Sample Project Initiation Document
Sample Project Initiation Document
ASL/CS/PID/001
Programme: n/a ASL Internet Site
Purpose:
This document has been produced to capture and record the basic information needed to correctly direct and
manage the project. The PID addresses the following fundamental aspects of the project:
When approved by the Project Board, this PID will provide the 'Baseline' for the project and will become
"frozen". It will be referred to whenever a major decision is taken about the project and used at the conclusion.
of the project to measure whether the project was managed successfully and delivered an acceptable outcome
for the sponsor/user/customer.
Background:
The Internet is becoming an ever more important feature of the computer/software industry. The number of
The number of people with access to the Internet is increasing exponentially, as is the number of Internet 'sites' which are.
being set up by companies as “shop windows” for their goods and services.
Many of our competitors have already set up Internet sites and while the amount of business that can be
directly attributed to that source is still quite small, this is not expected to remain the case for very long.
Hence it is believed that ASL can no longer ignore the Internet as a possible source of future business.
consideration should be given to establishing our own 'web' site.
Based on Project Brief Ref ASL/CS/PB/001, the company board has recommended the production of this.
Project Initiation Document as a prelude to making full and final commitment to the project.
objectives
The aim is to develop and launch a site on the Internet which will act, initially, as an electronic brochure for
our company. This will allow prospective customers, worldwide, to review our range of products, access
pricing information and e-mail us with their requirements.
The target date for having the first implementation of our site up and running is 1stJanuary 1997.
Scope, Exclusions & Interfaces:
Initially, our Internet site will consist solely of company/product presentations with provision for
canvassing and collating email inquiries about our products.
There is scope for making a more proactive website whereby customers can actually place orders on-
line and pay by giving their credit card details. We don’t believe that the UK market is quite ready for
this facility yet and whilst it may be introduced at some stage in the future, it will not be part of the
current project.
MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS:
QUALITY PRODUCTS:
Product Descriptions
Q.2 Quality Review Documentation
Q.3 Project Issues/Change Control
SPECIALIST PRODUCTS
Note: Product Descriptions for the above Specialist Products are at Appendix A.
Constraints:
An initial budget limit of £10,000 has been allocated to this project - this to include all external and
internal expenditure.
Assumptions:
There will be no connections between the Internet and our own internal IT systems.
The main expenditure will be on internal resources from the development department.
The simple business case for this project is very compelling. Recent surveys have shown that companies like
Ours can expect to generate up to 20% of their total revenues from a relevant and well-written Internet site.
Given our current turnover of approximately £2m per year, and assuming that we only manage to achieve 10% of
the expected turnover increase, we could still expect to improve our revenues by £40,000 pa. Based on an
An average margin of 25% means that the initial £10,000 investment would be recovered within the first year.
The following is a cash flow statement for the first five years of operation, based on the 'worst-case'
improvements in profitability, as explained above. We have assumed a straight-line 25% increase in annual
benefits based on industry predictions of the future growth in Internet usage. A figure of £2000 per annum has
also been included for maintaining and updating the site.
Year CashFlow
See Appendix B
The personnel involved in managing the project will be Martyn Mayhew, Tom Goodlad and Karen Rodgers.
who will make up the Project Board.
Because of her prior experience with exactly this kind of work, Janis Kitson is to be invited to be the Project
Manager.
Sid Hall will provide Project Assurance and Emily Barker Project Support.
It is not expected that Team Managers will be needed, so any Specialist staff will report directly to Janis.
Kitson. The Project Board will require regular (weekly) Highlight Reports during the Production stage of the
project.
In addition to the above, there will be a need for 2 specialist staff, one for graphics production and one
programmer. These will be selected from the current development team.
Main Responsibilities:
Authorize the start and continuation of the project from the corporate perspective
3. Set and review overall strategy and interfaces with other initiatives.
User Assurance
3. Supplier Assurance carried out by spot-check/audit of technical material and Products supplied
Janis Kitson
See Appendix C
Acceptance Criteria:
Schedule:
The project will commence on 1 October. Initial activities will include the writing of the Functional
Specification, registration of domain names and identification of specialist resources.
Resources:
The resources to be used are Janis Kitson (estimated 20 days effort); Sid Hall (estimated 5 days)
effort); Emily Barker (estimated 5 days effort). Plus, approximately 10 man.days of effort for
graphics production and 40 man.days of programming. Registration of domain names costs £150
and the monthly cost of the internet provider will be £35.
There follows a more detailed plan of the main activities and management stages:
Project Controls:
The project will be reviewed at significant points by the Project Board. A major review will take place
to approve this PID. A further Project Board review will be conducted when the Functional
Specification is completed, prior to embarkation on the Production Stage.
The project will also be reviewed by the Project Board at Project Closure.
Responsibility for all day-to-day controls will rest with the Project Manager. Overall responsibility for
The successful delivery of the project will rest with the Executive member of the Project Board.
An overall project Tolerance of plus/minus 20% on approved Stage effort and/or plus/minus
2 weeks on schedule will be allowed. Each Management Stage will have a standard
Tolerance of plus/minus 10% of approved effort and/or plus/minus 2 weeks schedule.
