Workshop Aim: the aim of this workshop is to identify issues that are occurring in the Execution phase of projects. The workshop can also be used to train new Project Managers or to introduce a framework for managing projects.

Purpose of the phase: To establish a governance framework, clear accountability, and structured communication processes that ensure smooth project execution, alignment, and control.

1. Workshop Goals

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Define a fit-for-purpose project governance model (decision-making hierarchy, committees, escalation routes).
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities using a RACI or similar framework.
• Design a communication cadence that keeps stakeholders aligned and informed.
• Introduce change control mechanisms to prevent scope creep.
• Strengthen team collaboration and decision discipline during execution.

2. Prerequisites

Before the workshop:

• Approved Project Management Plan and baseline (scope, schedule, cost).
• Confirmed project organization chart (or draft).
• Existing meeting and reporting structures (to review and optimize).
• Access to key team leads and stakeholders.
• Change control or issue management templates (if any exist).

3. Workshop Structure and Content

Total Duration: ~5 hours (half- or full-day workshop depending on project scale)

4. Workshop Deliverables

• Execution Governance Model (Org Chart, Roles, Escalations)
• Validated RACI Matrix
• Project Communication Plan (Meetings, Reports, Dashboards)
• Change Control Framework and Templates
• Execution Governance Charter (signed off by project sponsor)

5. Learning Outcomes for Participants

Participants will:

✅ Understand the principles of governance and how it supports execution success

✅ Know how to apply a RACI to clarify accountability and avoid confusion

✅ Be able to design and maintain effective communication rhythms

✅ Recognise how disciplined change management protects delivery integrity

✅ Gain a shared sense of control and transparency across the project team

Workshop Aim: the aim of this workshop is to identify issues that are occurring in the Planning phase of projects. The workshop can also be used to train new Project Managers or to introduce a framework for managing projects.

Purpose of the phase: Build a robust, realistic, and integrated project plan that aligns scope, schedule, cost, and risk — turning the approved charter into an executable roadmap.

1. Workshop Goals

By the end of this workshop, the team will:

• Translate project objectives into a structured Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Develop an integrated, achievable schedule with dependencies and milestones.
• Identify and assess key risks and define mitigation strategies.
• Establish a cross-functional planning baseline (scope–time–cost–quality alignment).
• Build team ownership of the plan and clarify accountability for each workstream.

2. Prerequisites

Before the workshop:

• Approved Project Charter and initial stakeholder alignment
• Resource availability list (roles and key contacts)
• Preliminary budget constraints or funding envelope
• Known technical or regulatory constraints
• Templates / Tools ready: WBS template, risk register, and integrated Gantt structure

3. Workshop Structure and Content

Total Duration: ~6 hours (full-day session or two half-days for large projects)

4. Workshop Deliverables

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• High-Level Integrated Schedule (with milestones)
• Initial Risk Register
• Preliminary Budget and Resource Estimates
• Planning Baseline Document (Scope, Time, Cost, Quality)

5. Learning Outcomes for Participants

Participants will learn to:

✅ Apply structured decomposition techniques to create a comprehensive WBS

✅ Translate deliverables into logical, sequenced tasks

✅ Use risk-based planning to build realistic schedules and budgets

✅ Understand how interdependencies drive integrated planning

✅ Gain confidence in aligning the plan with PMBOK knowledge areas (Scope, Time, Cost, Risk)

Workshop Aim: the aim of this workshop is to identify issues that are occurring in the Initiation phase of projects. The workshop can also be used to train new Project Managers or to introduce a framework for managing projects.

Purpose of the phase: Align stakeholders, define business intent, and produce a validated, actionable Project Charter. Get the project off to a solid start.

1. Workshop Goals

By the end of this session, the organization will:

• Clarify the business case — why the project exists and what strategic objectives it supports.
• Define measurable success criteria — clear objectives, KPIs, and value drivers.
• Identify and align key stakeholders — roles, expectations, and influence mapped.
• Establish a common understanding of scope and constraints.
• Draft or validate the Project Charter — ensuring executive sponsorship and accountability.

2. Prerequisites

Before the workshop:

• Business Case Draft or Concept Note (at least preliminary)
• High-Level Sponsor and Stakeholder List
• Any Available Feasibility or Market Analysis
• Organizational Strategy Document / Annual Objectives
• Pre-Workshop Survey: Capture perceptions of project purpose, value, and risks among stakeholders.

