Generic PID Template

Project
Initiation
Document

Project Name
PROJECT INITIATION
DOCUMENT
V0.1

Document History
Document Owner

The owner of this document is:

Document Location

This document is only valid on the day it was

printed and the electronic version is located

Document Status

The current status for this document is DRAFT

Revision History

Date of next revision:

Version
number

Approvals
Name

Distribution

Revision date

Previous
revision date

Summary of
changes

Changes
marked

This document requires approvals to be signed off

and filed in project files
Signature

Responsibility

Date of
issue

Version

This document has been distributed as follows

Name

Responsibility

Date of
issue

Version

Table of Contents
DOCUMENT INFORMATION.............................................................................................................2
STATUS...................................................................................................................................................2
VERSION HISTORY.................................................................................................................................2
OWNER..................................................................................................................................................2
DOCUMENT LOCATION...........................................................................................................................2
DISTRIBUTION........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................4
BACKGROUND........................................................................................................................................4
OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT.......................................................................................................................4
AUTHORITY FOR THE PROJECT..............................................................................................................4
PROJECT DEFINITION........................................................................................................................4
KEY DELIVERABLES..............................................................................................................................4
CONSTRAINTS........................................................................................................................................4
ASSUMPTIONS........................................................................................................................................4
EXCLUSIONS..........................................................................................................................................4
INTERFACES...........................................................................................................................................4
EXTERNAL DEPENDENCIES....................................................................................................................4
TOLERANCE...........................................................................................................................................4
BENEFITS...............................................................................................................................................4
COSTS....................................................................................................................................................4
APPROACH/PROCESS/EXECUTION AND PLAN...........................................................................5
APPROACH.............................................................................................................................................5
INITIAL PROJECT PLAN/MILESTONES....................................................................................................5
CONTINGENCY PLANS.......................................................................................................................5
PROJECT ORGANISATION STRUCTURE.......................................................................................5
SRO.......................................................................................................................................................5
PROJECT MANAGER...............................................................................................................................5
PROJECT BOARD....................................................................................................................................5
PROJECT TEAM......................................................................................................................................5
ASSURANCE PANEL................................................................................................................................5
PROJECT FILING STRUCTURE.................................................................................................................5
COMMUNICATION AND STAKEHOLDERS....................................................................................6
COMMUNICATION METHOD....................................................................................................................6
STAKEHOLDERS......................................................................................................................................6
REPORTING CYCLE............................................................................................................................6
PROJECT INITIATION..............................................................................................................................6
REPORTING PERIODS..............................................................................................................................6
DECISION POINTS...................................................................................................................................6
EXCEPTION REPORTING.........................................................................................................................6
PROJECT ISSUES.....................................................................................................................................6
END PROJECT NOTIFICATION.................................................................................................................6
RISK ASSESSMENT...............................................................................................................................7
QUALITY.................................................................................................................................................7
APPENDIX A: STAKEHOLDER MAP................................................................................................8
APPENDIX B: ISSUE LOG.................................................................................................................10
APPENDIX C: RISK LOG...................................................................................................................11

Purpose

The purpose of the PID is to define the project, to

form the basis for its management and the
assessment of overall success.
The Project Initiation Document has two primary
uses:

To ensure that the project has a sound basis

before asking the Project Board to commit to
make any major commitment to the project
To act as a base document, against which the
Project Board and Project Manager can assess
progress, risks, issues, change and ongoing
viability questions

1. Introduction
1.1 Background
The background of this project is
1.2 Objectives of Project
(Objectives of Project should be stated as SMARTly as possible ie Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Realistic & Time Bounded)

The objectives of the project are as follows:

1.3 Authority for the Project
(Authority for the Project (statement about the project mandate or sponsorship, may exist as a
formal document or an email, memo etc)

This project has been authorised by :

2. Project Definition
2.1 Key Deliverables
(The main products that will be delivered by the project. This covers management products
(eg risk log, highlight report, business case) and specialists products (eg user
requirement, technical specification etc)

The key deliverables for the project will be:

deliverable 1;
deliverable 2;
etc

2.2 Constraints
(Scope within which the project is bound to operate. Could be financial, political, legislative,
environmental etc )

