1. Initiation Phase
- What Happens?
- Define the project goals and purpose.
- Identify stakeholders and constraints.
- Create a high-level project charter or business case.
- Key Outputs:
- Project Charter.
- Stakeholder Identification.
- Key Question:
- Is this project worth pursuing?
2. Planning Phase
- What Happens?
- Break down the project into tasks and assign responsibilities.
- Set timelines, budgets, and resources.
- Identify risks and mitigation strategies.
- Key Outputs:
- Project Plan (scope, schedule, budget).
- Risk Management Plan.
- Communication Plan.
- Key Question:
- How will we do this work?
3. Execution Phase
- What Happens?
- Implement the project plan.
- Coordinate teams and resources.
- Deliverables are created and completed.
- Key Outputs:
- Completed Deliverables.
- Regular Status Updates.
- Key Question:
- Are we following the plan effectively?
4. Monitoring & Controlling Phase
- What Happens?
- Track project progress against the plan.
- Identify and address issues or deviations.
- Ensure quality standards are met.
- Key Tools:
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Change Requests.
- Key Question:
- Are we on track?
5. Closure Phase
- What Happens?
- Finalize all project activities.
- Deliver the completed project to stakeholders.
- Conduct a retrospective to document lessons learned.
- Key Outputs:
- Final Deliverables.
- Project Closure Report.
- Lessons Learned Document.
- Key Question:
- Did we achieve the objectives?
Quick Mnemonic to Remember the Phases
“I Plan Every Major Closure”
- I: Initiation.
- Plan: Planning.
- Every: Execution.
- Major: Monitoring & Controlling.
- Closure: Closure.
Key Tips for Revision
- Initiation: Define the “Why”.
- Planning: Create the “How”.
- Execution: Do the work.
- Monitoring: Check the progress.
- Closure: Wrap it up.