A User's Manual to the PMBOK Guide, Fifth Edition

Chapter 3

Initiating a Project

TOPICS COVERED

Initiating Process Group

Project Sponsor Role

Project Manager Role

Develop Project Charter

Identify Stakeholders

Initiating Process Group

The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

Initiating processes are used to gain understanding of a project at a high level, authorize funding for the project, identify a project manager and authorize him or her to apply organizational resources to the project. At this point the key stakeholders are identified and their characteristics are documented in a Stakeholder Register.

Projects can be authorized by various methods. Sometimes a portfolio steering committee authorizes projects. Some organizations use the Project Management Office (PMO) to prioritize and authorize them. In other organizations, it is the project sponsor who has the authority to initiate a project.

Project Sponsor Role

Most projects have a project sponsor in addition to the project manager. The sponsor is usually someone at a level in the organization who can commit the funds necessary for the project and guide the strategic direction of the project. For interdepartmental projects, the manager or director in charge of the department may be the sponsor. For organization-wide projects, or projects that have a significant strategic impact on the organization, the sponsor is generally someone ...