3. Workshop Structure and Content

Total Duration: ~4–5 hours (half-day session, can be extended for complex programs)

4. Workshop Deliverables

• Validated Project Charter (aligned with PMBOK structure)
• Stakeholder Map & Communication Outline
• High-Level Risk & Assumption Log
• Defined Governance Framework
• Summary Report / Executive Brief (produced post-session)

5. Learning Outcomes for Participants

After completing the workshop, participants will:

✅ Understand how strategic alignment drives project success

✅ Be able to clearly articulate the project’s purpose and expected outcomes

✅ Know how to identify and manage stakeholders effectively from day one

✅ Recognize early risks and constraints that shape planning

✅ Gain confidence in using the Project Charter as a management and communication tool

Below are the five fundamental phases of a typical project lifecycle, each essential for successful project delivery.

1. Initiation

• Goal: Define the project at a high level and gain authorisation to proceed.
• Key Actions: Develop the project charter; identify key stakeholders; establish initial scope and objectives; assess feasibility and alignment with organisational strategy.
• Outcome: Formal project authorisation and initial clarity on purpose and boundaries.

Key Documents Produced:

• Project Charter – officially authorises the project and the project manager, containing project objectives, scope statement, initial budget allocation, and primary stakeholders
• Stakeholder Register – lists who the stakeholders are, their stake in the project, and communication expectations
• Business case
• Initial risk assessment

Benefits of This Phase:

• Provides formal authorisation of the project
• Ensures alignment with business objectives and organisational strategy
• Establishes clear project boundaries and high-level success criteria
• Creates early stakeholder engagement and buy-in
• Defines the project manager’s authority and responsibility

Signs of Poor Execution:

• Unclear or undefined objectives – leads to confusion, misaligned efforts, and scope creep
• Inadequate stakeholder engagement – results in missed requirements, lack of support, and resistance to change
• Missing or inaccessible stakeholders – regulatory, compliance, security, and subject matter experts not identified early
• No clear business case – team cannot articulate why the project exists or what problem it solves
• Unrealistic expectations – skipping feasibility studies leads to unachievable project goals
• Lack of executive sponsorship – projects without senior management support are very likely to fail

2. Planning

• Goal: Establish the roadmap to achieve project objectives.
• Key Actions: Develop detailed scope and requirements; create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS); define activities, schedules, resource plans, budgets; identify risks and planned responses; create subsidiary plans covering communication, quality, procurement, and change control.
• Outcome: Approved comprehensive project management plan that guides execution.

Key Documents Produced:

• Project Management Plan – comprehensive document integrating all project components
• Scope Statement – defines what work is included and establishes boundaries
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – hierarchical breakdown of project work
• Project Schedule/Gantt Chart – timelines, milestones, and dependencies
• Budget/Cost Management Plan – estimated costs and financial tracking methods
• Risk Management Plan – identifies risks and mitigation strategies
• Communication Management Plan – defines stakeholder communication approach
• Quality Management Plan – establishes quality standards and control metrics
• Resource Management Plan – identifies team roles, responsibilities, and acquisition methods
• Assumption log, risk register, issue register, change log
• Requirements documentation and traceability matrix

Benefits of This Phase:

• Sets foundation for successful execution and reduces uncertainty
• Enables accurate estimations for schedule, cost, and resources
• Provides clear accountability through defined roles and responsibilities
• Establishes baseline for measuring project performance
• Forces different stakeholder expectations to surface early
• Creates systematic approach to resource optimisation and cost savings

Signs of Poor Execution:

• Inadequate planning time – rushing through planning is directly correlated with project failure
• Undefined success criteria – leads to different stakeholder expectations and assumptions
• Lack of change control processes – no mechanism to manage scope, requirements, or schedule changes…..costs and schedule may escalate
• Unrealistic timelines and budgets – underestimating complexity due to optimism bias
• Poor risk identification – failure to conduct proper risk assessments leads to surprises and no risk mitigation
• Missing resource plans – insufficient budget, skilled personnel, or technology allocation
• No documented requirements or scope – stakeholders will have differing expectations

3. Execution

• Goal: Complete the work defined in the plan to produce the project deliverables.
• Key Actions: Allocate and manage resources; perform scheduled activities; coordinate team efforts; manage stakeholder communication; procure needed goods/services; ensure quality control.
• Outcome: Project deliverables produced and objectives met according to scope, time, and cost baselines.

