01
Scope & Mandate
8 items
Project mandate is documented and approvedA written mandate exists, signed off by the appropriate executive sponsor or steering authority.Critical
Scope boundaries are definedIn-scope and out-of-scope items are explicitly stated — ambiguity here becomes scope creep later.Critical
Project objectives are measurableEach objective has a clear success criterion that can be verified at project close.
Key deliverables are listed and describedThe main outputs are named, described, and assigned to a responsible party.
Dependencies on other programs or systems are identifiedAny upstream or downstream dependencies that could affect this project's delivery are documented.
Assumptions are documentedAll significant assumptions underpinning the plan are recorded and communicated to the sponsor.
Constraints are documentedBudget ceiling, regulatory constraints, technology limitations, and hard deadlines are all captured.
Project charter is approvedA signed charter exists that formally authorizes the project and the project manager's authority.Governance
02
Governance Structure
8 items
Executive sponsor is identified and committedThe sponsor is named, understands their role, and has capacity to attend steering committees.Critical
Steering committee is establishedMembers, meeting cadence, and decision authority are defined before delivery begins.Governance
RACI matrix is draftedResponsibilities across key workstreams and decisions are assigned — Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.Governance
Decision rights are documentedWho can approve scope changes, budget adjustments, and go/no-go decisions is written down and agreed.
Escalation path is definedThe process for escalating risks, issues, and blocked decisions is documented and communicated.
Change control process is establishedHow scope, schedule, and budget changes will be raised, assessed, approved, and tracked is agreed.
Stage gates are definedPhase exit criteria and the approval process for moving between delivery phases are documented.
Reporting cadence is agreedStatus report frequency, format, and distribution list is confirmed with the sponsor and steering committee.
03
Stakeholders & Team
8 items
Stakeholder map is completeAll key stakeholders are identified with their interest level, influence, and engagement strategy documented.People
Core project team is confirmedAll named resources have been formally committed by their line managers or procurement process.Critical
Vendor contacts and points of escalation are confirmedPrimary contacts, delivery leads, and escalation paths for each vendor are documented.
Subject matter experts are identified and availableSMEs required for requirements validation, testing, and decision-making have confirmed availability.
Communications plan is draftedKey messages, audiences, channels, frequency, and owners for project communications are documented.People
Impacted business units are identifiedTeams affected by the project's outcomes — including change, training, and go-live impacts — are listed.
Change management lead is assignedA named person is responsible for stakeholder adoption, communications, and training readiness.
Kickoff meeting is scheduled and invitations sentAll key stakeholders and team members have received a kickoff meeting invitation with agenda.
04
Schedule & Budget
8 items
High-level milestone plan is baselinedKey delivery milestones with target dates are documented and approved by the sponsor.Critical
Integrated master schedule is draftedA detailed schedule covering all workstreams, dependencies, and resource assignments is in place.
Critical path is identifiedThe sequence of tasks that determines the minimum project duration is known and actively monitored.
Budget is confirmed and accessibleThe approved budget amount is documented and the PM has confirmed access and release authority.Critical
Budget breakdown by workstream is documentedBudget allocation across major cost categories is documented and agreed with the sponsor.
Resource capacity has been validatedAssigned team members have sufficient capacity to deliver against the current schedule.
Vendor contracts and SOWs are signedAll vendor agreements covering scope, deliverables, SLAs, and payment terms are executed.
Procurement lead times are factored into the scheduleHardware, software, and service procurement timelines are reflected in the master schedule.Planning
05
Risk & Issues
8 items
Risk register is establishedA live risk register with probability, impact, owner, and mitigation is in place from day one.Critical
Top five risks are identified and reviewed with the sponsorThe highest-rated risks are discussed with the sponsor before delivery begins — no surprises later.
Risk owners are assignedEach risk has a named owner who is responsible for monitoring and executing the mitigation.
Issue log is establishedA tracking log for active issues — with owner, priority, and target resolution date — is set up.
RAID log is activeRisks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies are being tracked in a single structured log with weekly review cadence.
Technology risks have been assessedIntegration complexity, data migration risks, infrastructure readiness, and security requirements are reviewed.
People and change risks have been assessedResistance, skill gaps, resource availability, and capacity risks from the business side are identified.
Contingency plan exists for schedule-critical risksAt least the top three schedule risks have a documented contingency response — not just a mitigation.
06
First 30-Day Controls
8 items
Weekly status report cadence is liveThe first status report has been sent and the reporting rhythm is running.Governance
First steering committee meeting is scheduledThe inaugural steering committee meeting has a date, agenda, and confirmed attendees.
Team working norms are establishedMeeting cadence, communication channels, document management, and decision logging are agreed.
Project workspace and document repository are set upShared drives, project folders, and naming conventions are established and communicated to the team.
Onboarding plan for new team members is in placeA structured onboarding process exists so that new team members are productive from day one.
Requirements baseline or discovery plan is confirmedEither requirements are baselined or a structured discovery phase with a clear output date is underway.
First milestone health check is scheduledA review of scope, schedule, risk, and team alignment is booked for the 30-day mark.
Lessons learned process is definedHow lessons will be captured, reviewed, and applied throughout the project is documented — not left to close.Planning