"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."
-- Henry Ford

Management Tips

{Project Name}

Project Proposal

Remove the italicized comments within this template from the final document

INDEX

Contact & Distribution
Revision History
Executive Summary
Problem or Opportunity
Proposal
Project Scope
Cost/Benefit
Project Definition
Problem or Opportunity
Business Objectives
Project Scope
Preliminary Requirements
Assumptions
Constraints
Risk Factors
Issues & Concerns
Project Proposal
Proposal
Alternatives
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Roles & Responsibilities
Preliminary Project Schedule
Appendix A - Project Initiation Request
Appendix B - Supporting Documents
Appendix C - Glossary

CONTACT & DISTRIBUTION

Prepared by:

Include the name of the document's author, author's telephone and email address.

Contributors:

List contributors to this document, and the nature of their contributions.

Primary Contact:

The primary contact is usually the Project Leader. Include email link.

Distribution:

List the mailing list, Usenet group, web address, or other method of intended distribution.

REVISION HISTORY

Date of Revision	Revised by	Description of Revision	Affected Modules

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The intent of this summary is to give a very high level overview of the project, directed to upper management, financial backers, etc. This summary information is expanded with details later in the document.

Problem or Opportunity

Clearly but briefly define the problem or the business opportunity. Include only essential facts and conclusions and expand on the facts and conclusions in the Project Definition section.

Proposal

Describe the recommended proposal only. List and describe alternatives in the appropriate section.

Project Scope

Specifically state what the boundaries of the project will be. List all issues. Remember that the Scope Statement represents a type of contract.

Cost/Benefit Summary

Summarize the anticipated cost of the project, as well as the benefits or returns that will result from its completion. Not all benefits are financial or measurable. For example, improved customer confidence would be an intangible, immeasurable benefit.

PROJECT DEFINITION

Problem or Opportunity

Define the problem or opportunity. Basically, this section explains why this project is needed. State who this problem/opportunity will impact and how.

Business Objectives

Describe what is to be accomplished with this project. Usually the objective is simply to fix the problem or take advantage of the opportunity specified above.

Project Scope

Specifically state the boundaries of the project. List what's NOT included as well.

Preliminary Requirements

Enumerated list of the user's preliminary requirements.
The requirements may be business and/or technical in nature. If they're solely technical, make sure there's an underlying very good reason.
This list is a high level description of what should be met, not how it should be met.

Assumptions

Enumerated list of the existing circumstances that will affect the outcome of this project (the availability of a specific personnel or resources, e.g.).

Constraints

List the factors that are outside of the project's control, but to which the project must conform, such as the need to conform to particular interface specifications. Constraints may seem like "Requirements," but they are different in that these are not functional requirements of the project itself but are externally imposed limitations.

Risks

List potential causes of failure.
List potential results of failure.
What will happen if the project fails?
What will happen if this project is done?
Establish a relative risk to these items when applicable (low, medium, high).
List any legal issues that exist or could exist.

Issues & Concerns

What are the unresolved concerns of the project? Usually related to Requirements that demand resolution by an Assumption. Example: A requirement for a financial system that handles secure transactions assumes that a secure database is obtainable. That we haven't yet obtained a secure database is a concern.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Proposal
Detail the proposal that you have selected as your primary choice. Remember, you've already selected this as the best of the alternatives, so present it in that light. Also, you're not designing it now; that's next phase. So don't get bogged down in details.
Alternatives
For each of the alternatives, provide justification for its rejection. Some alternatives may be rejected outright; others are possible fallback opportunities. Make sure the difference is clear. Options considered should always include:

Purchase packaged application. Do you NEED to do this?
Partner with someone else to provide a solution. It may be that another company has a solution that is ALMOST what you need; and that contracted changes may be more cost-effective than in-house development.
Doing nothing is ALWAYS an alternative.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

List all known costs (for example, Systems, Legal, Business Unit, Marketing, Administrative).
List benefits resulting from the successful completion of this project. Some benefits may be intangible.
Spell out the financial bottom line (Cost/Benefit picture).
List alternative Cost/Benefit analyses for alternatives (such as "what do we lose if we DON'T do the project")

Roles & Responsibilities

Names aren't necessary here, but do list all positions and responsibilities.
Show an organization chart, if appropriate, and state clearly who has responsibility for managing the project and coordinating effort.

Preliminary Project Schedule
You should link to an external schedule that is maintained under revision control.

APPENDIX A - PROJECT INITIATION REQUEST

Reference via hypertext link.

APPENDIX B - SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Reference via hypertext link.

APPENDIX C - GLOSSARY

Reference via hypertext link.

Step 3: Business Requirements