Project management

Topic 6Managing stage boundaries

Overview of processes

Planning a stage

Planning each stage of the project ensures:• There is sufficient detail for day-to-day control• Each Stage Plan has the commitment and

authorisation of the Project Board• Plan for all products including management products– Include quality checking– Include timescales and resources

Updating the Project Plan

• Reassess the Quality Plan and Project Approach• The Project Plan is updated based on actual costs and

the schedule from the previous completed Stage Plan or Exception Plan

• New details of activities and costs from the next Stage Plan are added

• Any changes that have been agreed to by the Project Board are updated

Updating the project Business CaseRevisit and revise:– Costs– Benefits– Key risks– Timings

Factors that could affect the business case:• Change of final implementation date• Costs of delivering the product• Approved changes will impact benefits• External resources or suppliers may have changed• Corporate environment may have changed

Updating the Risk Log

• Has each identified risk:– Increased– Disappeared– Decreased– Happened– Stayed the same

• Are there new risks in the next Stage Plan or Exception Plan?

Reporting stage end• Prepare the End Stage Report

– Collect and update actual results• Costs• Dates achieved• Products produced

– Compare actual results with agreed tolerances– Report feedback on continuing the project and the overall risk

situation– Report feedback on quality control activities– Summary of project issues– Check status of products in Configuration Items Records

• Prepare the next Stage Plan and revised Project Plan accompany End of Stage Report

• Add lessons learned to Lessons Learned Log

Produce an Exception Plan

• Create the Exception Plan to replace the current plan• Check the status of work outstanding• Check the configuration records of all products impacted by

the new plan

Fundamentals• Reporting to the board about the status of products

produced in the current Stage Plan• Preparing the next Stage Plan• Provide information to the Project Board to assess

whether the project is still beneficial to the business • Update the Project Plan with actuals• Check the Business Case• Check the risks

• Revise the Stage Plan as an Exception Plan if tolerances are exceeded

• Obtain authorisation from the Project Board to start the next stage

• Record lessons learned