Project execution

CIO Executive Board
IT Management Toolkit Series

IT Project Execution
A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
Defining the Project Project Planning and Approval Executing the Project Concluding and Evaluating the Project

Contributing Companies

© 2005 Corporate Executive Board

CIO Executive Board
Managing Director Shvetank Shah Practice Manager Kris van Riper Project Managers AndrewHorne • Matt McWha Consultants John Fiske • Deb Goldberg Senior Analysts Christopher Axarlis • Mark Davenport Rich Flanagan • Kiran Mishra Analyst Marie Elliott Managing Director Jaime M. Capellá Senior Director Brian Foster Directors Sheldon Himelfarb • Matt Kelly Stuart Roberts • Audrey Taylor Associate Directors Loraine Brown • David Dunleavy Executive Director Glenn Tobin

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Creative Solutions Group
Senior GraphicDesign Specialist Todd Threats Contributing Designers Rami Bizri • John Gendreau Sumeet Gupta • Simaran Kaur Christie Parrish • Purvi Patel Ladaska Robinson • Kelly Suh Proofreader Tracy Banghart

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This document has been prepared by the Corporate Executive Board for the exclusive use of its members. It contains valuable proprietary information belongingto the Corporate Executive Board, and each member should make it available only to those employees who require such access in order to learn from the material provided herein and who undertake not to disclose it to third parties. In the event that you are unwilling to assume this confidentiality obligation, please return this document and all copies in your possession promptly to the CorporateExecutive Board. © 2005 Corporate Executive Board. All Rights Reserved. Catalog No.: CIO136CCFD

Table of Contents
Introductory Materials
The IT Project Execution Imperative • v Using This Toolkit • vi IT Project Execution Process Map • viii List of Tools • x

IT Project Execution
Phase I: Project Definition • Tab 1 Step 1: Define Project and Objectives • 1 Step 2: Identify Broader ProjectStakeholders • 5 Step 3: Assess Requirements • 7 Step 4: Define Resource Needs • 21 Phase II: Planning and Approval • Tab 2 Step 5: Create Business Case • 23 Step 6: Determine Performance Metrics • 43 Step 7: Create Execution Schedule • 45 Step 8: Design Communication Plan • 49 Step 9: Design Business Readiness Plan • 53 Step 10: Select Service Providers • 57 Step 11: Functional IT Coordination • 63Step 12: Establish Project Team • 67 Phase III: Execution • Tab 3 Step 13: Execute Communication and Work Plan • 71 Step 14: Manage Project Changes • 79 Step 15: Manage Project Risk • 81 Step 16: Execute Business Readiness Plan • 83

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Table of Contents (Continued)
Phase IV: Conclusion and Evaluation • Tab 4 Step 17: Close Project • 85 Step 18: Evaluate Project Delivery • 91 Step 19:Evaluate Project Team Performance • 97 Step 20: Conduct Vendor Assessment • 103 Step 21: Document Lessons Learned • 113 Phase V: Appendices • Tab 5 Appendix A: Glossary of Terms • 117 Appendix B: Project Roles and Responsibilities Matrix • 121 Appendix C: Job Descriptions • 125 Appendix D: Relationship to Common Methodologies • 133 Order Form • 137

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The IT Project Execution ImperativeImproving project execution has become a top priority for many CIOs as a significant percentage of IT projects continue to fail to meet expectations for cost, schedule, and quality. According to the Standish Group’s 2004 CHAOS Report, only 34% of all IT projects are successful (delivered on time, on budget, with required features and functions) while 51% are challenged (late, over budget and/or with less...