Project Management for Dummies, 2nd UK Edition

Chapter 2

Thinking Through the Life of Your Project

In This Chapter

Understanding the lifespan of the project

Seeing the different characteristics of each stage

Knowing what to do at each point in your project

Dealing with project documentation and not letting it take over

This chapter covers the lifespan of the project from the initial idea through to closure. Sometimes seeing how things like business justification, planning and risk management fit into a project can be difficult until you have the big picture, so this chapter provides that big picture. It covers what you need to do and at what points, and it also explains a couple of key project documents that you may find helpful.

Being Methodical

Projects have a sequence from the first idea through to closure, and this chapter provides you with a clear structure, although it is simple. If, after reading this book, you want to move on to a more detailed approach, you can use a project method. There are a few to choose from, such as:

• PRINCE2^® (PRojects IN a Controlled Environment): Owned by the UK Government
• PRIME (PRoject Implementation ...