Risk Tolerance will be exceeded if the analysis of risks results in a risk factor in excess of
1.5.
If these Tolerance levels are forecast to be exceeded the Project Board will be immediately
notified and corrective action approved.
Contingency Plans:
This is a low/moderate risk project and no specific contingency plans have been put into place.
place. At the present time it is not expected that there will be many changes to the
approved plans and Product Descriptions and therefore a Change Budget is not considered
to be necessary.
Additional Comment:
The project is straightforward and should present few problems in bringing to a successful completion.
conclusion. As the project will span the Christmas holiday period it is likely that some
Schedule slippage will occur. This is not critical to the success of the project.
Customer/User’s Signature:
Date:
Appendix A
Product Descriptions
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Purpose:
To define exactly what the Internet pages should say, how they should operate and how they should look
Composition:
Derivation:
Format:
A4 spiral bound
Quality Criteria:
Must be usable as a working document for the production of graphics and code.
Quality Method:
Purpose:
To provide the graphical look and feel for the whole Internet site.
Composition:
Derivation:
Format:
Quality Criteria:
Quality Method:
Purpose:
To combine the graphics, text and logical elements on screen to provide a working set of Internet pages
Composition:
Derivation:
Format:
Quality Criteria:
Quality Method:
Risk Log
PROJECT RISK LOG
ASL/CS/RL001
Program: Project:
ASL Internet Site
Quality Plan
Document
PROJECT QUALITY PLAN Ref: ASL/CS/QP01
Version: 1
Program: Project: ASL Internet Site
Purpose:
This document has been produced to define how the Supplier intends to deliver Products that meet
the Customer’s Quality and the Supplier’s Quality Standards. The Project Quality Plan establishes
the quality regime that will apply to the project.
Responsibilities
Main Responsibilities:
§ Ensure that the Quality Review is properly organised;
§ Agree the Agenda;
§ Check the Product is ready for Quality Review;
§ Control the QR Procedure and chair the QR Review meeting;
§ Ensure that the Quality Review does not stray from its main aims;
§ Ensure that actions and required results are agreed;
§ Together with the Reviewers, determine the Quality Review Outcome;
§ Keep the Team Manager(s) aware of the status of the Quality Reviews;
§ Provide final sign-off;
§ Raise Project Issues via the Team Manager where problems with the Product cannot be
satisfactorily resolved.
Quality Reviewer:
This role provides an independent and objective view of the Product and measures the Product
against its agreed Quality Criteria.
Main Responsibilities:
§ Prepare for the Quality Review;
§ Assess the Product against the Quality Criteria specified in the Product Description;
§ Ensure that errors are fully understood by the Producer and are subsequently resolved.
satisfactorily;
§ Sign off on appropriate Follow-up Action List items.
Team Manager(s):
This role is responsible for the professional delivery of a specific Product that meets its stated Quality.
Criteria.
Main Responsibilities:
§ Plan Quality Reviews in detail;
§ Identify Quality Review resources;
§ Monitor Quality Review progress against the plan;
§ Report progress to the Project Manager.
Project Manager:
This role is responsible for the creation and delivery of products to the Project Board, meeting the
agreed Management Stage Plan.
Main Responsibilities:
§ Plan the Quality Reviews in outline;
§ Plan to overcome any identified Project Issues raised as a result of Quality Review;
§ Act as a Quality Reviewer where appropriate.
Main Responsibilities:
§ Check that the Quality Reviews are being properly constituted;
§ Advise on suitable Quality Reviewers for each QR;
§ Check that everyone involved in the Quality Review process is aware of their responsibilities.
and that adequate training has been given;
§ Ensure that the QR procedure is being properly followed;
§ Check that Quality Reviewers are being correctly selected, and that they are briefed for the
work
§ Check that Follow-up actions are being properly monitored;
§ Log and report on Corporate Standards and advise on improvements and amendments;
§ Act as Quality Reviewers where appropriate.
Main Responsibilities:
§ Set the Quality Policy for the Organisation and the Project;
§ Ensure Quality Standards are adhered to (via Project and Quality Assurance;
Project Support:
This role (where provided) will carry out administrative support for Quality Reviews.
Main Responsibilities:
§ Assist the QR Chair to organize a QR venue, prepare and distribute the QR documentation;
§ Act as a 'Scribe' at the Quality Review;
§ Progress-chase the Follow-up Actions list;
§ Act as a Quality Reviewer where appropriate.
Standards to be met:
All material produced must conform to the specification and quality criteria stated for them. Standards
for creation, development and maintenance will be agreed before work commences.
Key Product Quality Criteria
Specific Quality Criteria will be incorporated into the Product Description for each Product. Generic
criteria are that all Products must have a consistent presentation. Products will be used by
individuals when preparing for courses and exams so they must have at least a three month life-
span.
Quality Control & Audit Processes (Project Management & Specialist Work):
All Product versions must be capable of being tracked.
Customer/User’s Signature:
Date: