Throughout this lesson, we will describe terms related to Project Initiation and early Project Planning.

There are a number of outputs that are created early in the project that will impact how the schedule is developed and what is included.

Some of the key documents include:

  • Project Charter – This is typically one of the first formal documents created for a project. It is created during Project Initiation and is a high level document focusing on objectives and high level requirements. It is issued by the Project Sponsor to authorize the project, and directs the Project Manager to perform the project. Organizations sometimes call the Project Charter by a different name, but there is usually some kind of document serving this function.
  • Project Scope Statement – This document describes the scope, major deliverables, assumptions, constraints, and exclusions of the project. It is one of the key deliverables of the scope management planning processes and is intended to provide more detail about the deliverables of the project. It should include acceptance criteria for the project results. Organizations sometimes also call the Project Scope Statement by a different name, but there is usually some kind of document serving this function as well.
  • Project Management Plan – The Project Management Plan is a formal, approved document that defines how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled. It is typically made up of a number of subordinate plans. Which plans are included in the Project Management Plan vary between organizations, and even from project to project within a single organization. The plans to be included should consider the requirements, size, and complexity of the project. The Project Management Plan also includes the Scope, Schedule, and Cost baselines that are established for the project.

The parts of the Project Management Plan that most directly involve your project schedule are the Baselines and the Schedule Management Plan.

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Materials are based on the Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide) 7th Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc., 2021

PMBOK is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

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