The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.
Within the Initiating processes, the initial scope is defined and initial financial resources are committed.
Internal and external stakeholders who
will interact and influence the overall outcome of the project are identified.
If not already assigned, the project manager will be selected.
This information is captured in the project charter and stakeholder register.
When the project charter is approved, the project becomes officially authorized.
Although the project management team may
help write the project charter, this standard assumes that business case assessment, approval, and funding are handled externally to the project boundaries.
A project boundary is defined as the point in time that a project or project phase is authorized to its completion.
The key purpose of this Process Group is to align the stakeholders’ expectations with the project’s purpose, give them visibility about the scope and objectives, show how their participation in the project and it associated phases can ensure that their expectations are achieved.
These processes help set the vision of the project—what is needed to be accomplished.
Large complex projects should be divided into separate phases.
In such projects, the Initiating processes are
carried out during subsequent phases to validate the decisions made during the original Develop Project Charter
and Identify Stakeholders processes.
Performing the Initiating processes at the start of each phase helps to keep the project focused on the business need that the project was undertaken to address.
The success criteria are verified, and the influence, drivers, and objectives of the project stakeholders are reviewed.
A decision is then made as to whether the project should be continued, delayed, or discontinued.
Involving the sponsors, customers, and other stakeholders during initiation creates a shared understanding of success criteria, reduces the overhead of involvement, and generally improves deliverable acceptance, customer satisfaction, and other stakeholder satisfaction.
Initiating processes may be performed at the organizational, program, or portfolio level and therefore, would be outside of the project’s level of control.
For example, prior to commencing a project, the need for high-level requirements may be documented as part of a larger organizational initiative.
A process of evaluating alternatives may be utilized to determine the feasibility of the new undertaking.
Clear descriptions of the project objectives may be developed, including the reasons why a specific project is the best alternative to satisfy the requirements.
The documentation for this decision may also contain the initial project scope statement, deliverables, project duration,
and a forecast of the resources for the organization’s investment analysis.
As part of the Initiating processes, the project manager is given the authority to apply organizational resources to the subsequent project activities.
4.1 Develop Project Charter—The process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
Develop Project Charter is the process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
The key benefit of this process is a
well-defined project start and project boundaries, a creation of a formal record of
the project, and a direct way for senior management to formally accept and commit to the project.
Inputs
From projector initiator and sponsor:
1 Project statement of work
2 Business case
3 Agreements (or contract)
From enterprise and organization:
4 Enterprise environmental
factors
5 Organizational process
assets
Output
1. Project charter
Note: In the case of external projects, a formal contract is typically the preferred way to establish an agreement. In this case, the project team becomes the seller responding to conditions of an offer to buy from an outside entity.
Identify Stakeholders
Identify Stakeholders is the process of identifying the people, groups, or organizations that could impact or be impacted by a decision, activity, or outcome of the project, analyzing and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact on project success.
The key benefit of this process is that it allows the project manager to identify the appropriate focus for each stakeholder
or group of stakeholders.
Within the Initiating processes, the initial scope is defined and initial financial resources are committed.
Internal and external stakeholders who
will interact and influence the overall outcome of the project are identified.
If not already assigned, the project manager will be selected.
This information is captured in the project charter and stakeholder register.
When the project charter is approved, the project becomes officially authorized.
Although the project management team may
help write the project charter, this standard assumes that business case assessment, approval, and funding are handled externally to the project boundaries.
A project boundary is defined as the point in time that a project or project phase is authorized to its completion.
The key purpose of this Process Group is to align the stakeholders’ expectations with the project’s purpose, give them visibility about the scope and objectives, show how their participation in the project and it associated phases can ensure that their expectations are achieved.
These processes help set the vision of the project—what is needed to be accomplished.
Large complex projects should be divided into separate phases.
In such projects, the Initiating processes are
carried out during subsequent phases to validate the decisions made during the original Develop Project Charter
and Identify Stakeholders processes.
Performing the Initiating processes at the start of each phase helps to keep the project focused on the business need that the project was undertaken to address.
The success criteria are verified, and the influence, drivers, and objectives of the project stakeholders are reviewed.
A decision is then made as to whether the project should be continued, delayed, or discontinued.
Involving the sponsors, customers, and other stakeholders during initiation creates a shared understanding of success criteria, reduces the overhead of involvement, and generally improves deliverable acceptance, customer satisfaction, and other stakeholder satisfaction.
Initiating processes may be performed at the organizational, program, or portfolio level and therefore, would be outside of the project’s level of control.
For example, prior to commencing a project, the need for high-level requirements may be documented as part of a larger organizational initiative.
A process of evaluating alternatives may be utilized to determine the feasibility of the new undertaking.
Clear descriptions of the project objectives may be developed, including the reasons why a specific project is the best alternative to satisfy the requirements.
The documentation for this decision may also contain the initial project scope statement, deliverables, project duration,
and a forecast of the resources for the organization’s investment analysis.
As part of the Initiating processes, the project manager is given the authority to apply organizational resources to the subsequent project activities.
4.1 Develop Project Charter—The process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
Develop Project Charter is the process of developing a document that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
The key benefit of this process is a
well-defined project start and project boundaries, a creation of a formal record of
the project, and a direct way for senior management to formally accept and commit to the project.
Inputs
From projector initiator and sponsor:
1 Project statement of work
2 Business case
3 Agreements (or contract)
From enterprise and organization:
4 Enterprise environmental
factors
5 Organizational process
assets
Output
1. Project charter
Note: In the case of external projects, a formal contract is typically the preferred way to establish an agreement. In this case, the project team becomes the seller responding to conditions of an offer to buy from an outside entity.
Identify Stakeholders
Identify Stakeholders is the process of identifying the people, groups, or organizations that could impact or be impacted by a decision, activity, or outcome of the project, analyzing and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, interdependencies, influence, and potential impact on project success.
The key benefit of this process is that it allows the project manager to identify the appropriate focus for each stakeholder
or group of stakeholders.
