Project initiation documentation

The project initiation documentation (PID) is a package that contains most of the baselined management products. It aims to define the project in sufficient detail to enable the project board to assess its viability and monitor its performance. It sets out the direction and scope of the project and, together with the stage plan, acts as the formal agreement (or “contract”) between the project manager and the project board.

Purpose

The PID has three main uses:

1. To confirm understanding of the project before the project board commits significant resources or funding.
2. To serve as a baseline against which the project board and project manager can assess progress, handle issues, and evaluate ongoing viability (e.g. “Is this still worth doing?”).
3. To act as a single point of reference, helping team members and stakeholders understand the project’s purpose, business justification, risks, and how it will be managed and controlled.

Timeline

The PID is developed during the initiation stage and remains a key reference point throughout the project lifecycle.

• The PID is assembled at the end of the initiation stage, once all key management products have been created.
• It comprises most core management documents produced during this stage (e.g., business case, project plan, four approach documents, project controls, etc.).
• The PID is a living document and should always reflect the current status of the project. The managing a stage boundary process updates key components like the business case and project plan.
• Any updated components of the PID (e.g., risk, quality, or change approaches) must be re-baselined if changed.
• During the closing a project process, the final PID is compared to the original baseline version to evaluate how well the project performed.

Source data

The PID is compiled from a range of inputs gathered during the initiation stage to ensure a complete and informed foundation for managing the project.

• The project brief is developed during the starting up a project process.
• Discussions with users to understand detailed requirements and expectations.
• Discussions with business representatives to ensure alignment with value-for-money principles and organisational goals.
• Input from suppliers on proposed methods, standards, technical approaches, and control mechanisms.
• The PID includes nearly all management products created during the initiation stage — except the benefits management approach, which remains active after project closure and is managed separately.

Quality criteria

To be effective, the PID should be accurate, comprehensive, and clearly structured to support decision-making and control.

• The PID accurately reflects the project’s purpose, scope, and direction.
• The business case demonstrates that the project is viable, achievable, and aligned with corporate strategy or programme objectives.
• The project management team (PMT) structure is complete, with named individuals, roles, descriptions, and confirmation that team members understand their responsibilities.
• The project controls section clearly outlines how the project will be monitored and controlled and who is responsible for each control.
• A summary of project assurance responsibilities is included.
• The project objectives are clearly defined across the six variables: time, cost, quality, scope, benefits, and risk.
• The format of the PID is suitable for the project board’s review and ongoing reference.

Tips

Here are some practical reminders to help you build a solid and manageable PID that supports project control and communication.

• Think of the PID as a collection of related management documents, not a single file.
• Review examples of how other PIDs are structured and presented to the project board — learn from formats that work well.
• Ensure each management product stands on its own, with clear ownership and purpose.
• Don’t rush to finalise the PID just because senior management is eager to start — take the time to establish clarity and control.
• Use an online platform or repository to distribute the PID and make it easy for stakeholders to access updates.
• Baseline all PID components properly and give yourself enough time to manage version control and approvals.

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Written by Frank Turley.

If you have questions or doubts after using this wiki, you can ask for help on the Facebook or LinkedIn study groups.