Five Phases of the Project Lifecycle Essay

AbstractThe interpret life rhythm rule describes the tasks that must be absolute to produce a product or service (NYS jump out perplexity Guidebook, 2003). The advise vitalitycycle has been divided into five levels. The first anatomy of the Project Lifecycle is the ready stage in which the construe concept is estimated, selected and defined as the etymon to a specific need or set of needs. In the sustain programme sort, the concept is positive into a practical visualize for implementation.The plant anatomy of go for lifecycle constitutes the third con homunculusation. This is a phase in which worry activities be carried proscribed to establish clear legal injury of name and address and a clear cargon structure. The Manage phase of propose lifecycle is the penultimate phase in which the implementation plan is executed. The last(a) phase is termed the Close phase in which the consider is completed and put down. The deliverables be past handed everywhe re to the c be and control of the owner.The Five PhasesEach phase of the bemuse lifecycle is associated with a number of activities. The number of activities in a barf depends on the course of action of the be sick and also on the judgment of the bear jitney.The different activities associated with to all(prenominal)(prenominal) one phase of the roam lifecycle ar described below Define PhaseThe Define or Initiation Phase is the first phase in the Project Life Cycle and essentially involves starting up the bulge out. A tolerate is initiated by defining its purpose and scope, the justification for initiating it and the solution to be implemented. (MPMM, 2007)Project Request laudation Approval of the wander pass on formalizes and institutionalizes the project. This act stops that only projects that deserve the kind of investment that is envisaged ar selected for implementation and executed. It helps in managing the workload of individual departments.In the ideal situ ation, eachone rotter make a project request on a prescribed project request form signed by the operating unit head. The project approver evaluates the extend on the basis of pre-specified criteria.The output of this exercise is in the form of any an approved or a denied project. If the project is approved, a project coach is assigned.Project Overview Statement The Project Overview Statement (POS) provides the essence of the project. It is a light document that establishes the purpose of the project and its relevance to the organization in toll of the stock value that it will provide.The Project Overview Statement identifies the problem which the project addresses and determines the goals and neutrals of the project. The effort that would be demand in completing the project is directd, and the assumptions, endangerments and obstacles atomic number 18 identified.The primary objective of the POS is top impress the importance of the project upon the elderly precaution and to secure its support for the project. Once the worry is convinced, the project charabanc gains the authority to use organizational visions for the project. During the course of the project lifecycle, the POS becomes the point of reference for the project.Business Case This act helps to build a case for the project by justifying it as a business need. every(prenominal) the costs and benefits of the project are weighed before taking the decision to investment in the project. Dependencies, stock requirements and risks are identified. A cost-benefit analysis is undertaken.Project Governance In this military action the roles and the activities of the different aggroup members and stakeholders are identified and fixed. The decision making hierarchy and structure of the project are defined. Escalation procedures are also drawn up. concern Approval for next phase This practise concentrates on acquiring the praise of the management to run for to the next planning phase of the project. Each phase of the project lifecycle constitutes of a modulation activity to move into the next phase. In this activity, the senior management analyzes berth report and feedbacks from customers. The senior management unneurotic with the project animal trainer then takes a decision whether the project should move into the next phase or not. This activity run acrosss that projects that are found ugly or not feasible are rejected early in the lifecycle. Plan PhaseThe focal point of this phase is developing the project scope into a stable project plan, which will be subsequent used to guide the project through the project life cycle and fulfill the business requirements (Hinds IT commission).Start-off coming upon This is the kick-off meeting in which the project tutor sets guidelines for project execution, reviews the Project Overview Statement and lays down the expectations from the project team. clocklines, approach, assumptions and constraints are discussed in this meeting. There is a conscious effort to dispel any doubts that team members may harbor. The minutes of this meeting is documented.Project Approach The objective of this activity is to define a solution for the project and to identify the method to deliver the solution. An implementation approach to meet the project goals is developed. Policies and standards are place down. This activity also clears the planning activities required. Various methods in which the project objectives can be achieved are evaluated and the best adopted. Components from separate projects that can be utilize in the project under consideration are identified. A rationale is provided for the adoption of the particular project approach. The project approach is documented. look schema The lumber strategy to be adopted for the project is determined. The project manager and his team decide which Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities will be carried out during the course of the project lifecyc le. A list of Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities is developed.Work Breakdown Structure The project is broken down and decomposed into smaller components of activity units, sub tasks and work packages. This enables the manager to estimate the duration of the