Project Manager Tips & Hints

Project Manager - Starting a New Project

Project Manager - Starting a New Project

The first phase in the Project Lifecycle is Project Initiation. This phase involves creating a new project by defining the business problem or opportunity to be addressed, the solution to be delivered and the scope within which the project will be undertaken. The following activities need to be completed:

Although it might not be evident, the Project Initiation phase is by far the most critical phase in the Project Life cycle. If you do not properly initiate the project, you will greatly increase the risk of project failure. It takes time, diligence and patience to ensure that the project is properly defined and scoped before it is executed. Unfortunately a large number of projects quickly pass through this phase by:

• Failing to properly define the business benefits and costs associated with the project
• Assuming that the solution identified is feasible, without conducting feasibility testing
• Defining the generic objectives, scope and deliverables of the project, without any sound basis for measuring performance.

This is the reason that many projects suffer from scope creep, late delivery and excess spending. To avoid these common pitfalls, you need to complete each step listed here as thoroughly as possible. If you achieve this, you can feel confident that your project has a solid foundation for success.