The project "Overview" page
Showcase what the project is about and all its details in this page.
It serves as a welcome to all project team members, so they can understand what they are working on, the priorities, the scope and everything else that is important for a successful delivery.
It also defines the initial schedule and budget baseline that are used to calculate any variance that always happens during the course of a delivery.
PM and Sponsors
- Project Manager: The person responsible to deliver the project. In case of multiple PMs, you can designate the primary one by right clicking on the name and select “Make Primary”. Project Managers have full control of the project.
- Project Sponsors: It is critical for all team members to fully understand the executive team and their involvement.
Delivery
- Priority: set the project priority to define the importance of this project against all other initiatives
- Method: When the project is initially created, the selection was made to follow an Agile or Traditional (Waterfall) methodology. You can also create initiatives as “Operational” and Task Tracking”
Planned Dates
At the beginning of the project, there should be a start/end date “agreed” with the sponsors and executive team. These dates serve as a baseline against the project ongoing schedule and will be used to calculate any variance against what was initially “agreed”.
Approved Budget
At the beginning of the project, there should be an approved budget that has been authorized by the sponsors and executive team. This budget serves as a baseline against the project forecast and actuals and will be used to calculate any variance.
The “Budget code” can be used to label funding sources. This field can be hidden if not used.
The Triple Constraint (aka Project Triangle)
Clearly state what takes precedence among Budget, Schedule and Scope. If something has to give, the direction is very clear from the beginning.
The project "Details"
Documents
Any document that is relevant to understanding the project should be placed here. You can also view them in the document Repository under the Linked folder.
Scope
Clearly state what is “in” scope and what is “out” of scope. Always ensure to have a crystal clear and aligned understanding of what the project is delivering.
Assumptions
Clearly state all assumptions and constraints your project is working under, to ensure alignment and accountability.
Communication
Describe your communication plan to make it clear how updates are shared and with whom.
Closure
When you are about to close a project, it is very important to share what worked and what didn’t go as planned. History is a key learning guide for future success.
