Phase Zero

This activity only needs to be undertaken if the concept is moving to the next phase. If the concept is being cancelled, you can move directly to closing the phase

The purpose of this activity is to ensure that if a decision is made to go to the next phase, it is clearly understood what is entailed. The high level plan produced here may well be refined when the phase is undertaken however it is probably around 80% right in content. What it is lacking is the depth of detail that will need to be put in place during preparation to start work in the Project Planning phase.

• Phase Zero Report

1. Identify resources available for next phase. Most work will probably be undertaken by the Project Manager.
2. List activities to be undertaken.
3. Put together a rough schedule - not necessarily a Gantt Chart.
4. List key milestones (if the phase is to run more than a week).
5. Identify any risks that may cause the phase not to achieve the planned outcome.
6. Discuss with the Sponsor and gain their agreement to proceed.

• High level Plan for the Phase

The intention is not to create a definitive plan for the next phase. The intention is to identify who will be involved, what will they be doing, how long will it take, and what will it cost. It is also to identify any problems that may derail the plan.

• Who - Name the people involved and the approximate time they will need to spend on the project.
• What - Identify the major work that will be involved.
• Time - How long will it take to complete the phase? When will it start and end? If it is going to run over a few weeks, how will we know it is on track? What are the major milestones?
• Cost - What is the cost of completing the phase?
• Problems - Are there any risks associated with completing the phase on time? Are there any issues that need to be overcome before the phase can be completed?

A particularly important step at this stage is to find sponsorship for the project. One person needs to be nominated as Sponsor and agree to accept that role.