{"id":4198,"date":"2023-03-07T19:52:10","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T19:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/?p=4198"},"modified":"2025-01-14T09:57:35","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T09:57:35","slug":"project-initiation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation","title":{"rendered":"Project initiation: An easy guide to help kick-start any project"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The saying goes that you can\u2019t build a great building on a weak foundation. Sure, it might look good at first glance, with its fresh paint and shiny new facade. But as soon as there\u2019s a slight tremble or a particularly strong gust of wind, everything can come crashing down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same goes for projects. You need a strong foundation that can face any twist or turn that\u2019s thrown your way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your project isn\u2019t built on a solid foundation at the initial phase of a project it\u2019s far more likely to run into much larger problems further down the line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a closer look at the initiation phase of a project life cycle, so that you can make sure your project can stand the test of time (and wind, should that be a factor).<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article \ud83d\udcd6<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#Project-initiation-definition\" >Project initiation definition\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#Why-the-project-initiation-phase-is-so-important\" >Why the project initiation phase is so important\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#So-what-happens-in-the-project-initiation-phase\" >So, what happens in the project initiation phase?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#What-are-the-project-initiation-activities-and-deliverables\" >What are the project initiation activities and deliverables?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#Project-initiation-documents\" >Project initiation documents\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#The-project-initiation-process-5-key-steps-to-successfully-get-a-project-started\" >The project initiation process: 5 key steps to successfully get a project started<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#What-are-the-project-managers-roles-and-responsibilities-during-the-project-initiation-phase\" >What are the project manager\u2019s roles and responsibilities during the project initiation phase?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#Your-project-initiation-checklist\" >Your project initiation checklist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-initiation\/#All-set-for-the-planning-phase\" >All set for the planning phase<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Project-initiation-definition\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project initiation definition\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help us define project initiation, we\u2019ll break it into two quick parts:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. What is the project initiation phase?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put it simply, in a project life cycle, the initiation phase is the very first step of starting a new project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where you lay the groundwork for everything that will follow throughout the rest of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-life-cycle\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project life cycle phases<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project initiation (why we\u2019re here today)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project planning<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project execution\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project monitoring and control<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project closure\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So now you might ask yourself, how does project initiation differ from project planning? Don\u2019t you do planning in both phases? Well, kind of (but not really).<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Project initiation vs project planning<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the project initiation phase, you outline the project needs and criteria and define the value for the business. Once you have stakeholder buy-in and have assessed the project\u2019s feasibility, you can move on to the planning phase. This is when you iron out the details including more specific objectives, deliverables, and a project roadmap.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project planning builds on what was defined during the project initiation phase. Without the project initiation phase, you can\u2019t move on to planning.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. What is initiation in project management, specifically?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2021\/11\/the-project-economy-has-arrived\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only about 35% of projects are successful<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Now, you don&#8217;t need to be a math whiz to be able to tell that that&#8217;s not a great number.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So why do so many projects fail? While the reason for so many projects failing can be many, breezing through things like the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/what-is-project-scope\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project scope<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the initiation phase of project management won\u2019t do you any good.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is when you define the business value the project will deliver, get buy-in from stakeholders, and align on expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words: it&#8217;s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">essential<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/drive-project-success\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project success<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Let&#8217;s talk more about that.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why-the-project-initiation-phase-is-so-important\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why the project initiation phase is so important\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project initiation is the most critical part of a project\u2019s life cycle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Defining the project, its goals, and aligning with key stakeholders on what project success looks like is essential\u2014it sets the tone <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for the entire project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you don&#8217;t do this, as Dr. Al Zeitoun will tell you, you might end up with a completely different idea of what success looks like.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;This was my first big &#8216;aha moment&#8217; about the delta between outputs and outcomes. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although I had experienced that a few times in my career, it wasn\u2019t until this meeting that I was forced to question my view of what success looked like.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>He shares his experience from a career-changing meeting in our latest eBook, Confessions of a Project Manager\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/get.resourceguruapp.com\/ebook-confessions-of-a-project-manager\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download your free copy today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With Al&#8217;s cautionary tale in mind, let\u2019s take a look at what should happen during the project initiation phase, so that you can set yourself and your team up for success from the get-go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/get.resourceguruapp.com\/ebook-confessions-of-a-project-manager\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=banner&amp;utm_campaign=COPM\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4165 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ebook-blog-banner-v1-943x242.png\" alt=\"Download the eBook, Confessions of a Project Manager\" width=\"943\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ebook-blog-banner-v1-943x242.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ebook-blog-banner-v1-1042x268.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ebook-blog-banner-v1-1536x395.png 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ebook-blog-banner-v1.png 1836w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So-what-happens-in-the-project-initiation-phase\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what happens in the project initiation phase?