Task: Initiate Project
This task describes how to staff the team that will define the high-level lifecycle plan and the criteria for measuring project success.
Disciplines: Project Management
Relationships
RolesPrimary Performer: Additional Performers:
InputsMandatory: Optional:
  • None
Outputs
Process Usage
Main Description

The Initiate Project task is carried out following approval of the project's Business Case by the Project Approval Review. The task sets up the necessary executive management and project planning teams, and also sets out the criteria that will be used to determine when the project has been successfully completed.

Steps
Assign Project Review Authority (PRA)

The Project Review Authority (PRA) is an organizational entity responsible for overseeing the project. It is strongly recommended that an individual be nominated as the PRA, with assistance in project oversight coming from a defined group of senior technical and business management staff from the project organization, as well as executive-level customer staff. A typical group assisting the PRA for a medium sized contract software project might include the following:

  • VP, Software Development
  • VP, Marketing
  • Quality Assurance Manager
  • Software Engineering Process Authority representative
  • Manager of the customer business unit ordering the software
Assign Project Manager

A project manager with appropriate skills and experience is identified and approved by the project board.

Assign Project Planning Team

The project planning team, is the initial group of project team members who will carry out the work of the Inception phase. The planning team is identified, approved and assigned by the project manager, in conjunction with the PRA. The project planning team might typically include the following:

  • Project Manager
  • Software Architect
  • System Analysts
  • Development Lead
  • Test Lead
  • Configuration Management Manager
  • Customer representative
Approve Product Acceptance Criteria

The final step in Initiate Project is to define some objective criteria that will be used by the customer to determine when the project deliverables are acceptable. These criteria should be developed jointly by the customer organization and the project team, and may include the following:

  • Delivery of all work products identified as deliverable to the customer
  • List of required participants for acceptance testing
  • Required test location(s)
  • Successful completion of the work product evaluations identified in the Product Acceptance Plan
  • Successful completion of customer training
  • Successful completion of on-site installation
  • Measures that will identify to what extent original project specifications have been met
  • Measures that will identify to what extent the objectives of the business case have been met


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