FREE Prince 2 Project Initiation Document (PID) Template
Download available at the bottom of this post. This is a real life template used on engagments stripping out all the project specific references whilst keeping much of the content used in the original in order to give valuable insights into how to compile this important document. I felt this would be better than using a more traditional PRINCE 2 Product Description Style Template. For an example of such a template please refer to post - FREE PRINCE 2 Product Description Template
The question I often get asked by IT Professionals some of whom are surprisingly PRINCE 2 accredited is:-
What is a Project Initiation Document and why is it important to me ?
The answer runs as follows:-
A Project initiation Document (PID) is produced in order to capture and record the basic information required to direct /manage a specific project.
Therefore a PID addresses the following fundamental managment aspects of a project:
• What the project aims to achieve with reference to any business case
• Provide a high level feature based view of the projects scope
• Who will be involved in managing the project and the scope /constraints on such managerial control?
• How the project is to be managed and what methods are to be adopted – Development & Management.
• Defines the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved with the projects and the limits /boundaries to these role /responsibilities.
• Communication Plan detailing what communications are mandatory between project participants and how this is to be achieved and by what means.
• Quality plan detailing what level of quality which will be maintained during the project and how this will be achieved.
• Initial first cut Project Plan Should be only a stage plan if a large project is being undertaken.
• Project timetable of key milestones.
• Project controls – i.e risks /issue management, change control etc
• Initial Risk Analysis
• Budget /Cost estimate for stage /whole project with contingency added.
• Detailed description of the project organisation and issue /risk escalation procedures.
The document is vital for large projects involving lots of interaction with business people and sponsors with little, if any, experience of the role and how a well run project differs from line management. This document if properly used should help prevent spin management techniques being used on your project. For full definition of spin management and a free download of a Anti-Spin Management Prevention Checklist please please click onto the following archived post Anti-Spin Management Checklist
If you think this template is great and it has helped you or alternatively you have ideas on how to improve it then please comment. In addition please note that Clarety has now been running for some 2 + years and has become increasingly popular receiving 4000+ hits a day. The workload and cost of running this site is increasing. In order to maintain it going forward we increasingly need the help of others to create templates and cutting edge content. If you would like to help support us in our continued efforts to make this the best FREE Project /Programme Management Resource centre on the Internet then please click on the Tip Icon Below.
Click here to download a FREE PRINCE II PID template.
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READER COMMENTS:
Pretty helpful piece of kit.
Posted by Chris Turner on Tue 5th September 2006 at 09:24 AM | #