Project Management Framework
Introductions
The Initiation Phase is the first phase in a project's lifecycle. It focuses on project definition and project feasibility. Accordingly, the framework divides tools for this phase into two subsections: creation of a charter, and the events and tasks that precede the charter.
Pre Charter
The pre charter tasks are steps an agency takes, either on a formal or an informal basis, to decide whether to launch a project, and what form that project should take. It begins with identifying and analyzing a business need or problem, considering the various alternatives for addressing that need (including doing nothing), analyzing the feasibility and impacts of implementing the chosen alternative, procuring funding, and evaluating the risks.
Best practices for these processes have already been described in the core systems framework. To maintain consistent practices across the state and avoid duplication of framework development efforts, the project management framework includes these pre-charter best practices via links to the core systems framework.
The Charter
Once the decision has been made to proceed with the project, best practices dictate that a project charter should be created. The charter is a formal document that defines and describes the project at a high level. It covers governance, scope, approach, roles and responsibilities, as well as the goals, objectives, and deliverables of the project, among other things. The document functions as the formal agreement for the project and is signed by the appropriate parties as such. Signature of the charter document marks the end of the initiation phase, and the document is the tangible deliverable resulting from the efforts exerted up to this point. Changes to the charter after signoff will require invocation of the change management process. This process is described in more detail in Phase II - Planning.
The charter for the Master Licensing Service (MLS) project is included in the framework as an example of a complete charter. The components in the MLS correspond to each of the sections described in the charter and are linked accordingly. In addition to the MLS, there are additional examples for each of the individual charter components.
The next two phases in a project's lifecycle, planning and execution, are the most critical to project success, and are closely intertwined as well. The planning phase is when the detailed aspects of the project are determined, coordinated, and documented. The execution phase is when these plans are carried out. The temptation is to abbreviate or skip the planning phase altogether to get the project underway quickly. This approach, however, inevitably leads to inefficiencies in the execution phase, which prolong the overall process if not doom it completely. The quality and quantity of work completed during the planning phase is critical to the project's success, and will avoid the "Ready, Fire, Aim" syndrome common to many project failures.
Best practices for the planning phase include the creation of plans for managing all major aspects of the project, including communications, risk, resource acquisition, training and implementation, among others. People often confuse the work of the planning phase with the creation of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), leading to the neglect of the rest of the best practice plans. The planning phase sets expectations for staff and stakeholders, and must include their buy off. The plans facilitate as well as document these agreements.
While some projects combine plans for all aspects of project execution in a single Project Plan, the Framework recommends the preparation of individual plans for each aspect. For all but the smaller projects, Project Plans have a tendency to become very large, making them daunting to compile in the planning phase and cumbersome to use during the execution phase. The Framework has organized the planning phase best practices in a suggested order of their preparation, based upon the timing of the need for them in the execution phase. In reality, however, some or all of these plans are frequently developed concurrently. The only one that must be done ahead of all the others is the Change Management Plan.
Other than setting aside enough time and resources to plan properly, one further tip for project success is to pay attention to the interdependencies of the various plans, making sure that when a change is made to one plan, the impacts are carried through to the other plans as needed.
The Execution Phase is when the project finally gets under way in earnest, the project's plans are implemented, and the product is finally developed or built. It is where the concepts of planning turn into the realization of outcomes and where most of the project time is spent. It is also where the project is at its greatest risk for failure.
The most important thing in this phase is to be disciplined in following the plans that have been developed in the planning phase and to use the Change Management process when they need to be modified. It is also important to recognize the practical truth that the plans will not survive the execution intact, but disciplined execution to the plans will allow the project's challenges to be overcome. This is where the project manager's skills come into play.
The PMF shifts its focus for the Execution Phase. While the previous sections focused on what to do, and why to do it, this section focuses on the best way to do it. The approach is at a more practical, hands-on level, with each best practice identifying practical tips for best results and describing additional considerations that may impact the project's success.
While the Closure Phase is not absolutely critical to the project's success it is very important to the success of future projects and the success of an agency's Project Management Office. Many of the Closure Phase best practices are designed to harvest the maximum knowledge, momentum, and good will from a project in ways that can benefit future projects. Post Implementation Reviews, lessons learned, staff transfer releases, and the final celebration are just some of the practices that directly or indirectly build a strong foundation for the next challenge.
Closure Phase best practices are also important to the project itself. Some projects are easy to close, especially once the budget is exhausted. But other projects can drag on, particularly if there are still pending issues, change requests or outstanding bugs, and ending these projects can be difficult. Closure Phase best practices provide the tools to help wrap things up and hand over the product to the client.