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Contents
1.Introduction.3
2.
ProjectObjectives.4
2.1 GoalsandObjectives.4
2.2 CriticalSuccessFactors.4
3.
Scope.5
3.1 OrganisationalScope.5
3.2 LogicalScope.5
3.3 TemporalScope/Phasing.6
3.4 RelatedProjects.6
3.5 OutofScope.6
4.
Risks,ConstraintsandAssumptions.7
4.1 RiskManagementApproach.7
4.2 Risks.7
4.3 Constraints.7
4.4 Assumptions.7
5.
ProjectOrganisation.8
5.1 ProjectStructure.8
5.2 Roles&Responsibilities.9
6.
ProjectControl.10

6.1 IssueControl.10
6.2 ChangeControl.10
6.3 QualityAssurance.10
6.4 FinancialControl.10
6.5 InformationManagement.10
7.
Reporting..11
7.1 ReportingwithintheProjectTeam.11
7.2 ManagementReporting.11
8.
Stakeholders.12
8.1 IdentificationandAnalysis.12
8.2 Communication.12

9.
Planning..13
9.1 Approach.13
9.2 MilestonePlan.13

1.Introduction
GivesomeinformationontheInstitutionandthecontextof/backgroundtotheProject.
Howbigisitgoingtobeandwhatareaswillitcover?
Whatapproachwillbetaken?

2.ProjectObjectives
2.1GoalsandObjectives
Anexplanationofcontextofgoalsandobjectivesincludingsomedetailonhowtheywerearrivedat
andwhowasinvolved(canappendanydetailedinformationifrequired).Objectivesgivedetailed
supporttotheGoals.Anexampleisshown:
Goals

Objectives

Thesystemwillimprovejob
satisfactionlevelswithinthe
Institution

Itwillbeatooltohelpstaffdothejobtheyarepaidfor,not
anaddedsourceoffrustration
Itwilleasetheadministrativeburdenbyallowingusersto
workefficientlyandeffectivelythusfreeingtimeforthose
activitieswhichaddgreatervalue
Staffwillhavereadilyaccessiblethedaytodayinformation
theyneedtodotheirjob
Itwillprovidegreatertransparencyfordecisionmakersatall
levels

2.2CriticalSuccessFactors
Howwillyoujudgewhethertheobjectivesoftheprojecthavebeenmet?Trytothinkofmeasurable
improvementsassociatedwitheachoftheobjectives.Evenanapparentlyvaguegoalsuchas
improvejobsatisfactioncanhavetangibleandmeasurableobjectivesifyouaresufficientlyspecific
aboutthem.Ifyouarenotspecificaboutobjectivesyoumayfindithardtoassessthevalueofthe
project.

3.Scope
3.1OrganisationalScope
Setsouthowtheorganisationisgoingtoapproachtheprojectincludingdetailsofanyintentionto
securetheservicesofasupplier/partner.
Broadexplanationofhowtheprojectwillincorporaterequirementsofthevariousstakeholderswithin

theorganisation.Also,anyavailabledetailsontowhatextent,ifany,theorganisationmaybe
requiredtogiveaccesstoexternalparties.

3.2LogicalScope
Givesahighleveloverviewwhenpurchasingasystemoftheareasorprocessescoveredbythe
projectaswellasanyinterfacingandinfrastructuredetailswhenpurchasingasystemitcanbe
usefultofinalisethisaspartofyourInvitationtoTender.AnexamplewouldbekeyStudent
Administrationprocesseswithinaprojectscopeasdetailedbelow:
StudentAdministration
ProgrammeandModuleCatalogue
QualityProceduresandChecks
Enquiries
ApplicationsandAdmissions
ClearingHouses
Enrolment
Student&CommunityInformation
Timetabling
AssessmentandExaminations
ProgressionandAwards
Graduation
LeaversandAlumni
Research
ReportingtoExternalBodies
ManagementInformationProduction

3.3TemporalScope/Phasing
Thisshouldgiveanoverviewofthetimeconstraintsandmilestones,includingstartandenddates
wheretheseareknown.Itwillbehelpfultobreaktheprojectdownintophasesandidentifywhatisin
scopeforeachphase(evenifyoucantyetsettimescalesforallphases).Youmayneedtothink
about:
Processes
SoftwareApplications
Hardware
Locations
Users
Infrastructure
Interfaces
Testing

