Project Brief 1.0.0

Scope

To provide a full and firm foundation for the initiation of the project. The contents are extended and refined into the Project Initiation Document, which is the working document for managing and directing the project. Any significant change to the material contained in the Project Brief will thus need to be referred to corporate or programme management

Outline Business Case

  1. An estimation of likely cost and timeframe of the full project
  2. Refer to the approaches or options to be considered and look at them against benefits, costs, timeframe and risks
Option Benefits Negatives / Risks Cost Timeframe

Reasons for undertaking the project

  1. Description of the benefits expected by the realization of the business product. Namely how this project supports business strategy.
  2. Expected benefits to be gained, both quantitative and qualitative.

Background

The essential elements that form the environment where the project will be developed.

  1. Is there any existing program or project to which is meaningful to aggregate this project?
  2. Is there any relationship with an existing product (e.g. porting to a new platform)?
  3. Are there some people with substantial skills and or experience inherent to the subject? Is it possible to avail from their expertise?

Project Definition

Project Objectives

Which are the terms to be reached for fulfilling the expected benefits?

Project scope and exclusions

  1. What does the project have to achieve to be successful?
  2. Which are the elements to be acquired from other sources?

Timeframe

Is there any set date beyond that the benefits are reduced?

Outline project deliverables and/or desired outcomes

List the major functions and their features. These elements will be developed in the Benefit Review Plan.

Customer quality expectations

Any specific reference to the metrics to be applied for evaluating the customer’s acceptance.

Constraints

List all the conditions that shall be considered for delivering the expected benefits (e.g. safety, security, commercial laws etc.)

Project controls

Detail the gateways or controls that need to be set for matching the above mentioned constraints.

Interfaces

Given that the project’s output will work in a specific environment (either technical or commercial), it is necessary to list the elements (and constraints) which will be necessary for the output’s correct functioning.

Any known risks

Project Tolerances

For its definition, the project undertakes new tasks and/or is staffed with people who do not have previous experience of working together. Therefore, it is necessary to establish some reserves, which are destined to limit the impact of risks generically related to the approximation of the estimations. These allowances, whenever it is possible, should be stated by the board both for in financial terms (percentage of budget) and in delay (days). Any variation within these limits does not require explicit authorization from the Project Board. However, any divergence between the approved plans and the actual values will be communicated through the usual channels (reports).

Quality Plan

List any standards (e.g. coding standards) known to the board and suggested by experts, that will need to be met or that may form part of the success criteria.

Project Funding

The project’s finance “cash flow” has a paramount importance. This requires the planning of disbursements and earnings in order to synchronize them.

  1. Costs to be detailed in their nature and then by suppliers.
    1. Internal staff.
      1. Producers (to be linked to specific activities)
      2. Level of Effort (e.g. management)
    2. Outsourced tasks, specifying the contract’s type (e.g. time & material)
    3. External consultants.Immaterial and material resources (e.g. software licences,  hardware.
    4. Penalties for late or under standard delivery
  2. Earnings
    1. Related to the acceptance of what has been delivered
    2. Incoming penalties from suppliers or reimbursement from insurances.

Communication Plan / Stakeholders’ management

Refer to the document and its version.

Project Organisation Structure

To be expanded in the next version.