Points 6 - 9
6.0 Proposed Implementation Plan
This is the document equivalent to draping a scantly clad woman over the hood of a car clearly marketed at men. It's not a working plan. You are just painting a picture of what it looks like having made the decision to go ahead.
Tangibly speaking it's a very brief project execution plan. It needs to be brief for two reasons:
- Firstly, you most likely don't have the data to do a detailed plan yet.
- Secondly, remember why you're writing it. It's not a plan from which you micro-manage resources!
7.0 Risk Analysis
The following list is culled simply from typical standard project risk management literature. So, consider this list of sub-headings as standard coverage:
- Risk Event
- Probability
- Impact
- Exposure
- Mitigation Plan
However, remember that the events of interest here are those that affect the decision to endorse or not to endorse your proposed business case. For example, if the project goes ahead, what could compromise or negate the benefits described? You'll have the same table in the project charter but there you're concerned about threats to the execution, that is, the delivery. Here you are concerned about threats to the organization that accompany the decision to do or not to do.
8.0 Constraints & Assumptions
List here any parameters imposed on the proposal either internally or externally. For example, you may have had a conversation with your boss in the corridor and he's said: "OK but you have to keep it under $10,000". While documenting the proposal is your next step, you cannot ignore any instruction you've been given. List them here. It will affect what you can and cannot achieve within the project. Perhaps on reading your draft, your proposal is given greater consideration and you get a call rescinding the limitation, perhaps not. Either way the outcome is affected by this constraint.
Likewise, if you're doing things a particular way to accommodate company policy or legal requirements, note that here. If there is an immovable deadline, list it here.
9.0 Endorsement
If your proposal is in the form of an email to the boss, all you need is a positive reply.
However, if your document is formal enough, then include a signature block at the end of your document. It helps to remind them to think carefully, they will be held accountable for their decisions.
It is also important that the sponsor knows that at this stage they are agreeing in principle only and that they will have the opportunity to review a plan of execution (project charter) before you start spending money on a real scale.
|
Points 1‑5
