Initiating

Starting a Project
Learning outcomes
Discuss project pre-initiating activities

Discuss project initiating activities

Create a project charter to formally initiate a project

Identify project stakeholders and perform a stakeholder analysis

Describe the importance of holding a project kick-off meeting

Things that need to happen

Before Initiation During Initiation

• Determine the scope, time and cost • Identify and understand the
constraints of the project stakeholders involved in the project
• Identify the project sponsor • Create the project charter
• Select the project manager • Hold a kick-off meeting
• Develop a business case for the
project
• Review the processes and
expectations for managing the project
The Project
Charter

Initiating the Project

 Develop Project Charter is the process of developing the
document (project charter) that formally authorizes the
existence of the project.

Project The project charter provides the project manager with the
Charter: authority to apply organizational resources to project activities

What is it
The project charter provides a direct link between the project
and Why? and the strategic objectives of the organization

The project charter creates a formal record of the project

The project charter demonstrates the organization’s

commitment to the project
 Objectives / High-level
Project purpose
success criteria requirements

Project
High-level project
description, Schedule
Project risk
boundaries and (milestones)
Charter; key deliverables

Common
Elements High level
Key stakeholder Assigned project
include: financial
resources
list manager

Sponsor Exit criteria

Stakeholder
Performance
Domain
Activities & Functions
Associated with Stakeholders
What you think
you know (see)
initially, can
have
consequential
impacts to
project success
Definition: Stakeholder
An individual, group or organization that may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to
be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project, program, or portfolio
vs. PMBOK6 Knowledge Area
Project Stakeholder Management

Project Stakeholder Management includes

processes required to: Knowledge Process
Process
Area Group
- identify the people, groups or
organizations that can impact or be
Identify
impacted by the project Stakeholders
Initiating

- analyze stakeholder expectations and

Plan
their impact on the project Stakeholder Planning
Project Engagement
- develop appropriate management Stakeholder
Management Manage
strategies for effectively engaging Stakeholder Executing
Engagement
stakeholders in project decisions and
Monitor
execution Stakeholder
Monitoring &
Controlling
Engagement
Project stakeholders can include:

• Suppliers

3 • Customers
• End Users
• Regulatory Bodies

2
• Governing Bodies
• PMOs
• Steering Committees

1
• Project Manager
• Project Management Team
• Project Team
 Identify

Monitor Understand

Stakeholder
Engagement
Engage Analyze

Prioritize
 Navigating Stakeholder Engagement
High level The project team Not all Introduce project, Stakeholders will
Identify

Prioritize

Monitor
Understand & Analyze

Engage
stakeholders can must understand stakeholders are elicit requirements, change through
be identified prior each stakeholder’s created equal. manage the project
to forming project feelings, emotions, There may be too expectations, lifecycle - new vs.
team beliefs and values many stakeholders resolve conflicts, ones that fall off.
Detailed In addition, seek to for a project team negotiate, Attitude and power
identification builds understand a to engage with prioritize, problem will change
from the initial list stakeholder's directly and/or solve, make Monitor and re-
power, degree of effectively with all decisions assess stakeholder
Some stakeholders
are easy to identify influence, attitude, of them engagement plan.
while others might interest, proximity, Prioritization based
not be so obvious etc. on most power and
Key models:
interest
Conflict,
negotiation,
ADKAR
Key artifacts: Key methods: Key artifacts: Key artifacts:
Stakeholder Stakeholder Prioritization matrix Requirement
register analysis, Salience documentation,
user story
 Stakeholder Identification –
Not Just Something we do at the Start
Inputs may now be the plan Inputs may now be the change
Inputs are usually the business case and itself that triggers the request that triggers the
the charter identification / assessment identification / assessment
process process

BEFORE THE STARTING THE PLANNING / EXECUTING / CLOSING THE

PROJECT PROJECT ORGANIZING DOING PROJECT
At the idea stage it is natural that some As the project progresses, and with its Its not unusual for stakeholders to While doing the work, perhaps we
stakeholders are identified/known. In fact, formal approval, the project team has become apparent / identified in discover that the project missed a
some of them may participate in developing the authority to conduct more in- the detailed planning activities. If stakeholder. OR the customer
the business case depth/formal discovery sessions. The this is the case, the “Identify wants to introduce a change / new
business case and the charter have Stakeholder” process is executed requirement… THAT MAY RESULT
further detail that helps the team further again…IDEALLY, WE KNOW ALL IN, AS OF YET, NOT IDENTIFIED
identify stakeholders. LIST IS STAKEHOLDERS AT THIS STAKEHOLDERS THAT NOW
COMPREHENSIVE. BUT MAY NOT BE POINT…BUT MAY NOT BE NEED TO BE ASSESSED.
COMPLETE COMPLETED PROCESS NEEDS TO BE
CONDUCTED AGAIN
Stakeholder Register

• A project document that includes information about project stakeholders including

the outcome of the analysis (assessment) and categorization (or classification)
• Your stakeholder register template should include each stakeholder’s:
• Name • Specific needs or wants

• Role or title • Primary form of communication

• Category (internal or external; primary or • The type of information they prefer in

secondary) updates
• Level of influence over the project (low, • How often they prefer to be updated
medium, or high)
• Level of interest in the project (low, • Contact information
medium, or high)
 Stakeholder Analysis:

• What is their position in the organization?

• What is their role on the project?
• What is their “stake” in the project (or the
outcome). What do they get out of it?
• What are their expectations?

Understand • What is their attitude towards the project?

• What is their interest in the information?
& Analyze “Stake” can include:

• Interest
• Rights (legal/moral)
• Ownership
• Knowledge
• Contribution
 Prioritize

• Power / interest grid • Salience Model

• Describes classes of stakeholders:
● Level of authority
● Urgency
● Legitimacy
Keep Manage
satisfied closely • Directions of Influence
• Classifies stakeholders according to their
Power

influence on the project or project team

● Upward (senior management)
● Downward (team or specialists)
● Outward (stakeholders outside the
Keep project team, ex. Suppliers, end users)
Monitor
informed ● Sideward (peers of project manager,
middle managers)

Interest
Engage

Engagement requires working Key skills include:

collaboratively with the stakeholders to:

Introduce the project Active listening

Elicit / gather requirements Conflict management
Manage expectations leadership
Resolve issues Establishing vision
Negotiate Critical thinking
Prioritize
Problem solve
Make decisions
Monitor

• Stakeholders will change through the project lifecycle –

• Some new stakeholders may become apparent and/or required, Others may
no longer be relevant (ones that fall off)
• Change in attitude and power

• Monitor and re-assess stakeholder engagement plan.

Kick-off
Meetings

Initiating the Project

 Meeting Objective:

Get the project off to an effective start by introducing key stakeholders,

reviewing project goals, and discussing plans
Agenda:

Importance Introductions of attendees

of Kick-off Review of the project background

Meetings Review of project-related documents (i.e., business case, project charter)

/ Typical Discussion of project organizational structure

Agenda Discussion of project scope, time, and cost goals

Discussion of other important topics

List of action items from the meeting