Projects go through different stages in their life cycle - this is described as the Project Management Framework (PMF).
The Project Management Framework (PMF) identifies the key project documentation that should be produced at each stage.
Pre-Qualification Stage - Requesting a new project or development
This process is where the requestor will document their requirement for a new project or development request in the form of an 'Initial Project Development/Request' document. This process helps the requestor to develop their idea and enables early engagement with ILS, as all requests will be initially assessed by the ILS Triage group who meet once a fortnight. Part of this assessment by ILS will be to determine the potential size/risk of the project/development request and to determine:
Templates available in this stage:
Qualification Stage – Developing Business Case
If the project is determined to be medium-high scale in terms of costs/risks/impact to stakeholders, a Business Case will need to be created. The Business Case should describe the justification for undertaking the project, based on the costs of its implementation and the anticipated benefits to be gained. The Business Case needs to provide sufficient information to enable the appropriate System Board to make informed decisions around assessing the value for money in terms of benefits, strategic fit, affordability, achievability and any alternative options.
The key documents in this stage are:
Initiating/Planning Stage – Starting the Project
The Project Initiation Document (PID) is one of the most important documents in project management because it provides a foundation for the project. A PID should only be produced once approval has been given of the Business Case to proceed. The PID should be developed for the entire project and provide sufficient detail on the whole project. The PID will usually then be agreed by a Steering Group that has been put in place to govern the project.
The key documents in this stage are:
Delivery stage – Implementing the project
During this stage, the project really takes shape and involves the construction of the actual project results. It will usually involve the testing of the end product to ensure it meets the initial requirements of the project. At this point, it will also be important to manage the progress of the project and keep attention on any risks and issues associated with the implementation.
The key documents in this stage are:
A description of the method and frequency of communication between the project and the project's stakeholders. The Sponsor and Steering Group will typically review the strategy.
This document is used to actively manage all of the identified risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies which were originally identified in the PID. Actively managing these areas of the project should assist in keeping the project on track in terms of cost/timeline/quality.
Used to track and review the status of a project on a monthly basis.
Project Plan
The project plan identifies the key tasks, their duration and resources required to complete each task on the project. MS Project is a good tool to use to manage the project plan.
These documents are required to ensure that the support teams can support the system(s) in a 'Business as Usual' environment:
Project Closure Stage – Post Project Review and Lessons Learnt
The purpose of the Post Project Review is to review the completed project and find lessons learnt on what went well and what could be done better. This should help inform future projects and develop the maturity of the organisation undertaking IT projects.
The key documents in this stage are:
For examples of completed project templates, please contact the PMO directly.
All PMO documents can be found in the documents section of the website.
The Project Manager or Project Lead is responsible for making sure that the required documentation is completed for the project. However, business or subject specialists may be asked to complete individual sections or documents on behalf of the project team.