Purpose

The Initiate Project process defines the work required to deliver the project’s products and establishes a clear foundation for delivery. The Project Manager should produce a Project Initiation Document (PID) that sets out cost, delivery schedule, milestones, quality expectations, communication arrangements and risk management. The PID should answer the board’s key questions about:

• Scope
• Timeline
• Benefits and risks
• Quality controls
• Change control
• Communication channels and governance

Process flow

Process flow The Initiate Project phase requires close collaboration between the Executive (project sponsor) and the Project Manager to produce a comprehensive and coherent PID. Typical steps are:

1. Develop the Risk Management plan. Use the organisation’s approach to risks, hazards, responses and reporting. Ensure registers, thresholds and escalation routes are defined.
2. Define the Quality Management plan. Describe the testing, acceptance and assurance arrangements for project products. Identify any third‑party input and explain how project management artefacts (registers, logs, deliverables) will be maintained and audited by the corporate PMO or project assurance function.
3. Define the Change Management plan. Review lessons learned and the Project Product Description to set the appetite for change during delivery. Seek corporate guidance on inter‑project dependencies and budget constraints.
4. Define the Configuration Management plan. Specify how configuration items and project products will be controlled and deployed. Include controls for software source and executables, and how hardware, documentation and licences will be tracked — typically by the organisation’s Configuration Management Database — during and after the project.
5. Define the Communication Management Strategy. With Risk, Quality, Change and Configuration plans drafted, establish how different stakeholder groups (internal project teams, external organisations, third parties and possibly public users) will be kept informed about status and forecasts.
6. Set up project controls. Define how progress will be monitored and validated so stage completions, milestones and any earned value can be recognised for payment or release gates.
7. Create the Project Plan. In consultation with the delivery manager and delivery team (including any third‑party suppliers), produce the Project Plan. Ensure task estimates are provided by those responsible for delivery.

Inputs

1. Authorisation to Initiate the Project from the Project Board
2. Project Brief (from Start Up)
3. Initiation Stage Plan (from Start Up) 

Key Deliverables

Quality Management Plan

Change Control Plan

Issue Register

Risk Management Plan

Risk Register

Communication Management Plan

Benefits Review Plan

Project Product Description(s)

Project Initiation Document

Project Plan

Notes on usage and governance

• Ensure all plans and registers are kept current and available for audit by the corporate PMO or project assurance.
• Tailor the level of formality to project scale and organisational requirements: larger projects will require more detailed plans and stricter controls.