Key Documents Produced:

• Project deliverables – the actual products, services, or results
• Team assignments and resource allocation
• Status reports and updates
• Quality assurance documentation
• Dashboard and flow charts
• Contracts and agreements with vendors
• Refined project plan based on ongoing adjustments

Benefits of This Phase:

• Transforms plans into tangible, measurable results
• Creates the actual value and outcomes the project was authorised to deliver
• Enables team coordination and collaboration toward common goals
• Produces deliverables that meet stakeholder expectations
• Generates momentum and visible progress

Signs of Poor Execution:

• Ineffective communication – lack of coordination causes delays, misunderstandings, and misalignment
• Weak leadership – project manager fails to guide, coordinate, and keep team aligned
• Shifting organisational priorities – constant changes disrupt project focus and direction
• Resource constraints – insufficient skilled personnel, budget, or technology
• Poor task delegation – unclear responsibilities lead to gaps in accountability
• Low team morale – demotivation from unclear goals, lack of recognition, or fear of project failure
• Scope creep – uncontrolled changes expand project work without proper evaluation
• Quality issues – deliverables and documents don’t meet standards due to inadequate quality control

4. Monitoring and Controlling

• Goal: Track, review, and regulate progress and performance.
• Key Actions: Measure project performance against plans; monitor risks; manage changes through formal processes; conduct quality assurance; communicate progress and issues to stakeholders.
• Outcome: Early identification and correction of variances, keeping the project on track.

Key Documents Produced:

• Status Reports – regular updates on project performance
• Quality Reports – verification that deliverables meet standards
• Risk Reports – ongoing risk assessments and mitigation status
• Performance Reports – KPI tracking and earned value analysis
• Updated change logs and issue logs
• Decision logs
• Budget variance reports
• Schedule performance updates

Benefits of This Phase:

• Early problem detection – identifies issues before they escalate into major problems
• Risk mitigation – proactive identification and management of potential threats
• Maintains alignment – ensures project stays on track with objectives, schedule, and budget
• Data-driven decisions – provides real-time metrics for informed decision-making
• Stakeholder satisfaction – keeps stakeholders informed and confident in project progress
• Dramatically improves success rates – projects with robust monitoring are much more likely to finish on time and within budget
• Efficient resource utilisation – enables optimisation of resource allocation

Signs of Poor Execution:

• No regular performance tracking – failure to measure progress against baselines
• Reactive rather than proactive – problems only addressed after they become crises
• Poor KPI definition or tracking – inability to gauge actual project health
• Delayed or missing status reports – stakeholders lack visibility into project status
• Uncontrolled scope creep – changes implemented without proper evaluation and approval
• Cost and schedule overruns – budget exceeded and deadlines missed without corrective action
• Inadequate risk management – risks not identified or mitigation plans not executed
• Communication breakdowns – lack of coordination between team members and stakeholders

5. Closing

• Goal: Finalize all project work and formally close the project.
• Key Actions: Obtain formal acceptance of deliverables; close contracts and procurements; release resources; archive documentation; conduct lessons learned actions; communicate project closure.
• Outcome: Official project closure with documented outcomes and lessons captured for future projects.

Key Documents Produced:

• Final Report – summary of project performance including scope, quality, cost, schedule objectives, and achievement of benefits
• Project Closure Report – comprehensive documentation including successes, challenges, lessons learned, and final budget vs. actual costs
• Lessons Learned Documentation – captures what worked well and areas for improvement for future projects; ideally changes organisation documents or templates to incorporate the learning
• Final Product/Service Transition – formal handover documentation to operations or client
• Stakeholder satisfaction evaluation
• Contract closure documentation
• Updated organisational process assets

Benefits of This Phase:

• Archives project information – preserves knowledge for future reference and organisational learning
• Releases resources – frees team members and budget for new work
• Ensures formal acceptance – confirms deliverables meet requirements and client has approved
• Captures lessons learned – enables continuous improvement across the organization
• Provides closure – gives team members and stakeholders psychological completion
• Evaluates project success – measures achievement against original objectives and success criteria
• Maintains professionalism – ensures all contracts fulfilled, vendors paid, and obligations met

Signs of Poor Execution:

• No formal closure – project just “fades away” without official sign-off
• Missing lessons learned – failure to capture what went well and what didn’t
• Incomplete deliverables – work not fully completed or accepted by client
• Unreleased resources – team members remain assigned despite project completion
• Unpaid vendors or unresolved contracts – procurement documentation incomplete
• No stakeholder evaluation – missing feedback on satisfaction and perception of success
• Inadequate documentation – project artifacts not properly archived for future reference
• No celebration or recognition – team contributions not acknowledged, affecting morale