What is a Project Initiation Document?

A good document for managing the start of a project is called the Project Initiation Document - shortened to PID for those in the know :)

What is this project initiation document then? Very simply it is a definition of what has to be done, how it will be managed and how you will know when you have completed the project.

It is used to ensure that the project sponsor's requirements have all been captured and delivery is agreed BEFORE launching the project. Once the project is running it is a great reference document against which progress can be measured and overall status communicated.

For example, the Project Initiation Document can be started before the project has even been signed off. When you as the "project manager to be" have been asked to asssess the feasibility of solving world hunger and maybe have it done in the next two months, you can:

• open up a project initiation file and
• as you define the key deliverables, you can capture them in the PID and also
• lay out the schedule in report format that is easy for your project sponsors to read.

Once the project is understood, everything that helps to define it should be in the PID. This is important as the PID becomes the equivalent of the referee later in the project when you are arguing about - sorry discussing - what has still to be achieved.

If you want a look at the type of things that should be in a PID document, drop me an email and I will send you a template. Alternatively, you cna download a PID template from my Easy Project Management Google Groups site.