project more objectively, determine the resources that would be required and also work out a schedule for project execution. It provides the management with enhanced control. A work break down structure evolves out of this activity. This activity is an element of the work plan.Time and Cost Estimate The age and cost for each task is estimated depending upon the resources available and capability. The clip and cost estimate that is drawn up becomes an input for the work plan.Schedule Development This activity documents the different tasks that need to be executed during the course of the project lifecycle and then assigns responsibilities and establishes timelines for the tasks. Dependencies between various tasks are highlighted. Resources are assigned to the tasks, gauge reviews and interrogation are planned. This activity determines that the project is completed on time and that the business aspect of the overview statement is addressed. Once the overall schedule is available, the project manager is responsible for varaning the promotion reasonly. The deliverable of this activity is the work plan. essay focal point Strategy Plan This activity develops a complete plan for handling risks pertaining to the project. It defines how risks will be identified, who will do so and at what absolute frequency risks will be identified. It adopts a risk monitoring toll, sets the risk escalation matrix and defines how to handle issues with high risk probability. The roles and responsibilities for the risk management do are accorded.Communications trouble Plan This plan is developed to ensure flow of required information to all team members. Access methodo enteries are worked out, information is categorized according to target groups and overall conference systems defined. emerge Management Plan An issue management swear out is defined in this activity. The objective of the activity is to ensure that issues are identified, evaluated and assigned for resolution. An issue log is documented and shacked.Quality Assurance Plan This plan is implemented to validate that the major activities and processes are completed with an acceptable level of quality. Acceptance criteria for deliverables, quality assurance activities, in-process control plans, and quality-related responsibilities are defined. Frequency of project plan reviews, frequency of receiving and sending military position reports, and frequency of checking for process improvements are determined.Resource Plan This plan is developed to determine the resources that will be required during the various phases of the Project Lifecycle. It also takes into consideration the need training programs or other value-addition pr ocesses. The type and amount of resources needed are determined. The estimated output, availability, and cost of the resources are determined. procurance Plan This plan draws up the procurement strategy. The scope and type of products and go that are to be procured are outlined. Procurement responsibilities are fixed and assigned. seller evaluation criteria and approval procedures are set.Operational change over Plan This activity ensures the smooth activation of the project. Installation processes and related roles and responsibilities are identified. Pre-requisites for smooth rollout of processes are bring in and planned for.Stephenson et. al. (2000) in the Mars Climate Orbiter bad luck Investigation climb on puts high importance on this activity. Referring to NASA operations it states that close attention should be paid from project outset to the plan for innovation between development and operations. Adequate systems engineering staffing, particularly a commission systems engineer, should be in place to provide a bridge during the transition between development and operations, and also to support risk management clientele studies.Integrated Project Plan This activity enables proper co-ordination of the project. Roles and responsibilities are identified. Reviews are planned all aspects of the project are examined to ensure that all applicable factors are taken into consideration.Team Assignment Team assignment is make to ensure that individuals with appropriate acquirements are assigned to the relevant group and theatre of work. The Project Manager balances resource availability with the Work Plan. Work packages are defined and assigned and any questions and conflicts regarding work packages are resolved.Management Approval for next Phase Management approval is given for the next phase based on analyses of status reports and feedbacks.Planning takes a lot of patience. A traditional mistake is to leap before one is ready. When there is twinge to deliver, the temptation is to get the ball rolling (Jenkins, 2006). Launch Phaseinitial Meeting The project manager informs the team members of the ground rules of the project, the working style, the communication plan and the escalation process for conflict resolution. The minutes of the meeting is documented for reference.initial hazard Identification Risks are identified and categorized during the course of this activity. For each risk identified, the risk event is assessed in terms of likelihood of happening and its effect on project objectives if it were to occur. The objective is to ensure that the entire team is involved in the identification of risks for the project. This ensures that all perspectives are taken into number while planning for risks.Team Readiness This activity consists of preparing each member of the team to handle the roles and responsibilities that has been assigned to the person. Training programs, workshops and seminars are organized for skill and kno wledge updating. Key goals are identified for each team member. at heart the team, each role is accountable for the activities necessary to achieve its own quality goal (Microsoft, 2002). Manage PhaseThe project plan is executed in the Manage Phase. The primary purpose of project management during this phase is to monitor, evaluate and communicate project progress and to define and implement corrective measures if progress does not meet the expectations defined in the Project Plan (Heinsights, 2003). This phase comprises the following