Starting Up a Project

Starting up a project provides a short sharp start to the project. This activity ensures that there is an initial set of people assigned to prepare the initial definition and planning of the project. During this activity, the mandate, the trigger for the project, is evaluated to ensure that the business objectives are best achieved through a project. After carrying out this activity, other approaches may be recommended, such as a program, or part of an existing project rather than proceeding with this project.

At a minimum, the Executive and Project ManagerDay to Day Management of the Project - appointed by Corporate / Programme Management. Roles are defined and filled. Previous lessons learned are taken into consideration as this activity is carried out. These roles then design and appoint the project management team .

The Executive and Project Manager prepare the Project BriefProject Document produced in 'Starting up a Project' that defines the project., including the following sections:

Project Definition
Outline Business Case
Project Product Description
Project Approach

The Project Brief is assembled from the above sections and the draft Initiation Stage Plan is prepared.. Other project management team members may support this work as required.

Where a proposal is prepared, the proposal may contain the same information as the Project Brief, and Project Approach . If the information is in the proposal, the proposal will replace the Project Brief or Project Approach. A Initiation Stage Plan will always be required. In general, proposals are prepared as part of the Initiation Stage of the project. Typically, the end of 'Starting Up a Project is the first Bid / no Bid decision made for the project.

The Outline Business Case is an initial draft of the Business Case that will be refined during the Initiation Stage.

On small projects or where a project is part of a programme, this process may be combined with the Initiating a Project process.

At the end of this process, all of the information is made available to the Project Board to formally request to initiate a project.

Project Board Executive and Project Manager Appointed
Project Management Team Documented
Project Brief or equivalent Project Proposal Available
The Project Product Description
Outline Business Case
Risk Log prepared.
Project Approach Documented or documented in the Project Proposal
Project Initiation Stage Plan Documented

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