Phase:

PhaseTitle

Scope:

Dates/Duration:

Deliverables:

Users/Locations:

3.4RelatedProjects
Listanyrelatedprojects(ifany)withdetailsofexpectedcompletiondatesandanypotentialfor
overlapofrequirementsforsupportresourceasthiscouldhaveknockoneffectsretimescales,
etc.Alsoflaganyotherpotentialimpactsandidentify,wherepossible,anyrequirementforoutput
fromtheotherprojects.
Projects

Expected
Completion

WorkflowMapping:ateamismappingthecurrentprocessesrelatingtostudent
administration.Thereisapotentialconflictwiththesystemselectionprojectas
somemembersoftheworkflowteamwillberequiredtocontributetheirprocess
knowledgetothesystemselectionproject.

April2008

3.5OutofScope
Ifanypotentiallyrelatedareashavebeendefinedasoutofscopeitisworthmakingthisexplicite.g.
youareimplementingasystemtoundertakecoursetimetablingbutnotexamtimetablingoryouare
implementingapersonnelsystemthatdoesnotincludepayroll.

4.Risks,ConstraintsandAssumptions
4.1RiskManagementApproach
Adescriptionoftheapproachyouaretakingcanbeincludedhere,includingresponsibilitiesfor
recordingrisksandimplementingappropriateriskmanagementstrategies,aswellascommunicating
suchinformationtotheProjectSteeringBoard.AfullerconsiderationofRiskManagementisgivenin
theRiskManagementinfoKit(http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/riskmanagement).

4.2Risks
Intermsofrecordingidentifiedrisks,actionstobetakenandearlywarningsignswerecommendthat
youusetheJISCinfoNetRiskAssessmenttemplate(http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/ra.doc).Thisis
becauseyouwillneedtoreviewandupdatetheriskmanagementdocumentthroughoutthecourseof
theproject.Youmayhoweverwishtosummarisethemainriskshereorpasteindetailsfromtherisk
templatetogiveanoverviewoftherisksperceivedatthestartoftheproject.

4.3Constraints
Thissectionsummarisesanyconstraintsthataffectthescopeofyourprojectorhowyoucarryoutthe
projecte.g.projectstaffareonlyavailableduringthesummervacation,newsystemmustinterface
withanothersystem,requirementsofexternalbodiesaffecttheextenttowhichyoucanaltera
processetc.

4.4Assumptions
Thisisalistofassumptionsonwhichtheinitialprojectframeworkandplanarebased.TheJISC
infoNetProjectManagementinfoKitdiscussesthesortofassumptionsthatcancauseissuesifnot
clarifiedinitially.Examplesmayrelatetomanyareasincluding:provisionofinfrastructure,ITsupport,
resourceavailability,communication,training,staffdevelopment,workingarrangements(and
flexibility)anduserexpertise.Takeparticularcareindefiningwhatisexpectedofpeopleoutsidethe
projectteam.
ProjectAssumption

5.ProjectOrganisation
5.1ProjectStructure
Itmaybehelpfultoshowtheprojectstructureasadiagramasexampleisgivenbelow:

5.2Roles&Responsibilities
Directresourcerequirementsfortheprojectshouldbedetailedhere.Thisshouldindicatethe
numbersandtypesofstaffandtheirestimatedcommitmenttotheproject.Werecommendusingthe
JISCinfoNetRolesandResponsibilitiestemplate(http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/templates/randr.doc)to
recordthedetailofrolesandresponsibilitiesasthismayneedregularupdatingduringthecourseof
theproject.AsummaryofthatdocumentcouldbepastedinorappendedtothisProjectInitiation
Document.
Numberof
People

Daysper
Week

TotalDaysfor
theProject

ProjectRole

6.ProjectControl
Howwilltheprojectbemonitoredandcontrolledonadaytodaybasis?Howwillitbeevaluated?
Whatmethodswillbeusedtofacilitateeffectiveteamworking?

6.1IssueControl
Thissectionshoulddefinehowtheprojectteamisgoingtodealwithissues.Projectissuesmustbe
identified,prioritisedanddealtwithswiftlytoensurethatdependentactivitiesarenotaffected.An
issueslogisanidealwayofkeepingarecordofissuesastheyariseandalsorecordinghowtheyare
resolved.TheJISCinfoNetProjectManagementinfoKitprovidesatemplateProjectControls
Database(addurl)thatcontainsanissuelog.

