Phases of Project Management Process - A Complete Breakdown
Phases of Project Management Process - A Complete Breakdown
Phases of Project Management Process - A Complete Breakdown
Project
Managing a project is no easy feat, no matter what the scale and scope are. From planning
the minutia to handling the ever-changing demands of clients to shipping the deliverables
on time, there’s a lot that can go wrong. When you divide the project into manageable
stages, each with its own goals and deliverables, it’s easier to control the project and the
In a project management guide, if you are somehow in a position where you are expected to
manage projects for your organization and are feeling overwhelmed, it’s better to start
learning the basic stages of the project life cycle phases.
According to the PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge) by the Project
Management Institute (PMI), a project management life cycle consists of 5 distinct phases
including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure that combine to turn a
project idea into a working product.
1. Project Initiation
2. Project Planning
3. Project Execution
5. Project Closing
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The project initiation phase is the first stage of turning an abstract idea into a meaningful
goal. In this stage, you need to develop a business case and define the project on a broad
level. In order to do that, you have to determine the need for the project and create a project
charter.
The project charter is an important document consisting of details like the project
constraints, goals, appointment of the project manager, budget, expected timeline, etc.
Once you have the project goals and project scope, identify key project stakeholders–the
people who are to be involved in the project. Create a stakeholder register with the roles,
While a clear goal of the project is established in this phase, a project charter does not
part of the initiation phase. The only certainty would be that an electric vehicle will be
developed within the given timeframe and budget.
management, the second phase of project management is expected to take almost half of
the entire project’s timespan.
In this phase, the primary tasks are identifying technical requirements, developing a
detailed project schedule, creating a communication plan, and setting up
goals/deliverables.
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There are several methods of setting up the project’s goals but S.M.A.R.T. and C.L.E.A.R. are
S.M.A.R.T Goals:
The ‘SMART’ criteria ensure that the goals you set for your project are critically analyzed. It is
an established method that reduces risk and allows project managers to make clearly
C.L.E.A.R. Goals:
The ‘CLEAR’ method of setting up goals is designed to cater to the dynamic nature of a
modern workplace. Today’s fast-paced businesses require flexibility and immediate results
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During the planning stage, the scope of the project is defined. There is a possibility of
changing the scope of the project demands it but the project manager must approve the
change. Project managers also develop a work breakdown structure (WBS), which clearly
visualizes the entire project in different sections for the team management.
Learn more about how project goals and objectives are defined.
A detailed project timeline with each deliverable is another important element of the
planning stage. Using that timeline, project managers can develop a project
communication plan and a schedule of communication with the relevant stakeholders.
Risk mitigation is another important aspect of project management that is a part of the
planning stage. The project manager is responsible for extrapolating past data to identify
potential project management risks and develop a strategy to minimize them.
plan. As a project manager, you must be ready to incorporate a few changes in the project
to avoid bottlenecks and project delays.
In the absence of a working change management plan, scope creep happens and causes
huge problems for the project team in the later stages of the project. So, it’s best to reduce
the possibility of unforeseen changes as much as possible.
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your job is to establish efficient workflows and carefully monitor the progress of your team.
Another responsibility of the project manager during this phase is to consistently maintain
effective collaboration between project stakeholders. This ensures that everyone stays on
the same page and the project runs smoothly without any issues.
You can take help from the best project collaboration tools that are available in the market.
They’ll not only make your life easier but also improve efficiency and increase the
productivity of your team.
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As a project manager, you can make sure that no one deviates from the original plan by
establishing Critical Success Factors (CSF) and Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
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During the monitoring phase of project management, the manager is also responsible for
quantitatively tracking the effort and cost during the process. This tracking not only ensures
that the project remains within the budget but also is important for future projects.
Most teams hold a reflection meeting after the completion of the project in order to
contemplate their successes and failures during the project. This is an effective method to
ensure continuous improvement within the company to enhance the overall productivity of
the team in the future.
The final task of this phase is to review the entire project complete a detailed report that
covers every aspect. All of the necessary data is stored in a secure place that can be
Dividing a project into multiple phases gives the project a semblance of predictability. It
gives a framework to operate, making it easier to plan and execute. While spreadsheets and
post-it notes sufficed in the past, the requirement of digital project management is
completely different.
You need the right tools to plan, organize, and track projects. You need an online project
management software to simplify the project management phases for each project.
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