activitiesPerformance Tracking and Reporting The overall objective is to track the progress of the project and to ensure that the project is progressing at a right rate. Cost, time, scope and quality are tracked along with actual accomplishments and results. All persons associated with the project are provided access to the progress records. Team meetings are held to replace information. The status of the project is reported to the relevant stakehold ers. Weekly status reports and tracked project schedules are the outcomes of this activity.Schedule Control The objective of this activity is to ensure that tasks are executed as per the Work Plan so that the deadline for the project can be met. If there is any possibility of delays, the relevant stakeholders are informed. The project manager tracks the various tasks in a project by exchanging task status information with team members and then incorporating the latest status information into the project Work Plan. If the any task, schedule or resource information changes, the Project Manager communicates the revised Work Plan to the project team. The outcome of this activity is the tracked work plan.Change Control nevertheless meticulous the planning may have been, all projects need to befit changes. The objective of this activity is to ensure that all changes to scope are documented and authorized by the relevant stakeholders. Any change to the scope is communicated to the projec t manager. Change requests are put up to the project manager who approves or denies the request in consultation with the management.Cost Control This activity ensures that the project cost adheres as closely as possible to the calculateed cost. Since costs are agreed upon at the beginning by the sponsors, the project manager has to monitor the costs and report any deviation of project cost from the budget cost to the sponsor or customer. A status report documents project costs in the various phases of the project.Quality Assurance and Control This process comprises project reviews, product reviews, code reviews, testing, and any other process that the Project Manager might think necessary. Defects are identified, and categorized. Root causes are analyzed. This activity is carried out with the objective of ensuring that the project team meets the project requirements in terms of all requisite quality criteria.Monitoring and Controlling consists of those processes performed to observ e project execution so that potential problems can be identified in a timely manner and corrective action can be taken, when necessary, to control the execution of the project (Wikipedia, 2008).Procurement Management The objective is to ensure adherence to the procurement plan and procedures so that the selection procedure is middling and the quality of supplies and services are acceptable.Risk Management Risk management follows the Risk Management Plan that was adopted in the Plan Phase. The management monitors all risks with a risk exposure over the threshold limit. Risk mitigation strategies are planned and contingency plans are developed. The Risk intercellular substance is revisited at an appropriate frequency.Information Distribution This activity ensures that all parties touch on have easy access to relevant information in treaty with the information sharing plan. All relevant information needs to be communicated to the appropriate parties at the right time and in the appr opriate format.Time Tracking and Management This activity is concerned with the logging of all time spent on the project. Time spent is tracked at a project level, and analyzed at an organizational level. The output is in the form of time sheets and variance reports.Management Approval for next phase Management approval is given for the next phase based on analyses of status reports and feedbacks. Close PhaseThis consists of bringing the project to an orderly end formalizing and communicating the acceptance or conclusion of a project, handing over to the ongoing accountable area, completing an Activity Completion Report and, for major projects, holding a post implementation review (QUT, 2008)Transition to Production The Operational Transfer Plan is carried out after the required checks are done. This activity ensures that all planned testing is carried out, all customer requirements are met and that the product is richly operational. Customer acceptance of the product is ensured be fore commencing production.Wrap-up Meeting This final meeting is again called by the project manager to take stock of everything that has happened in the course of the project.Lessons Learned Lessons learned during the project are documented and embodied in the knowledge base for future use. The lessons learned document is developed and deposited in the knowledge base.Administrative Closure The Project Manager ensures that the project is approved and accepted by the relevant stakeholders. All documentation and records are reviewed, organized and archived. Backups are taken. Resources are released and the project is closed. This activity marks the final closure of the project.References-01Heinsights, 2003, Project Management Lifecycle, Development Standard.Hinds IT Management, Project Management Life Cycl, Lilla Nyby Valmerdalen, Sweden.Jenkins, N., 2006, A Project Management Primer, Creative Commons, California, USA.Microsoft Solutions Framework, 2002, White Paper, MSF Project Mana gement Discipline.MPMM, 2007, Project Management Life Cycle, Online Available http//www.mpmm.com/project-management-methodology.php March 1, 2008NYS Project Management Guidebook, 2003, Project Management Lifecycle, Online Available. http//www.oft.state.ny.us/pmmp/guidebook2/Origination.pdf March 1, 2008 QUT, 2008, Project Phases, Online Available. http//www.its.qut.edu.au/pp/framework/pmfphases/ March 1, 2008Stephenson, A., G., Mulville, D., R., Bauer, F., H., Dukeman, G., A., Norvig, P., LaPiana, L., S., Rutledge, P., J., Folta, D., Sackheim, R., 2000, Report on Project Management in NASA, Mars Climate Orbiter Mishap Investigation BoardWikipedia, 2008, Project Management, Online Available http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management March 1, 2008