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the project\u2019s initiation phase, the project manager or project team lead will lay the groundwork to establish every aspect of the work that\u2019s part of the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At a high level, this includes things such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What the project will consist of<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why you\u2019re doing the project<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What the aims of the project are<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What constitutes failure or success\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What business value the project will aim to deliver<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This information is then used for a number of different purposes such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharing with other business units<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting buy-in from key stakeholders<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Securing funding from investors<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we have a good idea of what happens during the project initiation phase, let\u2019s take a closer look at typical project initiation activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-are-the-project-initiation-activities-and-deliverables\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the project initiation activities and deliverables?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project initiation deliverables and activities are based on making sure the groundwork is laid properly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some things to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Setting project goals: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every project needs objectives. These goals allow you to benchmark progress and measure success, so it\u2019s important to start by defining what you\u2019re setting out to achieve.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Producing a project vision statement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is a statement that lays out your strategic vision. This helps to align your team with your approach, as well as make sure your vision and goals are cohesive.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Identifying project parameters:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> An essential part of your project initiation process, your project parameters lay out exactly what you need not only for the project to be a success, but also to actually get everything started.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Setting out team roles and responsibilities: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to highlight who is doing what at the start of the project. Of course, those roles will most likely change throughout the project (and that\u2019s absolutely fine), but it\u2019s good to start with everyone knowing what\u2019s expected of them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Carrying out a risk assessment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> No project initiation phase is complete without a risk assessment, because <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/riskpublishing.com\/importance-of-risk-management-in-projects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the importance of risk management in projects<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can\u2019t be underestimated. A risk assessment is a document that considers all of the potential risks involved with your project\u2014including everything from financial worries to general health and safety.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Considering your success criteria:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Now that you\u2019ve laid out the stages of your project, you\u2019ll need to define what success looks like at each stage. This allows you to measure how well your project is going and reward the hard work that it has taken to get there.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of these deliverables should be put together in proper project initiation documents. After all, it\u2019s project management we\u2019re talking about, and we love our documents! So what documents are created in the project initiation phase?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Project-initiation-documents\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project initiation documents\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a number of project initiation documents that can be used during the early stages of a project. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the two most commonly used documents are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project initiation document (PID)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project charter<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what are they, and what exactly is their purpose?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a project initiation document?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your PID is your main planning document that is shared with all of the stakeholders that are involved in the project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the rest of the project, this document will act as your roadmap to success, and be referred to by everyone from your internal team to your external investors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-initiation#What-are-the-project-initiation-activities-and-deliverables\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">above deliverables<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are some of the key items that may be included in this document, there\u2019s actually no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a PID\u2014so the contents will vary from project to project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a project charter?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some projects may require you to create what\u2019s known as a project charter. This can either be used to supplement the PID, or created instead of the PID.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PIDs and project charters are often mixed up. And to be fair to those who do get confused, it\u2019s an easy mistake to make as these documents are very similar in nature. Essentially, a project charter is a more informal, less detailed version of a PID.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-project-initiation-process-5-key-steps-to-successfully-get-a-project-started\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project initiation process: 5 key steps to successfully get a project started<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Select and create your project documentation\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first key step to getting your project initiation off the ground is creating the necessary project initiation phase documents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we mentioned above, the two most common documents to use are either a PID or a project charter (or both used in conjunction).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, you will have to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tailor your sign-off process<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> depending on which document you use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So for example, project charters can be approved by the project sponsor. Whereas a PID has to be formally approved by all of the sponsors, as well as the other key stakeholders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main benefit of creating a project charter instead of a PID is that it is a lot less detailed, and can therefore be made quickly and signed off quickly\u2014allowing the work to get underway much faster. This might be a good avenue to take for short, simple projects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One benefit of using a fuller project initiation document is that it gives you the opportunity to include additional details and get these signed off by everyone upfront. Even though it may require more time and work in the initiation phase, this could prevent issues later down the line, and could be better for longer, more complex projects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Run a feasibility study<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So you\u2019ve got your plan, now you just need to make sure what you\u2019re trying to do is actually achievable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to do this is to run what\u2019s known as a feasibility study. This is a process that allows you to evaluate whether or not your project can be successful with the resources you have available, as well as whether or not it would be a worthwhile venture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the answer to both of these points is yes, then you can easily back yourself up when