Define Brief

objectives inputs & outputs approach actions exceptions checklist texts

Objectives top

To produce a first full version of the PID and the Project Plan. To plan in detail the work of mobilising the Project Team (Project Initiation). To review and consolidate the Business Case, and confirm that the Project is worth doing. To prepare for Authorisation of the Project by the Project Board.

Inputs and Outputs top

Inputs	Outputs
Agreed Project Mandate	Draft Project Initiation Document - PID - (Project Brief, Business Case, Project Approach, Project Plan, Risk Folder to be submitted for Authorisation)
Job Descriptions	Draft Project Plan to be submitted for Authorisation
First draft of the PID (with Job Descriptions, Project Mandate and draft/outline Project Brief from the Provisional Project materials)	Draft Phase/Stage Plan for Initiation Phase/Stage to be submitted for Authorisation
Quality Standards	Draft Communication Plan to be submitted for Authorisation
Draft Commercial Plan	Draft Quality Plan to be submitted for Authorisation
Bid File (for other Provisional Project Materials)	Issues Folder
Milestones Trends Chart	Risk Folder
Acceptance Criteria	Quality Folder
	Configuration Folder with draft Configuration Management Plan to be submitted for Authorisation)
	Lessons Learned Log
	Milestones Trends Chart
	Project-level Product Breakdown Structure (including Product Checklist, Product Descriptions, and Product Flow Diagram)

Approach top

Several levels and types of Plan are needed

The Project Initiation Document

Working from the Provisional Project Materials including the agreed Project Mandate, the Acceptance Criteria, the Project Brief in the draft PID, and the draft Commercial Plan (if one was produced during the Bid), the Project Manager develops the PID, to include the final drafts of the Project Brief, the Business Case and the Project Approach.

The Project Plan

Starting with the draft Project Plan in the Provisional Project Materials, the Project Manager also finalises a draft Project Plan for the whole Project, and a Phase/Stage Plan (see Plan Work) for the Initiation Phase/Stage. This will include developing a Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) for the Project as a whole.

The Initiation Phase/Stage Plan

A detailed PBS and Plan for the Initiation Phase/Stage, will also be developed by following the Sub-process Plan Work.

Planning Quality Engineering, Communication, Issue and Risk Management etc.

Starting with the Provisional Project Materials and the organisation's Quality Standards, the Project Manager produces a draft Quality Plan, draft Configuration Management Plan, and draft Communication Plan for the whole Project. At the same time the Project Manager will set up the Issues Folder (see Manage Issues), the Risk Folder (see Manage Risks), the Configuration Folder, the Quality Folder and the Lessons Learned Log.

As this work proceeds the Project Manager will be checking with the Project Board (see Give Advice) that the emerging PID is achievable, that the Business Case makes sense and that the Project is able to deliver the Products required by the Business Case.

Review Plans before submitting them to the Project Board

The complete set of Plans should be reviewed as whole by those members of the Project Management Team who are already assigned. They should be checking for completeness, consistency and clarity before the Plans are submitted to the Porject Board for Authorisation.

Authorising limited expenditure to get started

The formal decision to proceed is taken by the Project Board after the end of this Process Step (see Authorise Activity) when the PID (including the Project Plan) and the Initiation Phase/Stage Plan are Authorised. However the Project Board will have already agreed some limited expenditure for this start up activity (Appoint Management). Should it become apparent at any point that the Project is infeasible or is no longer worth doing, the Project Board can terminate the Project before any major expenditure has been incurred.

Actions top

Item	Responsible	Action
1	Project Manager	Develop the PID by adding the Project Brief, the Business Case and the Project Approach to the Acceptance Criteria, the Project Mandate and the Project Organisation
2	Project Manager	Take the Project Plan from the Provisional Project Materials, develop the Project-level PBS, review, amend and finalise the Project Plan for submission to the Project Board
3	Project Assurance and Project Support	Prepare the first draft of the Project Quality Plan
4	Project Assurance and Project Support	Prepare the first draft of the Project's Configuration Management Plan
4	Project Manager	Prepare a draft Initiation Phase/Stage Plan, including the detailed PBS for the Initiation Phase/Stage.
5	Project Executive and Project Manager	Prepare a draft Communication Plan
6	Project Support	Set up Issues, Risks, Configuration and Quality Folders and Lessons Learned Log
7	Project Board and Project Manager	Ongoing review of the Project Brief and Business Case (via Give Advice) – (see Exceptions 1 and 2 below)
8	Project Manager and Project Management Team	Review the PID, the Project Plan, the Quality Plan, the Configuration Management Plan, and the Initiation Phase/Stage Plan prior to formal submission to the Project Board for Authorisation (via Authorise Activity)

Exceptions top

Exception 1 : The Project Brief is infeasible

Item

Responsible

Action

1

Project Board

Order immediate Project Closure (via Authorise Activity)

Exception 2 : The Project’s Business Case is no longer worth pursuing

Item

Responsible

Action

1

Project Board

Order immediate Project Closure (via Authorise Activity)

Checklist top

1. Ensure that Time Records and expenditure incurred before prior to the Authorisation of the PID, the Project Plan and the Initiation Phase/Stage Plan are planned and captured (expenditure, progress) as part of the Initiation Phase/Stage.

Texts top

None