Project initiation

All projects have ten critical factors. Put them in place, and the chance of success increases dramatically. These factors are put into place during the initial stage of a project: the initiation phase.  Many project sponsors and managers are tempted to jump into the definition and design phases without much organizational work.  This urgency, while understood, can be the downfall of a project before it really begins. The time spent in start-up pays dividends by creating clarity and structure from the beginning.

• Alignment with business strategy
• Compelling case for change
• A project management framework
• Clear requirements (end state definition)
• Organizational readiness 
• Effective sponsorship
• Participation of stakeholders
• Realistic and reliable planning
• Sufficient resources
• Qualified project manager

• Confirm the project's value to the organization.
• Ensure that the people who must participate are available and committed.
• Create an ordered process and structure for conducting the project.
• Set the scope of the project and define its expected results.

WISDM provides its clients with an initiation service, guiding a project and its stakeholders through the steps necessary to properly define and organize the project, thus putting its success factors into place. This service is designed to meet the needs of each client's situation. We can manage the initiation phase or provide training to help sponsors and project managers manage it themselves.

The range of initiation services include training programs, mentoring, designing and facilitating key meetings, providing templates for documents, and providing methods and tools for accomplishing specific initiation tasks. Some of our clients ask us to manage the initiation phase in high-risk and complex situations, and others are happy to have us just look over their shoulder.

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