PMLC: Overview

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Project Management Methodology

• Initiation
• Planning
• Execution
• Closure
• Monitor & Control

The Project Management Life Cycle (PMLC) defines standard processes and artifacts, based on proven best practices, at each phase of the lifecycle. Some of these processes and artifacts affect multiple phases. Below is a high level summary, providing an overview of the purpose of each phase, entry and exit criteria, main artifacts, and key activities.

To see a full list of artifacts and activities for each phase, click on the green Initiation, Planning, Execution, Closure, and Monitor and Control icons above. Note: the chart below does not contain the full list of artifacts and activities.

		INITIATION		PLANNING		EXECUTION		CLOSURE
Purpose		Define project scope, objectives, benefits, high-level timeline, major milestones and initial total project cost. Confirm Sponsor and stakeholder commitment.		Refine project requirements, objectives, timeline and total project cost. Determine how work will be done, assign tasks and timelines. Secure stakeholder agreement on how the project will be completed. Define the Stakeholder Management Plan.		Perform work defined in the Planning phase. Manage obstacles and risks. Ensure implementation is ready to proceed. Both business and technology must be ready to launch.		Gather stakeholder feedback for process improvements. Assign ownership to outstanding items from Execution and other post project activities. Finalize project one-time costs. Close the project and release all resources.
Entry Criteria		Problem statement defined High-level process map defined Key business stakeholders identified Key delivery stakeholders identified WAG Benefits defined Appetite to Spend determined Change Strategy complete Clarity entry created to reflect Initiation phase		Seed Funding Request approved Resources as committed Clarity entry updated to reflect Planning phase		Business Case/ Integrated Project Plan approved Resources as committed Clarity entry updated to reflect Execution phase Financial Projection Template (FPT) uploaded to Clarity		Project has launched successfully and is out of warranty period Clarity entry is updated to reflect Closure phase
Key Activities		Begin Steering Committee meetings Hold initial high-level requirements sessions with key stakeholders Work with Strategic Sourcing or your Segment Vendor Management Group to manage a detailed Request for Information (RFI), if required Complete New Business & Product Approval (NBPA) Risk Assessment (NBPRA) per segment requirements for initiatives determined to be applicable to the NBPA Policy (if sufficient information is available) Gather ROM estimates for total project costs and ongoing costs Work with Business Owner and Finance to ensure high-level benefits are identified Hold Work Breakdown session to ensure all tasks to reach high confidence Business Case are known		Finalize governance - stakeholders, committees, roles and responsibilities Continue Steering Committee meetings Engage Technology via their Project Manager as per Enterprise Integrated Delivery Methods (EiDM), if required Hold detailed requirements sessions with all stakeholders Complete New Business & Product Approval (NBPA) Risk Assessment (NBPRA) per segment requirements for initiatives determined to be applicable to the NBPA Policy. Log and mitigate all risks to the projects, consider all constraints, dependencies, assumptions (e.g. Integrated Project Plan, NBPRA) Work with Strategic Sourcing or your Segment Vendor Management Group to manage a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP), if required Hold Work Breakdown session to determine deliverables Finalize Project Schedule and Resource Plan to determine cost of project Update Financial Projection Template (FPT) Initiate Strategic Committee Optimizing Portfolio Excellence (SCOPE)/Enterprise Review Board (ERB) process for Tier 1 and 2 projects. Project Manager, Sponsor and Technology Lead present at the Business Segment Oversight Committee and ERB; if required, Sponsor presents at SCOPE Manage change through Project Change Requests (PCRs)		Develop solution Test solution Assess project readiness to launch, including readiness of impacted stakeholders (business and technology) to receive the change – 90, 60, 30 days out (based on project complexity, multiple sessions may be needed, a minimum of one is required) Manage pilot activities, if required Sponsor makes Go/No-Go decision based on the completion and quality of all artifacts required Manage warranty/bug fixes, ensure ability to access identified success measures Update Clarity project reporting Upload Financial Projection Template (FPT) as latest forecast in Clarity Manage change through Project Change Requests (PCRs)		Complete organizational change adoption and sustainment activities Facilitate Lessons Learned session Assign owners to outstanding issues that arose during implementation Assign owner and draft Post Implementation Review (PIR) Assign Process Map Owner and submit final business process maps to the BPM Repository Release all resources Finalize one-time costs Upload Financial Projection Template (FPT) as latest forecast in Clarity Close project in Clarity – this date will be used to calculate PIR date
KEY ARTIFACTS
