The Project Initiation Phase is the first phase in the Project Management Life Cycle, as it involves starting up a new project. In this phase a business problem (or opportunity) is identified and a business case which provides various solution options is defined. A feasibility study is then conducted to investigate the likelihood of each solution option addressing the business problem and a final recommended solution is put forward. Once the recommended solution is approved, a project is initiated to deliver the approved solution. The project is outlined the objectives, scope and structure of the new project, and Project Manager is appointed. The Project Manager begins recruiting a project team and establishes a Project Office environment. Approval is then sought to move into the detailed planning phase.
Purpose
The purpose of Project Initiation is to begin to define the overall parameters of a project and establish the appropriate project management and quality environment required to complete the project.
Development of the Project Charter is a pivotal starting point for the project, establishing the project definition that will serve as the foundation for all future efforts. The completion of this process is marked by the Project Kick-off Meeting, in which the Project Manager presents the Project Charter.
Successful projects begin with a detailed project definition that is understood and accepted by Stakeholders. As part of Project Initiation, an initial Project Plan is developed, which comprises the Project Charter, Cost/Scope/Schedule/Quality (CSSQ) documents, and preliminary risk identification list. These documents, once approved, ensure a consistent understanding of the project, help to set expectations, and identify resources necessary to move t ...