Project management

Project management checklist

Guide

Checklists are useful tools for building consistency in work practices. A project management checklist can help you whether you are starting your project from scratch, or taking over one that's already underway.

Quick project management checklist

This checklist focuses on top-line items grouped under a number of main headings. You will need to consider all of these, ideally before you start your project, to ensure that you can deliver it successfully.

Preliminary planning

consider all stakeholders
consider mandate, brief and business case
check the 'lessons learned' from previous projects
consider cost, resources and budget

Project brief

draw up project scope and objectives
agree outputs or outcomes with all parties
define a project approach
identify project weaknesses, constraints and risks

Project organisation

build a project team, project group or a steering group
consider appointing a project manager
identify and assign clear roles and responsibilities to all involved
consider staff training and management support
agree milestones
create a resource allocation plan

Project plan and execution

set down a clear project plan
identify key tasks and activities
factor in time and effort needed to achieve these tasks, and create a timeline
consider scheduling, task co-dependencies and critical path of the project
monitor progress against milestones, schedules, cost, resources available
respond to change and revise plan according to the changing needs
use tools to help you present and keep track of the plan, eg charts and calendars
log, monitor and report expenditure against budget
assess against risks and plan how you will mitigate/minimise impact
consider the need to document or audit trail the project
devise the project document library, if needed, and assign responsibility to manage it

Project closure