PMLC (Methodology and Communication)		Seed Funding Request Project Communication Strategy Detailed plan (project schedule - MS Project or Excel) for Planning phase New Business & Product Approval (NBPA) Policy/Risk Assessment per segment requirement Tier Classification Tool		Business Case / Benefit Management Worksheet, Financial Projection Template (FPT) 0-20% variance Tier Classification Tool Integrated Project Plan Technology documents per Enterprise Integrated Delivery Methods (EiDM), if required New Business & Product Approval (NBPA) Policy/Risk Assessment per segment requirements Business Acceptance Test (BAT) plan Detailed Work Breakdown Structure/Project Schedule with resources identified Socialization & Communications Plan Project Change Requests (PCRs) as required to accurately track changes		Business Acceptance Test (BAT) test scripts and documented test, execution results Project Readiness Assessment Final Implementation Plans (typically part of the Project Schedule) Project Change Requests (PCRs) as required to accurately track changes Transition Plan (typically part of the Project Schedule) Business Case Reauthorization (if triple constraint changes impact the FPT) Training materials (as needed)		Project Closure presentation Lessons Learned Financial projection via revised Financial Projection Template (FPT) Draft Post Implementation Review (PIR) including risk element
RMLC		High-level requirements (Business Requirements Document) Requirements Management Plan (RPM) Traceability Matrix Requirements Review & Issues Log		Detailed requirements (Business Requirements Document)				Requirements Lessons Learned
BPM		Business process map - current state level 3 or 4 (if available), future state level 3 or 4 (draft)		Business process map - refined future state level 4				Business process map - final future state level 4
OCM		Change Impact Assessment Stakeholder Impact Assessment		Change Plan Revisit Stakeholder Impact Assessment		Business Readiness Assessment		Adoption and sustainment
Governance		Artifacts clearly demonstrate the business rationale for approving the Seed Funding Request. Approval at Gate 1 demonstrates that the business believes the project has sufficient benefit to proceed to Planning phase. Clarity record created and initial data entered Project Governance Guidelines Governance Chart Steering Committee Charter		Artifacts clearly demonstrate the business rationale for approving the Business Case. Approval at Gate 2 demonstrates that the project has completed the necessary planning to execute well. This must be obvious to stakeholders not involved in the project. Project governance Risk clearly identified and mitigated including cross-project dependencies, New Business & Product Approval (NBPA) Policy identified risk Update Clarity data Feasibility of project continuation Feasibility of putting project on hold		Artifacts clearly demonstrate that the project is being executed within controlled parameters. Approval at Gate 3 means the stakeholders believe the project will implement successfully. Update Clarity data		Artifacts clearly demonstrate that the project has completed its required scope. Approval at Gate 4 means the stakeholders agree that the project has no outstanding activities and can be closed. Approval for project to close Upload last forecast Financial Projection Template (FPT) to Clarity Update and close project in Clarity Draft PIR (including risk elements)
CDS				Financial Projection Template (FPT) 0-20% variance for total project one time costs, on-going costs, benefits, Shareholder Value Added (SVA)		Update Financial Projection Template (FPT) to reflect project decisions		Update Financial Projection Template (FPT) and Benefits Management Worksheet to reflect project closing state
Exit Criteria		Approved Seed Funding Request Business benefits identified and Shareholder Value Added (SVA) Complete all the key artifacts If red health status, complete Return to Green Plan. Project Management Office (PMO) to review. Enterprise Review Board (ERB) and Strategic Committee Optimizing Portfolio Excellence (SCOPE) Gating checklist		Signoff on financials, accepted variance 0-20% from total project cost Signoff on the Integrated Project Plan by Project Team Leads Gating checklist		Launch approved and executed Warranty provided Gating checklist		Complete financial reconciliation and benefit realization Transfer deliverables to business and technology Measure adoption and sustainment Archive project artifacts Submit final business process map to the Business Process Management (BPM) Centre of Excellence (CoE) Facilitate Lessons Learned session Close project Complete all the key artifacts (update or refined) If red health status, complete Return to Green Plan. Project Management Office (PMO) to review. Enterprise Review Board (ERB) and Strategic Committee Optimizing Portfolio Excellence (SCOPE) Gating checklist
MONITOR & CONTROL
Purpose		Track progress, effectively manage obstacles to achieve the objectives and deliverables of the project, ensure corrective actions are taken, keep the Project Sponsor and stakeholder expectations aligned to project objectives and keep Project Sponsor and stakeholders informed.
Key Activities		If green health status, continue business as usual If yellow health status, monitor closely, complete Return to Green Plan If red health status, complete Go to Green Plan. Project Management Office (PMO) to review. Enterprise Review Board (ERB) and Strategic Committee Optimizing Portfolio Excellence (SCOPE) for Tier 1 and 2 Update all risk logs, create mitigation plans for any new risks, action new issues for resolution Complete all the key artifacts (update or refined)