COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT

WEEK 1

- initiation begins after a problem or opportunity has been identified within an organization
- lays strong foundation of the whole project
- helps ensure that the benefits of the project outcomes will outweigh the costs of the project
- identify goals, scope, stakeholders and resources
- gain clarity from stakeholders!
- Key componets PM needs to consider
o Goals – what you have been asked to do, what are you triying to achieve
o Scope – work that needs to hapen to compelte the project
o Deliverables – products you will create for your cusotmer, client or sponsor
 Can be product, process, documentation, feature...
 Are submitted to help you reach your project goals
 Tangible or intangible
 if event – apart from event itslef it is also registration, schedule, meal service
etc
o Success cireteria – self explanatory
o Stakehodlers – people who have interest in and are affected by the completion of
the project
o Resources – budget, people materials
- Project charter – documents that define the proejct and its goals, outlines what is needed to
complete them
- Listen actively to your stakeholders, you cannot spend enough time on that¨

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS

- cost benefit analysis = adding up the expected value of a project (the benefits) and
comparing them to the dollar costs
o Benefits
 what value will this project create?
 How much money it casn save us?
 How much money it will bring in?
 How much time will be saved?
 How will be user experience imrpoved?
o Cots
 One time costs, long term, ongoing costs
 How muc time will people need to spend in it
o Consider also intangible benefits (or costs)
 Customer or emplyoee satisfaction, employee producitvity, brand perception
- ROI = return of investment
o (G-C) / C = ROI
 G = financial gains
 C = costs of investment

COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT

Reflection: Project initiation and key components

TOTAL POINTS 7
1.
Question 1
In this exercise, you will read a scenario and identify the six key components of project initiation:

- Goals
- Scope
- Project deliverables
- Success criteria
- Stakeholders
- Resources

Start by reading the scenario:

Imagine you are a project manager at an educational software company. You’re assigned a new
project to develop a digital grading platform for a local high school. Before beginning the project,
you meet with teachers, school administrators, the school IT department, and the district
superintendent to discuss the project and get their input. 

During these meetings, you organized your thoughts by writing down project key components that
the stakeholders have requested. Your notes on the key components are:

 $150,000 maximum budget  

 Team: can add one member from the school IT department  
 Platform should allow teachers to enter grades and allow students/parents to view grades  
 Need full teacher buy-in at high school: 100% adoption within next nine months   
 Project should focus only on the digital grading platform and NOT impact other digital platforms
(ex. attendance, school lunch payments)  
 Overall, the school is seeking a platform for digital grading 

The next step in the project is to organize the key components into a project charter. You will then
present the charter to the individuals involved with the project. The project charter ensures
everyone is aligned before planning and then executing the project.

-----

Have you read the scenario?

1 / 1 point
COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT

I have!

Correct
Great! Now, compare your answers to the feedback below.

2.
Question 2
Which of the key components is the project’s goal? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
To develop a digital grading platform for a local high school.
Correct
Thank you for your response. The project’s goal is what you’ve been asked to do and what you’re
trying to achieve. The goals are often determined by senior leaders at an organization or
company. Did you consider the goal as: To launch a digital grading platform for the high school
and get full teacher adoption?

3.
Question 3
Which key component outlines the project’s scope? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
Digital platform tha only concerns grading and does not affect any other agendas.
Correct
Project managers use scope as a boundary—what should or shouldn’t be included in the project.
In the scenario above, the project scope is: Creating the digital grading platform and not updating
other digital platforms the school uses such as attendance or meal payments.

4.
Question 4
Which key component is the project deliverable? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
Digital grading platform and its implementation.
Correct
A deliverable is the tangible and intangible outcomes of a project. The deliverables in the
examples are: A platform for teachers to enter grades and students to view their grades.

