#1 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Identify Stakeholders
Identify Stakeholders. This is where all the Projects start. Write down the names of key stakeholders in a Stakeholder Register. A simple Stakeholder Register has the names, the roles of the stakeholders and contact information.
This phase may also begin with interviewing your Sponsor to understand Project Requirements, Key Success Factors, Stakeholders, Problems that are to be solved, Budgets and Costs
#2 Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Write Down Assumptions & Constraints. Create a High Level Plan
Write down the assumptions and constraints of the Project. Form high level timeline assumptions, assumptions around scope and costs for the Project. Form a high level plan and key next actions for example seeking nominations from all teams involved
#3 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Hold A Kick Off Meeting
Hold a Kick Off Meeting. Present the assumptions as part of a high level plan. Seek stakeholder inputs. Seek nominations from all teams as part of this call. Seek comunication strategy to set up a weekly or a daily connect with all stakeholders and communication strategy for connecting with executive sponsors of the Program
#4 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Create A Communication Plan
Create the communication plan and set up meetings as per communication strategy agreed.
#5 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Create Program Charter
Create Project or Program Charter for the Program. Capture SPSSBCMR as part of your Program Charter. That is Stakeholders, Problem Statement, Success Criteria, Scope, Budgets, Communication Plan, Milestones and Risks. If any of the above criteria is yet to be decided, then we can leave those sections as in progress. Create Reporting Templates for all cadences as per the communication plan
Write down a Business Case if required for seeking the Project charter approval.
#6 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Approval of Program Charter
Seek approval on the Program Charter and start detailed planning for the Program.
#7 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Create Resource Management Plan
Create the Resource Management Plan as next steps. This should include how resources will be onboarded for the Program, the list of permanent resources contributing to the Project and how adhoc resource requirements will be fulfilled
#8 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Actions, Issues & Risks
Create Actions, Issues & Risk log as next steps. This is popularly known as AIR log. Capture risks from daily calls and actions on this log.
#9 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Hold A Risk Management Meeting
Risk Management Meeting shoud have a cross functional Team. This meeting is to brainstorm, identify Risks and create Action Plans to Mitigate those Risks. You might need more than a couple of meethings to comprehensively create your Risk Tracker.
#10 - Initiating Your 1st Project For Dummies - Ensure Governance
Monitor progress on a daily basis around key actions and Risks. Revisit Program Structure from time to time. Define Change Management structure and follow rigorously
Align Progress with Key Success Factors. Rebaseline Project Plan if required. Seek QUality Management Plan from Quality. Resource Fulfillment Plan from HR/ Planning Organization. Seek Finance Inputs from finance Teams.
You can create a detailed Project Management Plan at this stage. A Project Management Plan will have plans for Managing Scope, Schedule, Costs, Quality, Resources, Communications & Procurement
Bonus - Schedule a Review with Program Manager
Create weekly Program Presentation & review with your Program Manager. It is your Program Manager who can bring bigger picture to the fore and provide relationships between various programs
Consider having a Progam Mentor in the overall structure and define stakeholder roles so as to drive accountability
Procure the right resources for your Program or Project. Web research and review of Products to be procured really help in saving the extra penny.
Recap - How to Initiate Your #1st Project
Identify Stakeholders>> Create High Level Plan>>Hold Kick Off>>Communication Plan>>Create Program Charter>>Approve Program Charter>>Create Resource Management Plan>>Actions Issues & Risks>>Risks Management Meetings & Workshops>>Ensure Governance>>Program Management Plan>>Review with Program Manager