Project Phases in Classical Projects

Abstract

AbstractA project can be divided into project phases. There are different possibilities for structuring in the literature, as well as company-specific names. For this book, the following four practice-oriented phases are defined: Strategy phase The strategy phase begins with a situation analysis and environmental analysis in order to determine the framework conditions for a project to be carried out. If a project becomes concrete, the definition of project goals takes place. Initial solutions complete the basics for a project assignment. The project assignment stands for the start of a project. Depending on the size and type of the project, the creation of a requirements and duties list is necessary. Planning phase The project planning is a essential task of the project manager. The result of the project planning is the project plan, which includes further plans. The most important plans are the work breakdown structure (WBS) and the schedule including milestone plan and the resource and cost plan based on it. The task of the project organization is to find an optimal structure in interaction with the line organization for a successful project implementation. Corresponding roles and committees have to be defined. Realization phase The controlling of a project is another essential task of the project manager. The focus is on the organization of the acceptance of interim milestones, the project completion or—if necessary—the project termination before. Other priorities are the ensuring of communication in the project and with the stakeholders as well as activities in case of disruptions in the project course. Based on the milestone plan, the project progress can be controlled and possible schedule difficulties can be identified with the milestone trend analysis. Closure phase In this phase, the project is completed, the central point is the acceptance of the project by the principal. In a post-phase, final work, handovers and the release of resources take place at the end. Lessons learned and a final documentation secure the acquired knowledge for future projects.