The key components of the project initiation such as goals, scope, deliverables, success criteria, stakeholders, and resources play vital roles throughout the project life cycle. In this article, we’ll explore these key components one by one.
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What Is Project Initiation?
According to the PMBOK 6th edition, initiation is the first phase of the project life cycle. A well-planned initiation creates a strong foundation for your project and increases the chances of its success. Project Initiation starts after a problem or opportunity has been identified within an organization. Often, stakeholders such as senior leaders at a company initiate a project to address a specific business need. As a project manager, you must help your teams identify the project goals, and resources such as people, materials, equipment, and other details based on initial discussions with the appropriate stakeholders.
The project initiation phase is crucial because during this time the project manager can ask stakeholders the right questions, perform, research, determine resources, and document the key components of the project. Furthermore, this will help you solidify the project scope or the boundary. However, if the project isn’t initiated properly or skipping this phase can lead to unclear goals, resource mismanagement, and increasing risks, ultimately threatening the project’s success. For example,
Without a clear understanding of the project’s goals, you might underestimate what resources you need or how long the project might take, or without clearly agreeing with stakeholders on what success looks like, you might think the project was completed successfully. In contrast, the stakeholders might think it didn’t accomplish their goals.
As a project manager, you are responsible for getting on the same page and gaining clarity during the initiation phase which can save a lot of time and extra work for everyone throughout the project life cycle. Proper initiation also helps project managers to ensure that the benefits of the project outcomes or deliverables will outweigh the costs of your project. However, to determine this the project manager can use cost-benefit analysis techniques.
Key Components of Project Initiation
Here are several key components of the project initiation phase that you need to consider for your project to be successful. They are,
- Project goals
- Project scope
- Project deliverables
- Success criteria
- Stakeholders
- Resources
Let’s explore each of them one by one.
Project Goals
This is the first key component of the project initiation phase. Project goals are essential to the success of any project, helping as a roadmap to guide activities and measure progress. Setting clear, realistic, and measurable goals will help the project manager align team members, satisfy stakeholders, and deliver successful outcomes. In short, goals are specific, high-level outcomes of what you’ve been asked to do and what you’re trying to achieve.
All projects should have clear goals and senior leaders often determine those with your help. To set effective project goals, the project manager can identify stakeholders’ needs, use the SMART framework, prioritize objectives, document goals, and review and refine them. Here are some examples of project goals.
- IT project: Implement a customer relationship management system to enhance customer retention by 25% in one year.
- Construction project: Complete a residential building within 20 months and stay within a $6 million budget.
Project Scope
This is the second key component of the project initiation phase. Project scope is the foundation of any successful project. It sets clear expectations, guides planning and execution, and helps prevent miscommunication and resource waste. Clearly defining and managing the scope will help the project manager to ensure that the project stays aligned with its objectives, ultimately delivering value to stakeholders. In short, the project scope is the process of defining the work needed to complete the project.
Here are some steps to define the project scope.
- Understand stakeholder needs
- Define objectives and deliverables
- Establish boundaries
- Break down the work
- Document in a scope statement
- Validate the stakeholders
Defining the project scope is essential because it helps align stakeholder expectations, prevent scope creep, ensure focus, and enhance planning accuracy.
Project Deliverables
This is the third key component of the project initiation phase. Project deliverables are tangible or intangible products, services, or results that a project produces to meet its objectives. These are the specific outcomes that stakeholders, such as customers, clients, or project sponsors, expect from the project and are outlined in the project plan.
Here are some types of project deliverables.
- Internal deliverables: Project outputs created within the team, such as project plans or reports. For example: A communication management plan was prepared during the project.
- External deliverables: Products or services delivered to clients or stakeholders outside the organization. For example: A completed website or marketing campaign.
- Process deliverables: Intermediate outputs that contribute to the final deliverables. For example: Design drafts or test results.
- Final deliverables: the ultimate products or outcomes that signify project completion. For example A manufacturing system or a software application.
Project deliverables are crucial because they allow project managers to define project success, align stakeholders’ expectations, support documentation and accountability, and facilitate planning and monitoring.
Success Criteria
This is the fourth key component of the project initiation phase. Once the project goals, scope, and deliverables are determined, you are responsible for considering success criteria. Success criteria are specific standards or benchmarks used to evaluate whether a project has achieved its objectives and delivered value. By setting clear, measurable, and aligned benchmarks, you can ensure that their projects meet expectations and achieve their intended goals.
Stakeholders
This is the fifth key component of the project initiation phase. Stakeholders are the people who make informed decisions throughout the project. They can influence the project’s direction, success, and execution and may include people who are directly or indirectly involved in the project. Here are some types of project stakeholders.
- Primary stakeholders – They are individuals or groups directly impacted by the project. For example, project team members, sponsors, clients
- Secondary stakeholders – They are individuals or groups indirectly impacted by the project. For example, suppliers, communities, regulatory bodies
- Internal stakeholders – Involves stakeholders within the organization managing the project. For example, project managers, employees, executives
- External stakeholders – Involves stakeholders outside the organization but affected by the project outcomes. For example, customers, inventors, government agencies
Read More: Stakeholder management in project management
As a project manager, you are responsible for ensuring that all stakeholders agree on the goals and overall mission of the project before moving on to the next phase.
Read More: Why stakeholder management is important in project management
Resources
This is the sixth key component of the project initiation phase. Project resources generally refer to the people, budget, material, and other items required to complete a project successfully. These resources are essential for executing tasks, achieving objectives, and delivering project outcomes. However, it’s important to think carefully about these pieces early on. Here are some types of project resources.
- Human resources
- Material resources
- Financial resources
- Technological resources
- Time
- Knowledge resources
Example for Project Initiation
James is an event producer who works at a tech company with 300 employees. He is working on a project to plan the company’s annual employee conference. Let’s explore how James initiates the project.
Establish Clear Project Goals
James’s teams can come together and develop stronger collaborative skills. James talks to senior management and they agree participatory workshops for the company’s 300 global employees.
Define Project Scope
James researches venues, vendors, and technology provides to ensure he has a sense of costs and logistical needs. Then, he can define the project scope.
Provide Deliverables
Provide throughout the conference including event registration a full schedule of events and meal service.
Clearly Define Success Criteria
James plans to send satisfaction surveys to gather direct employee feedback. He also arranges to promote the survey on posters at the event and post-conference emails.
Conclusion
The key components of the project initiation phase play a crucial role throughout the project including project goals, scope, deliverables, success criteria, stakeholders, and resources. They directly and indirectly impact the project’s success.
