Six Phases of the Adaptive Project Management Lifecycle
At the start of a project, the amount of planning and work required can seem overwhelming. There may be dozens, or even hundreds, of tasks that need to be completed at just the right time and in just the right sequence. Seasoned project managers know it is often easier to handle the details of a project and take steps in the right order when you break the project down into phases. Dividing your project management efforts into these six phases can help structure and simplify the project into a series of logical and manageable steps
1.?Project Initiation. Initiation is the first phase of the project lifecycle. This phase begins once the proposal is accepted, funds have been approved, and the project is finally ready to start. A project management lifecycle does not take into account the design and proposal phases of the project lifecycle; it begins with the appointment of a project manager. The first step in the initiation phase is the development of the project charter, a document that gives authorization to the project manager to start work and initiate the organization and development of the project team that will participate in the development of all project plans.
2.?Project Planning. Once the project charter receives the green light, it needs a solid plan to guide the team, as well as keep them on time and on budget. A well-written project plan gives guidance for managing resources and monitoring progress. The project plan gives the team direction for producing quality outputs, handling risk, creating acceptance, communicating benefits to stakeholders and managing suppliers. The project plan also prepares teams for the obstacles they might encounter over the course of the project, and helps them understand the variances in cost, scope and schedule of the project.
3.?Project Implementation. This is the phase that is most commonly associated with project management. Implementation is all about building deliverables that satisfy the beneficiaries and other key stakeholders. Project managers make this happen by allocating resources and keeping team members focused on their assigned tasks. Implementation relies heavily on the planning phase. The work and efforts of the team during the Implementation phase are derived from the project plan.
4.?Project Monitoring and Control Monitoring and control are sometimes combined with implementation because they often occur at the same time. As teams execute their project plan, they must constantly monitor their own progress. To guarantee delivery of what was promised, teams must monitor tasks to prevent scope creep, calculate key performance indicators and track variations from allotted cost and time. This constant vigilance helps keep the project moving ahead smoothly.
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5.?Project Adapting. This phase refers to the process by which the project manager adapts project management methods and determines what works best for the project. It also refers to the incorporation of planned changes to the original processes, approaches, strategies, and methods needed to deliver the project benefits. In this phase, the project manager, with support from the team, will use the results of the monitoring phase to modify the plans and adapt the project to changes in the context. These changes are a response to changes in assumptions, new risk, issues, and opportunities to improve the project’s performance.
6.?Project Closure. Project managers close a project when they deliver the finished project to the beneficiaries, communicating completion to key stakeholders and releasing resources to other projects. This vital step in the project lifecycle allows the team to evaluate and document the project and move to the next one, using previous project mistakes and successes to build stronger processes and more successful teams.
Although project management may seem overwhelming at times, breaking it down into these six?distinct cycles can help your team manage even the most complex projects and use time and resources more wisely. ?
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