5.
Question 5
Which key component outlines the project’s success criteria? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
A 100% adoption of a digital platform allowing teachers to enter grades and students/parents to view
grades within the next 9 months.
Correct
The success criteria are the standards by which you measure how successful a project is in
reaching its goals. Did you consider: 100% of teachers adopt the digital grading platform within
the next nine months?
COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT

6.
Question 6
Who are the project stakeholders? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
Teachers, students and parents, school administrators, the school IT department, and the district
superintendent.
Correct
Stakeholders are people who have an interest in, or are affected by, the completion of a
successful project: teachers, students, parents, school administrators, school IT department, and
the district superintendent.

7.
Question 7
Which key components outline the resources you will have at your disposal for the project?

1 / 1 point
Budget of $150,000, one additional member from the school IT department
Correct
Resources generally refer to the budget, people, and materials available to complete the project.
In the scenario, it’s the budget of $150,000 and the member from the school’s IT department.

Reflection: Project initiation and key components

TOTAL POINTS 7
1.
Question 1
In this exercise, you will read a scenario and identify the six key components of project initiation:

 Goals
 Scope
 Project deliverables
 Success criteria
 Stakeholders
 Resources

Start by reading the scenario:

Imagine you are a project manager at an educational software company. You’re assigned a new
project to develop a digital grading platform for a local high school. Before beginning the project,
you meet with teachers, school administrators, the school IT department, and the district
superintendent to discuss the project and get their input. 
COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT

During these meetings, you organized your thoughts by writing down project key components that
the stakeholders have requested. Your notes on the key components are:

 $150,000 maximum budget  

 Team: can add one member from the school IT department  
 Platform should allow teachers to enter grades and allow students/parents to view grades  
 Need full teacher buy-in at high school: 100% adoption within next nine months   
 Project should focus only on the digital grading platform and NOT impact other digital platforms
(ex. attendance, school lunch payments)  
 Overall, the school is seeking a platform for digital grading 

The next step in the project is to organize the key components into a project charter. You will then
present the charter to the individuals involved with the project. The project charter ensures
everyone is aligned before planning and then executing the project.

-----

Have you read the scenario?

1 / 1 point

I have!

Correct
Great! Now, compare your answers to the feedback below.

2.
Question 2
Which of the key components is the project’s goal? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
To develop a digital grading platform for a local high school.
Correct
Thank you for your response. The project’s goal is what you’ve been asked to do and what you’re
trying to achieve. The goals are often determined by senior leaders at an organization or
company. Did you consider the goal as: To launch a digital grading platform for the high school
and get full teacher adoption?

3.
Question 3
Which key component outlines the project’s scope? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
Digital platform tha only concerns grading and does not affect any other agendas.
Correct
COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT

Project managers use scope as a boundary—what should or shouldn’t be included in the project.
In the scenario above, the project scope is: Creating the digital grading platform and not updating
other digital platforms the school uses such as attendance or meal payments.

4.
Question 4
Which key component is the project deliverable? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
Digital grading platform and its implementation.
Correct
A deliverable is the tangible and intangible outcomes of a project. The deliverables in the
examples are: A platform for teachers to enter grades and students to view their grades.

5.
Question 5
Which key component outlines the project’s success criteria? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
A 100% adoption of a digital platform allowing teachers to enter grades and students/parents to view
grades within the next 9 months.
Correct
The success criteria are the standards by which you measure how successful a project is in
reaching its goals. Did you consider: 100% of teachers adopt the digital grading platform within
the next nine months?

6.
Question 6
Who are the project stakeholders? Write one sentence.

1 / 1 point
Teachers, students and parents, school administrators, the school IT department, and the district
superintendent.
Correct
Stakeholders are people who have an interest in, or are affected by, the completion of a
successful project: teachers, students, parents, school administrators, school IT department, and
the district superintendent.

7.
Question 7
Which key components outline the resources you will have at your disposal for the project?

1 / 1 point
Budget of $150,000, one additional member from the school IT department
Correct
Resources generally refer to the budget, people, and materials available to complete the project.
In the scenario, it’s the budget of $150,000 and the member from the school’s IT department.
COURSE 2: PROJECT INITIATION: STARTING A SUCCESSFULL PROJECT