Managing a stage boundary

The purpose of the activities in the managing a stage boundary process is for the project manager to provide the project board with enough information to:

• Review the success of the current stage, which is about to end.
• Prepare the stage plan for the next stage.
• Review the updated project plan, which is the high-level plan for the entire project.
• Confirm that the business justification (i.e., the project is still worth doing) still holds and assess the risks.

The project manager should carry out this process at or near the end of each stage.

Objectives

The objective of the managing a stage boundary process is to:

• Assure the project board that all products in the current stage are produced and approved.
• Review and update, if necessary, the usual documents, which are the project initiation documentation, business case, project plan, and risk register.
• Record any lessons in the lessons log that can help in later stages or in future projects.
• Prepare the stage plan for the next stage and request authorization to start the next stage.

Remember that managing a stage boundary begins near the end of the current stage and before the next stage. If the current stage is forecast to go out of tolerance, the project manager will create an exception plan instead of a next stage plan. The project manager will then use the exception plan to complete the current stage.

Context

The managing a stage boundary process provides information for the project board to evaluate the project at strategic points so they can decide to stop or to continue to the next stage, and check how the project is going according to the original plan.

Remember, the project board is the role that controls the project, and the outputs of the stage boundary process provide them with the necessary information to do this. So, what does the project board consider?

• They will consider the continued business justification of the project by checking the business case document.
• They wish to confirm that the stage has delivered all (or nearly all) of its planned products.
• They will review the next stage plan.
• They will decide whether the project should continue or be shut down.

It is important to remember that a decision to shut down the project should not be seen as a failure. It is the correct thing to do if the project becomes too costly, risky, unjustifiable, etc.

Activities

There are 6 activities within the managing a stage boundary, and they are:

• Prepare the next stage plan
  • Create the next stage plan and use the product-based planning technique.
  • Team managers, specialists may help with product descriptions, estimating, etc.
• Prepare the exception plan
  • If a stage or project is forecast to exceed its tolerances, an exception plan is created in response to an exception report.
  • Its approval by the project board signals the start of the revised stage.
• Update the project plan
  • The project board uses the project plan to track progress, updating it with the current stage’s progress, forecasts from the exception plan, and any revised costs or end dates.
  • The project manager ensures the stage plan is updated and records any new issues or risks.
• Update the business case
  • The project manager reviews and updates the business case to ensure it reflects changes in the project environment and development.
  • They consult with the project executive before seeking project board approval.
• Evaluate the stage
  • The project manager evaluates the stage by preparing an end-stage report based on the performance, updated business case, project plan, and lessons learned.
  • They also review the communication management approach to determine if the report should be shared with external parties.
• Request the next stage
  • The project manager contacts the project board to request approval to finish the current stage and proceed to the next.
  • This request is supported by the end-stage report, next stage plan, or exception plan as justification.

Inputs

The following are the main inputs to the process:

• Stage plan: the end stage report requires information from the current stage plan.
• Project plan: the next stage plan requires information from the project plan (part of the project initiation documentation).
• Exception report: the exception plan requires information from the exception report.

Outputs

The following are the main outputs of this process:

• The next stage plan or exception plan is created.
• The business case and project plan are updated.
• The benefits management approach may be updated.
• Project descriptions can be created for the next stages.
• The end stage report gives an overview of how well the stage performed.
• Request to the project board. The last thing the project manager will do is send a request to the project board to continue with the next stage or go back and complete the current stage.

Roles and responsibilities

This is high-level overview of the roles and responsibilities for the activities in the managing a stage boundary process:

• Project manager
  • Updates stage boundary management products like the end stage report and next stage plan.
  • Reviews progress and prepares for the next stage.
  • Communicates with the project board for approval and manages exceptions.
• Senior user
  • Provides benefits information (if needed) to keep the business case valid.
  • Confirms the project meets user needs and highlights any issues or risks.
• Team manager
  • Supports the project manager with planning, work packages, and resources.
  • Contributes to the next stage plan and ensures the team is ready for the next stage.

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Written by Frank Turley.

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