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Evaluating Project Readiness

Author: Sophia

what's covered
In this lesson, we'll learn how a project manager evaluates project readiness, which is necessary to close a project. Specifically, you will focus on:

Table of Contents

1. Project Readiness

Project readiness is the transition between Phase Three, managing the project, and Phase Four, closing the project.

Project readiness occurs when all project commitments have been fulfilled, which means:

  • All deliverables have been created to the standards outlined in the project scope
  • All the work is marked as complete
  • Any resources necessary to place the deliverables into operation have been acquired
If a project is not ready, then additional tasks and cost might need to occur, and the closing sequence may be delayed. Therefore, it’s critical for the project manager to be unbiased when evaluating the state of the project.

A check-off sheet can help a project manager remain objective. The check-off sheet should include:

  1. Project deliverables completed: This indicates that all requirements have been met and the deliverables meet or exceed the quality standards. The deliverables have been tested, or there is a plan in place to assure that the deliverables are tested before going into operation.
  2. Change requests completed: Each request must be closed, and the results of the change verified.
  3. High impact and high probability risks managed: Each risk has been mitigated or shifted to a low impact or low probability due to other circumstances.
  4. Contracts completed: Any agreements with vendors consultants or other resource providers must be fully satisfied.
  5. Deliverables are ready for sign-off: Key stakeholders must be able to review, evaluate, and sign-off on the deliverables.
  6. Scope criteria from scope met: The project and its deliverables must have met any additional success criteria that were established in the scope document.
term to know
Project Readiness
The process of validating that all project work has been accomplished and all deliverables have been completed to standards.


2. Project Impact

Judging project impact, or the project’s benefit to the organization is an additional step in judging readiness. The project scope outlined these impacts, and they should be reevaluated at this stage in the project.

The project manager must ask and receive answers to the following two questions:

  • Is the project going to achieve the business impact that it is expected to once it is implemented?
  • What is the likelihood that the benefits will be realized once the deliverables are implemented?
These questions should be discussed with the project sponsor and any stakeholders or organization members responsible for implementing the deliverables. Since all individuals associated with the project know considerably more about the deliverables now than when the project began, the impact can be more clearly judged.

It's critical to ask these questions because this stage determines if the deliverables will work as intended or whether further work will be needed to reach the goals of the organization.

hint
Remember that projects are ultimately judged by the value they bring to an organization, not just the successful completion of a schedule.

term to know
Project Impact
The process of validating that the organization will realize the expected benefits from the project deliverables once implemented.

summary
In this lesson, we learned why and how a project manager evaluates a project's readiness, such as deliverables created to the expectations and standards established. You also understand that the impact of a project is an important part of this evaluation.

Source: This work adapted from Sophia Author Jeff Carroll.

Terms to Know
Project Impact

The process of validating that the organization will realize the expected benefits from the project deliverables once implemented.

Project Readiness

The process of validating that all project work has been accomplished and all deliverables have been completed to standards.