Project start up
Project start-up or initiation is the first phase of project management.
Core elements of project start up
Outlined below are core elements to address during this phase. Each method is linked to a tool in the tools section at the bottom of this page.
A project charter is the statement of scope, objectives and people who are participating in a project. It supports the team to document what they want to achieve, why it is important and how they will measure success.
Communication and Engagement Plan
It is fundamental to make sure all those affected by the project have the information they need to support the project once the charter has been developed. Generally, these people fall into two categories; those who are close to the project and involved with the various activities directly, and those who might be impacted by the project or are just interested. Planning communication will help identify your audience, define the purpose, identify key messages, engage audiences and share what has been learned through various methods and platforms.
All projects require team working and will be made up from various roles. These could include a lead, a project manager, process owners, improvement support, analysts, service users, finance and a sponsor.
As multiple people will be involved in the project, it is essential to identify roles and responsibilities early on. A RACI matrix is a useful model to help understand those roles & responsibilities.
A simple visual display that outlines and logically connects an improvement aim to a small number of primary drivers, secondary drivers and change ideas.
Pareto charts can help a team concentrate its improvement efforts on the factors that have the greatest impact. It can help a team communicate the rationale for focusing on certain areas.
Tools for project start up