it comes to your pitch meeting. But if you think you\u2019re going to struggle to get the necessary work done with what you\u2019ve been given, or the return on investment is looking a bit low, then you may need to rethink the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Put together an elite team<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your project team is a vital part of running a successful project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means that it\u2019s absolutely essential to source the right people for the job with the necessary skills and experience. But it\u2019s also important that you pick a team that can work cohesively together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You could have the best-made cogs in the world, but if they don\u2019t fit together\u2014then they\u2019ll never start spinning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to note that you don\u2019t need to go into huge depth at this stage. There will be more to come in the project planning stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Assemble your project initiation tools<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A key part of the process is making sure you have the tools in place to tick off all the activities within the initiation phase. You also need to make sure your team has all of the necessary tools required to successfully complete their tasks throughout the rest of the project life cycle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource management software like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource Guru<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help get your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-allocation-guide\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource allocation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> just right, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-scheduling-plan-barriers\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">schedule the right people<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on your projects, and even your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/capacity-planning-software\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project scheduling once you get there<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: Pitch your project and get approval\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now all that\u2019s left to do is pitch your project for approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re working internally within a company, you\u2019ll likely have a pretty good idea of who you need to get the nod of approval from. But if you\u2019re working in an agency or as a freelance project manager, you may want to identify the key stakeholders who will have a say in the various stages of your project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most pitches don\u2019t end with a simple yes or no. You often need to take on feedback and then tweak your project so that it falls in line with your stakeholders\u2019 visions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important thing you must do is make sure you have the go-ahead from everybody involved. The last thing you want is to get started on the deliverables only to find out you were missing a key stakeholder\u2019s green light.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve got everyone in agreement and you\u2019ve got the necessary signatures, then you\u2019re ready to move on to the next stage of the project life cycle\u2014project planning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-are-the-project-managers-roles-and-responsibilities-during-the-project-initiation-phase\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the project manager\u2019s roles and responsibilities during the project initiation phase?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project manager can make or break a project\u2014so the part they play and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the tactics they use<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are absolutely key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main role of a project manager over the course of a project is straightforward. It\u2019s to make sure everything runs smoothly, and ultimately get the project over the line.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But specifically in the initiation phase of project management, you can boil down the manager\u2019s roles and responsibilities to:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing what the project aims to deliver<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting to put together a project team<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting out the criteria for success<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figuring out the budget for the project<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting project deadlines<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing the roles and responsibilities of the project team\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Liaising with clients and stakeholders<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your-project-initiation-checklist\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your project initiation checklist<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make sure you\u2019ve ticked all of the boxes for your project initiation tasks, here\u2019s a project initiation phase checklist to summarize what we\u2019ve covered:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figure out your project initiation phase activities and deliverables:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set your project goals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a project vision statement<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work out your project parameters<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assign roles and responsibilities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a risk assessment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figure out your success criteria<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create your initiation document(s):<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project initiation document (PID)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project charter<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Run a feasibility study<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figure out what resources you need<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put together your team<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assemble your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/project-scheduling-software\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project initiation tools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pitch your project and get sign-off from all your key stakeholders\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Know your roles and responsibilities as a project manager<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"All-set-for-the-planning-phase\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All set for the planning phase<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you\u2019ve laid the foundation for your project, it\u2019s time to move on to the planning phase. This is when you\u2019ll create a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project plan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, define your budget, and do your full <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource planning<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without proper resource management, regardless of how solid your foundation is, you won\u2019t be able to meet the project goals. But with proper project scheduling in place, you\u2019ll be able to deliver on deadlines and keep stakeholders happy throughout the project life cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-planning-guide\">let&#8217;s move on to resource planning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Related Resource Guru reads:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\">Free project plan for Excel<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-life-cycle\">Mastering the project life cycle: Your complete guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/workload-planning-guide\">Workload planning: A complete guide<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The saying goes that you can\u2019t build a great building on a weak foundation. Sure, it might look good at first glance, with its fresh paint and shiny new facade. But as soon as there\u2019s a&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":4200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Project initiation: An easy guide to help kick-start any project<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The project initiation phase is one of the most vital parts of a project\u2019s life cycle. 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