Typical stages of the project life cycle, at the start of a project, the amount of planning and work required may seem overwhelming.There may be dozens or even hundreds of tasks to be completed in just the right time and in exactly the right sequence and experienced project managers know that it is often easier to deal with the details of a project. Taking the steps in the correct order when dividing the project into phases can help divide your project management efforts into these five phases to give your efforts a structure and simplify them in a series of logical and manageable steps so in this article we will talk about the typical stages of the project life cycle.
Typical stages of the project life cycle
The first stage: starting the project
This is where the project begins and the purpose of this stage is to define the project in a greater sense.
Here, the project manager begins with an introductory meeting with a client (s) to understand the goals, objectives and most importantly, their expectations from it.
It is imperative that he review all the details and ask as many questions as possible to develop a better understanding of the project.
The second stage: project planning
Once all of the goals have been identified, it is time to develop a roadmap for everyone to follow.
It includes setting goals and describing job responsibilities for project members.
Many project managers set SMART goals to make the process achievable.
SMART goals – It is a common goal-setting process that helps you set ambitious but achievable goals.
If the word breaks, each letter of the alphabet denotes an adjective that can help you set well-crafted goals.
The third stage: implementation of the project
This is the stage at which the project begins to form.
Since so much happens during the implementation of the project, it is perhaps for this reason that it is referred to as an essential component of the project.
Coders work with coding, web designers with graphic materials, and status and performance reports are made by project managers.
This stage is also called the implementation stage.
The fourth stage: project performance
This stage is about measuring project progress and overall performance to see if everything matches the project management plan or not.
Different project managers use different techniques to measure performance.
Some also use project management software while others use key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine whether or not they are on the right track.
Fifth stage: closing the project
This stage represents the completed project. It is the last stage of project management which is also called the post-mortem or follow-up phase.
In general, once the project is complete and delivered, effective project managers take time to identify the strengths, acknowledge valuable team members, what went wrong, how it could be corrected, and what the takeaways of the project were.
The importance of planning in the success of projects
Well-planned projects are essential to the success of your business. If you manage the projects efficiently, you will have a better chance of achieving your goals.
For a project to be successful, you must implement a series of phases from start to finish, and you must be aware of the required inputs and outputs that will allow for the transition to the next project phase.
During the initiation phase, you define the project and define its objectives. You also define its direction.
At this point, you must determine the relevance of the project to your business.
You will need to budget and identify the knowledge, human resources, tools and practices that you will need.
In the planning stage, you mainly design the project, usually with a team. Think about the who, what, when, where, why, and how in designing the plan.
Identify the key people in the project and align the team. Set up a schedule and define the desired outcome for each procedure.
Finally, reassess the cost of the project before implementing it.