There are a lot of different steps involved in implementing and executing IT projects. Breaking them down into phases can help make sure you’re taking steps in the right order and making the most of your time.
When you have an effective project control system, it’s easier to cross off tasks and keep track of progress. It also helps you identify bottlenecks and issues that need to be addressed.
Initiation is the first of the five phases of an IT project; it's when you lay the foundation and outline why you're doing this. That's what helps you secure approval, get buy-in from key stakeholders, and start to assemble your team.
A good initiation phase also ensures that everybody is on the same page before they actually start work, which is vital for avoiding costly misunderstandings and roadblocks later on in the project life cycle.
The initiation phase can also help you identify who's likely to be impacted by the project and who might have insights or resources to offer. This can be a big benefit because it saves you time and money on resolving conflicts in the future, when fewer people are available to do so.
Planning is the phase of the project management lifecycle that establishes a roadmap for the team to follow. It involves a number of activities, including setting goals, creating a schedule, determining resources and staffing requirements, and developing budgets.
The planning phase also incorporates risk analysis, which is a key way to minimize pitfalls that can impact your timeline. It also allows you to manage stakeholder expectations around snags and delays that could occur throughout the course of the project.
During the planning phase, a risk register should be created that details the likelihood and impact of each identified risk on the project. It should also be updated during the execution and monitoring phases of the project to track how the risk is impacting the progress of the project.
Project execution is the phase of a project when all of the strategies and best-laid plans you outlined in your plan are put into action. When it comes to IT projects, the execution stage is often a struggle for teams.
Project execution isn’t the most glamorous part of a project, but it’s still essential to its success. Managing stakeholder communication is one of the most important tasks during this phase, as it’s a crucial element in keeping projects on schedule and within budget.
Project managers can use the monitoring and control phase to track project progress, find issues, and make changes. This helps ensure that the project stays on schedule and is delivered within budget and scope.
A key part of the monitoring and controlling process is identifying risks and implementing risk responses. This includes a risk register that helps keep track of project risks, triggers, and risk responses.
Managing changes and responding to change requests are also key elements of the monitoring and controlling phase. Identifying change requests early and addressing them promptly can prevent problems from occurring later in the project.
The monitoring and controlling phase of an IT project allows managers to track and rectify deviations from the original plan. It can also help avoid scope creep and ensure that the project stays true to its initial goals.
Project managers often have a post-mortem meeting to evaluate how well the project went. This is also a great time to discuss lessons learned and ways to improve future projects.
During project closure, the team reviews and tests deliverables against the project plan and client specifications. They also share the final deliverables with the client.
There is a lot of paperwork and administrative work involved in project closure, but it should be an opportunity to reflect on the success of the project. Using our free lessons-learned template, capture the wins and issues that occurred during the project and discuss what you’ll do differently in future projects.
When you have an effective project control system, it’s easier to cross off tasks and keep track of progress. It also helps you identify bottlenecks and issues that need to be addressed.
Initiation is the first of the five phases of an IT project; it's when you lay the foundation and outline why you're doing this. That's what helps you secure approval, get buy-in from key stakeholders, and start to assemble your team.
A good initiation phase also ensures that everybody is on the same page before they actually start work, which is vital for avoiding costly misunderstandings and roadblocks later on in the project life cycle.
The initiation phase can also help you identify who's likely to be impacted by the project and who might have insights or resources to offer. This can be a big benefit because it saves you time and money on resolving conflicts in the future, when fewer people are available to do so.
Planning is the phase of the project management lifecycle that establishes a roadmap for the team to follow. It involves a number of activities, including setting goals, creating a schedule, determining resources and staffing requirements, and developing budgets.
The planning phase also incorporates risk analysis, which is a key way to minimize pitfalls that can impact your timeline. It also allows you to manage stakeholder expectations around snags and delays that could occur throughout the course of the project.
During the planning phase, a risk register should be created that details the likelihood and impact of each identified risk on the project. It should also be updated during the execution and monitoring phases of the project to track how the risk is impacting the progress of the project.
Project execution is the phase of a project when all of the strategies and best-laid plans you outlined in your plan are put into action. When it comes to IT projects, the execution stage is often a struggle for teams.
Project execution isn’t the most glamorous part of a project, but it’s still essential to its success. Managing stakeholder communication is one of the most important tasks during this phase, as it’s a crucial element in keeping projects on schedule and within budget.
Project managers can use the monitoring and control phase to track project progress, find issues, and make changes. This helps ensure that the project stays on schedule and is delivered within budget and scope.
A key part of the monitoring and controlling process is identifying risks and implementing risk responses. This includes a risk register that helps keep track of project risks, triggers, and risk responses.
Managing changes and responding to change requests are also key elements of the monitoring and controlling phase. Identifying change requests early and addressing them promptly can prevent problems from occurring later in the project.
The monitoring and controlling phase of an IT project allows managers to track and rectify deviations from the original plan. It can also help avoid scope creep and ensure that the project stays true to its initial goals.
Project managers often have a post-mortem meeting to evaluate how well the project went. This is also a great time to discuss lessons learned and ways to improve future projects.
During project closure, the team reviews and tests deliverables against the project plan and client specifications. They also share the final deliverables with the client.
There is a lot of paperwork and administrative work involved in project closure, but it should be an opportunity to reflect on the success of the project. Using our free lessons-learned template, capture the wins and issues that occurred during the project and discuss what you’ll do differently in future projects.