e-SEM
 Life cycle    | Phase-neutral themes    | Initiation    | Definition    | Design/Implementation    | Operations    | Termination
 Initiation
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Initiation phase

  stdSEM Initiation phase 

Phase goals

The major goal of the Initiation phase is to reach a decision on whether the project is to be conducted or not ("go - no go decision").

This phase is especially important with e-projects in order to minimize risks and costs ("do we really want to/are we actually able to submit a tender", "how much cost and effort does it take us to clarify the requirements", "do we have suitable personnel to conduct the project", etc.).

Documents

Project initiation for standard projects

  • Preliminary project plan
    The purpose of this plan is to provide initial planning regarding project organization, effort and deadline frameworks, personnel requirements, project constraints, and evaluation of possible risks.
    stdSEM preliminary project plan
      
  • Preliminary QA plan 
    Requirements regarding the quality of the solution (e.g. performance, portability, usability, failsafeness) and/or quality assurance may have a major impact on the project; for this reason, these factors have to be taken account of already at the beginning of the project.
     stdSEM preliminary QA plan
      
  • Specification of proposed solution
    This document is to give an outline of the proposed solution and the path proposed to arrive at this solution (where applicable, also possible alternative solutions with all their pros and cons).
    stdSEM specification of proposed solution
      
  • Project decision report
    This document documents the decision to implement the project, on the basis of the planning and technical data available so far.
    stdSEM project decision report
Project initiation for small projects
  • The initiation document for small projects provides a summary of all the documents required in the Initiation phase. It also includes the risk checklist as an embedded object
    stdSEM project initiation for small projects


Important phase-neutral themes:
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. Risk management
consciously accepting and minimizing risks
.
Effort estimation/Project costing
absolutely necessary to have a secure basis for a tender 
.
Tenders/contracts
particularly important where requirements remain unclear
 
Project infrastructure
the earlier, the better