1.
Identify the specific outcomes of different stages of project life cycle and comment on the
changes in various characteristics during project life cycle.
Ans. - A standard project has four major phases (each with its own agenda of tasks and issues)-
initiation, planning, implementation, and closure. Taken together, these phases represent the path
a project takes from the beginning to its end and are generally referred to as the project “life
cycle.”
Characteristics of the Project Life Cycle
Although projects are unique and highly unpredictable, their standard framework consists of
same generic lifecycle structure, consisting of following phases:
The Initiation Phase: Starting of the project
The Planning Phase: Organizing and Preparing
The Execution Phase: Carrying out the project
The Termination Phase: Closing the project
The Initiation Phase: The initiation phase aims to define and authorize the project. The project
manager takes the given information and creates a Project Charter. The Project Charter
authorizes the project and documents the primary requirements for the project. It includes
information such as:
Project’s purpose, vision, and mission
Measurable objectives and success criteria
Elaborated project description, conditions, and risks
Name and authority of the project sponsor
Concerned stakeholders
The Planning Phase: The purpose of this phase is to lay down a detailed strategy of how the
project has to be performed and how to make it a success.
Project Planning consists of two parts:
Strategic Planning
Implementation Planning
In strategic planning, the overall approach to the project is developed. In implementation
planning, the ways to apply those decisions are sought.
The Execution Phase: In this phase, the decisions and activities defined during the planning
phase are implemented. During this phase, the project manager has to supervise the project and
prevent any errors from taking place. This process is also termed as monitoring and controlling.
After satisfaction from the customer, sponsor, and stakeholder’s end, he takes the process to the
next step.
The Termination Phase: This is the last phase of any project, and it marks the official closure
of the project.
2. Explain the role of project sponsor and constituents of project charter
Ans. – Project Sponsor: A person or group who provides resources and support for the
project, program or portfolio and is accountable for enabling success.
The project sponsor is a very important part of the project management organizational chart. In
fact, every project has a sponsor.
The project sponsor is one, and only one, level above the project manager. They do not manage
the day to day operations of the project but they ensure the resources are in place, promote the
project, and hold overall responsibility for the project’s success. They represent the business
side of the project. They were probably involved when the project was being conceived and
advocated for its inception before a project manager was assigned.
Roles and Responsibilities of Project Sponsor
The project sponsor generally has the following roles:
Promotion: They are the project champion that attempts to keep the project at the highest
priority within the organization.
Authorization: They authorize the project and assign the project manager.
Funding: They are responsible for ensuring funding is in place and approving changes to
the project budget.
Approving: They approve the project management plan and are kept aware of how the
project is managed.
Scoping: They are generally responsible for determining the initial project scope,
although the project manager is ultimately responsible for the official project scope
within the project management plan.
Project Charter: This document officially creates the project and assigns the project
manager. It falls directly within the project sponsor’s responsibility.
Informing: They receive project status updates from the project manager and
disseminate the information to the relevant executives.
Receiving: The project sponsor receives the project deliverables from the project
manager, approves them, and integrates them into the owner organization.
A Project Charter formally outlines a project in an organization. It covers the scope of what the
project will achieve, as well as the people involved, milestones, budget, and possible risks. Many
organizations consider this document as an essential part of project planning—although it's not
the same thing as a project plan because it doesn't get into the details of individual tasks within
the project.
Elements of a Project Charter
According to PMI, a project charter should possess the following characteristics at a minimum:
It should include a description of the business need the project will meet.
It should include a description of the product resulting from the project.
It should be issued by a manager external to the project who can satisfy the needs of the
project.
Roles of a Project Charter:
Outline the project scope and objectives
Ensure project sponsors and all stakeholders are in alignment on a project
Be a clear, single reference for all involved in a project
Help project sponsors get approval of stakeholders when buy-in is still needed
Project charters can vary depending on type of project and organization, but the basic elements
usually include the project background, stakeholders, budget, risks, milestones,
