Project Lifecycle

Responsibilities of a Project Manager: A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects successfully. Key duties include defining project scope, creating plans, managing risks, and budgeting. They lead the project team, resolve conflicts, and ensure quality deliverables. The Project Manager also communicates with stakeholders, manages resources, tracks progress, and addresses issues. During the project, they mitigate risks and, at closure, ensure deliverables are accepted and conduct post-project reviews. Ultimately, they ensure the project meets its goals, stays on budget, and satisfies stakeholders. 

Step 1: Define Project Scope and Objectives

  • Objective: Meet with SMEs to clearly outline what the project will achieve and how it benefits the university
  • Tasks:
    • Create a TDX Project
    • Create a Google Shared Drive
      • Folder name should indicate the department the project is associated with
        • If an enterprise solution, the naming convention should be: UD Project Name
        • If an IT project, the naming convention should be: IT Project Name, etc.
      • Utilize this structure for the sub-folders
        • Project Charter - Project Name
        • Meeting Notes - Project Name
        • Documentation - Project Name
    • Create Project Charter to document project scope, resource roles and responsibilities, assumptions, issues, risks, and success criteria
    • Document project benefits and metrics that will be collected
  • Deliverables: TDX Project, Project Charter
  • Resources:
  • Tentative timeline: 2 weeks
  • Responsible: Project Manager (PM), Project SMEs

Step 2: Plan 

  • Tasks:
    • Develop a detailed project plan
    • Schedule a kick-off call to review the scope and plan with all project members and stakeholders
    • Draft a communication plan that illustrates how project members, stakeholders, etc. will receive important project information
  • Deliverables: Project plan, kick-off slide deck, communication plan (if needed)
  • Resources:
  • Timeline: 2-3 weeks
  • Responsible: PM, Project Team

Step 3: Execute

  • Tasks:
    • Follow through with the project plan
    • Provide periodic updates to the project team and stakeholders per Communication plan
  • Deliverables: Meeting Minutes, Status report dashboard, documentation drafts
  • Resources
  • Timeline: Based on project plan 1 month - ?
  • Responsible: Project team

Step 4: Change Management

  • Tasks:
    • Define change management plan
      • Communication campaign
      • Support Plan
    • Administer change management plan
    • Launch project deliverables
    • Monitor launch for any issues
    • Provide immediate support to users
  • Deliverables: Deployed project deliverables, support plan
  • Resources:
  • Timeline: 1 week - ?
  • Responsible: Project Team, Support Desk

Step 5: Review and Close Project

  • Tasks:
    • Gather feedback from users
    • Assess if the project objectives were met
    • Document lessons learned and close the project
  • Deliverables: Lessons learned, project closure document
  • Resources:
  • Timeline: 2 weeks
  • Responsible: PM, Project team, Stakeholders