thinking about the scope and purpose of the project, consider your first tangible outcomes you need to focus on;
  • Let’s put the kernel of the team together to elaborate the planning. How doe we do that? Who do we need to bring on board?
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1 comment:

  1. Simon7:08 am

    Craig,

    I like the style of how you are approaching the subject.

    Process is important. However, to most business users as soon as you start to use terms based on PMI, PRINCE, etc their eyes glaze over and they start thinking overhead and lets just get stuff done.

    That is why I like the language you have used in the bullets like "What's our big idea". This allows the team to get excited and share their vision. In turn this will allow the project team to have a better understanding to shape the work.

    Thanks

    Simon

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