The Project Management Framework includes a series of numbered templates that provide a method to capture the required project management information throughout the project’s lifecycle. Templates are numbered to provide traceability and progress. The following templates are used throughout the Project Lifecycle; for assistance with using any project template, contact the ITS PPMO at pmo@gmu.edu.
Core Project Management Templates
Core templates are those that are completed for ALL IT projects and form the basis of Mason’s Project Management Lifecycle.
| Phase | Template | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intake | Prioritization Criteria Worksheet (PCW) | Excel | The starting point for ALL requests or projects. A 3-section questionnaire asking for general information, impact (benefits), and effort (costs) for the proposed project |
| Intake | Project Request Summary (Sample) | N/A | Auto-generated, consolidated overview of the PCW information; Contact ITS PPMO for additional information |
| Initiation | Project Charter | Word | Captures deliverables, team requirements, assumptions, risks needed to effectively plan the project; Provides the “definition of done” |
| Initiation | Project Cost Estimation | Excel | Builds an estimate of the project implementation and operations costs including hardware, software, services, and internal resources |
| Planning | Planning Document | Word | Identifies specific resources, schedule, work/effort, and refines assumptions, risks, and deliverables identified in the Charter and works alongside project schedule |
| Delivery | Acceptance of Deliverables | Word | Approval form that deliverable requirements met; May be used as many times as needed to account for acceptance of all deliverables |
| Delivery | Operational Support Processes | Word | Provides information on how the project will be supported when the project is in production |
| Closeout | Project Close Out Report | Word | Overview of project accomplishments, participants, and key successes as well as lessons learned from the project |
Optional Project Management Templates
These templates provide optional tools for capturing information beyond the core project documentation – especially during a project’s planning phase.
| Phase | Template | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Phases | Quick Reference Guide | Checklist of the items and requirements needed to navigate the Project Lifecycle |
|
| Any Phase | Decision Document | Word | Capture the potential options, recommendation, and future decision within a current project, initiative, or investment |
| Initiation | Project Charter Light | Word | Used for small efforts that are not formal ITS Projects; captures quick list of deliverables, team requirements, assumptions, and risks |
| Delivery/ Any Phase | Approval to Proceed | Word | Approval form to continue project (go/no go approval) when a key decision point is identified and must be documented |
| Delivery | Approval to Operate | Word | Approval to move one or more project deliverables to production; Primarily used for iterative and software development projects |
Last modified: February 3, 2022