6.2ChangeControl
Thechangecontrolsectiondocumentswhathappenswhensomeoneproposesamodificationtothe
plannedoutputoftheproject.EachChangeRequestshouldbedocumented(includinginitiator,
reasonsandadescriptionofthechangerequired)andevaluatedintermsofitsimpact.The
appropriateactionsrequiredtoresolvetherequestedchangecanthenbedetermined.Change
RequestscanthenbedealtwithbytheProjectSteeringBoard,orotheragreedperson/group
supportingtheproject.TheJISCinfoNetProjectManagementinfoKitprovidesatemplateChange
Requestform(http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/templates/crf.doc)andtemplateProjectControlsDatabase
thatcontainsachangecontrollog(addurl).

6.3QualityAssurance

WhatQualityAssurancemeasuresareplanned?Whowillevaluatequalityandwhen?Willan
externalassessorbeappointed?Howwilldeliverablesbetestedandformallysignedoff?Istherean
agreedUserAcceptanceTestingmechanism?

6.4FinancialControl
Outlineresponsibilitiesforthecontrolofexpenditureandbudgets.Youmaywishtoattachtheproject
budgetasanappendixtothisdocumentbutyouwillneedtoconsidertheconfidentialityofsuch
informationespeciallywhereyouareworkingwiththirdparties.

6.5InformationManagement
Howisrelevantprojectinformationtobeheld?Thereareissueshereregardingqualityand
availabilityofinformationitmaybeusefultoputinplaceacentralrepositoryorprojectlibraryof
relevantinformationandinitiateacultureofsharinginformationthroughouttheproject.The
importanceofinformationmanagementshouldnotbeunderestimateditcanbeacritical
contributoryfactortosuccessfulachievementofprojectgoals.AfullerdiscussionofInformation
ManagementcanbefoundinoursuiteofInformationManagementresources
(http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/informationmanagement).

7.Reporting
7.1ReportingwithintheProjectTeam
Thissectionshoulddefinehowandwhentheprojectteammembersreportprogress.

7.2ManagementReporting
ThissectionshoulddefinehowandwhentheProjectManagerreportstotheSponsorand/orSteering
Board.

8.Stakeholders
8.1IdentificationandAnalysis
Itisusefulatthisstagenotonlytoidentifyyourkeystakeholdersbuttoundertakesomeanalysisof
whattheirperceptionsofyourprojectarelikelytobe.Thiswillhelptoshowthatyouareawareof
theirviewsandwillhelpyoufocuscommunications.WerecommendthatyouusetheJISCinfoNet
StakeholderAnalysistemplate(http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/templates/sa.doc)forthispurposeasthe
documentmayneedregularupdating.Youmaywishtosummarisethekeystakeholdershereor
appendyouranalysis.

8.2Communication
Appropriatetwowaycommunicationwithstakeholdersiscrucialtothesuccessoftheproject.This
matrixgivesexamplesofhowyoumaystarttothinkabouttheinterestedpartiesandthesuggested
communicationchannelstobeusedforeachgroup.

Stakeholders

ExpectedCommunications

Frequency

Media

ProjectSteering
Board

Statusreporting
Issuesreporting

InlinewithProject
milestones
Dependenton
timingandpriority

Generally,formal
reportstobefollowed
upbyfacetoface
contactwhere
appropriate

ProjectTeam

Documentationand
standards
Projectknowledge
Internalcommunications

Inlinewithplan
Adhocas
necessary

Centralrepository,
managedbyproject
administration
Groupemail
Teammeetings

AdminUser
Representatives

Informalcommunicationof
progress
Discussionofissues
Respondtoissuesraised

Inlinewithplan
Adhocondemand

Groupemail,from
projectoffice
Formalreportsplus
informalcommunication
withProjectTeam

9.Planning
9.1Approach
Thissectionshouldoutlineyourapproachtoprojectplanning.JISCinfoNetadvocatestheSliding
PlanningWindowapproachasdescribedintheProjectManagementinfoKit.

9.2MilestonePlan
Insertacopyoftheinitialoutlineplanorsummarisethekeymilestonesanddates.