Project Definition Checklist

A project definition checklist can help you determine whether your project is defined properly and whether you are ready to proceed to the next iteration of detailed planning. If you find that your project is not properly defined, the following options are available:

• Resolve any gaps with appropriate stakeholders before moving on to the next phase.
• If the project has already been defined, work to resolve these gaps during the detail planning phase.
• If gaps cannot be resolved, then handle as project risks or issues (whichever is appropriate for the specific gap).

General

• Is it clear why this project is being undertaken?
• Is there a clear picture of the desired results of this project?
• Is there a clear picture of how this project fits within the organizational landscape?
• Is there a gap between available and needed funds?
• Have the success factors been identified? Are they complete? Are they SMART?
• Have any future-state performance targets been defined as success factors? Are they SMART?
• Is the gap between the current state and the desired future state clearly documented and understood?
• Has the expected change impact on existing business processes, customers, systems, and staff been clearly documented?
• Do you understand who is funding the project initiative? TipUse a Project Organization Chart to effectively summarize the project team members and the key stakeholders.

Scope

• Does project scope indicate boundaries among impacted processes, systems, and organizations?
• Is project scope defined clearly enough to show when scope creep is occurring?
• Have any external process or system interfaces that will be impacted by this project been identified?
• Has the process workflow between business units or business functions been properly considered?
• Have the organizational and geographic boundaries been clearly defined?
• Does project scope include related items that are out of scope?
• Does project scope include any other organizational or technology-based initiative that is needed to fully support the project objective?
• If project scope includes any requirements, have the requirements been properly validated?
• Have any and all project constraints been identified?
• Have any and all project assumptions been identified?
• Are there any known policies, regulations, or standards that apply to this project (such as procurement, quality, security, regulatory compliance, and so on)? CautionAs with all project documents, make sure you have a way to control changes to the Project Definition document and that you have proper backups of it.Your Configuration Management Plan.

Stakeholders

• Has the project sponsor been identified and engaged?
• Is each affected business unit and business process step represented on the project team?
• Is each customer group represented on the project team?
• Are all stakeholders identified in a project organization chart?
• Are the reporting relationships indicated in the project organization chart?
• Are project roles described and assigned to each stakeholder?
• Have you identified which stakeholders form the core management steering committee?
• Have you identified which stakeholders need to review and approve any requested changes to the project definition?

Project Approach

• Does the recommended approach explain why it is selected over the alternatives?
• Are the proposed technologies, strategies, and methodologies documented?

Other

• Are the project definition elements documented?
• Is the Project Definition document under configuration management (version control)?
• Have high-level risks and planned responses been identified?
• Have the preliminary timeline and budget been stated? Are the supporting reasons and assumptions documented?

Acceptance

• Have all stakeholders reviewed, agreed upon, and approved the Project Definition document?
• Have the project and the project manager been officially authorized?

The Absolute Minimum

At this point, you should have a solid understanding of the following:

• A properly defined project greatly increases the odds for project success.
• The project and the project manager position should be officially announced and formally authorized to proceed.
• The primary project management tool for defining a project is the Project Definition document.
• The key skills used by the project manager when defining a project are facilitation, interviewing, negotiation, and general interpersonal skills.
• The Project Definition document should clearly communicate why the project is being undertaken, how it fits within the organization, what it will accomplish, the boundaries for the project work, who will be involved, and how project success will be measured.
• Two effective visual tools for communicating the definition of a project are the Project Overview Map and the Project Organization Chart.
• The Project Definition document is a living document throughout the project. However, any changes to the document must be approved by the same set of original stakeholders.
• All stakeholders in the project must be identified.
• All major stakeholders must approve the Project Definition document.

The map in Figure 4.1 summarizes the main points reviewed in this chapter.