The constraints on this project are as follows:

constraint 1;
constraint 2;
etc

2.3 Assumptions
(Unknowns or estimates related to the project including events, timings, outcomes etc)

The project is predicated on the following assumptions:

assumption 1;
assumption 2;
etc

2.4 Exclusions
(Important in establishing the scope, be specific about what is outside the project boundary)

Areas that are excluded from this project are:

exclusion 1;
exclusion 2;
etc

2.5 Interfaces
(May be useful to split into external and internal, state as much as you know at present)

The other projects and pieces of work that interface with this project are:
interface 1;
interface 2;
etc

2.6 External Dependencies

(Include other organisations, existing contracts, major programmes or projects which may
have an impact)

The project is externally dependant on the following:

dependency 1;
dependency 2;
etc

2.7 Tolerance
(Management boundaries set by the Project Board with which the Project Manager is free to
make decision about time, cost and resources if none have been set this needs to be stated
)

The tolerances for the project are as follows:

tolerance 1;
tolerance 2;
etc

2.8 Benefits
(Initial statement of projected benefits should be included, even if they can only be stated in
terms of opportunities or capabilities which subsequent projects will use to realise more
tangible/measurable benefits)

The project will provide the following benefits:

benefit 1;
benefit 2;
etc

2.9 Costs
(To include an estimate of both Project Management (ie costs of the manager, team, board,
assurance and other relevant resources) plus any other likely or predicted costs. Depending
on scale, these costs would normally be brought together in some form of initial business
case which my be developing separately or in parallel with the PID)

The initial costs for this project are

Area

Cost

3. Approach/Process/Execution and Plan

3.1 Approach

3.2 Initial Project Plan/Milestones

(Initial stage plan required plus a draft plan for the overall project an iterative process. Plans
may require a variety of versions/formats depending on the audience)

4. Contingency Plans
(Some thought should be given to contingency. This may have a cost implication to be
reflected in the business case)

5. Project Organisation Structure

(Should reflect the 4 layers of project organisation ie corporate or programme management,
direction of the project, day-to-day management of the project and team management.
Should encompass the triangular relationship between the business, the users and the
supplier(s). Clear responsibilities should be stated against each of the key roles)

5.1 SRO
The Senior Responsible Owner for the project is

5.2 Project Manager

The Project Manager for the project is

5.3 Project Board

The Project Board will consist of the following members

5.4 Project Team

The Project Team consists of the following members:
Name

Division/Organisation

5.5 Assurance panel

The following organisations will provide assurance to the project

5.6 Project Filing Structure

The electronic project files will be kept on
The paper project files will be kept

6. Communication and Stakeholders

6.1 Communication method
(This is a key component in any change initiative
The key communications channels are:

6.2 Stakeholders
The stakeholder map at Appendix A sets out the following:
a. The identity of the stakeholder;
b. The nature of the stakeholders interest in the project;
c. The stakeholders information requirements;
d. The channels through which these requirements will be met;
e. The timing of such communications.

7. Reporting Cycle
7.1 Project Initiation
The project will formally start when the SRO and XXXXX have approved this
project document.

10

7.2 Reporting Periods

The Team will meet the Project Manager
The Project Manager will meet the SRO
The SRO and Board will meet

7.3 Decision Points

The following sets out the points when key decisions must be taken:
7.4 Exception Reporting
(covers reporting back to the Board on conditions arising were agreed tolerances are likely to
be exceeded or other abnormal circumstances have arisen)

Exception reporting will be carried out by the Project Manager as required.

7.5 Project Issues

Project issues may be raised by anyone with an interest in the project at any
time.
The Project Manager will manage the issue log.
The initial Issue log is attached at Appendix B

7.6 End Project Notification

The project will be formally closed by the SRO when

8. Risk Assessment
The risks relevant to Project are contained in the initial risk log at Appendix C.

9. Quality
This project will meet the following quality standards
Note: Quality Criteria

When assessing the fitness for purpose of the PID,

the following criteria should be considered

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Does the document accurately reflect the

project?
Is the project viable, achievable and in line with
Office strategy?

Is the Organization Structure complete, with

agreed appointees and job descriptions for all
roles?

Are the reporting lines, lines of authority and

direction lines clear and workable?

Is the proposed project approach realistic and

achievable??

Are the timescales consistent with the business

objectives in the Feasibility Report and the
Business Architecture Definition?

Does the order of activities within the plan

reflect the list of prioritized requirements?

Does the plan reflect the need to address areas

of risk at appropriate times?

Are all affected classes of users identified in the

plan?

Is the proposed user effort consistent with the

needs of both the existing business processes
and the development?

Will the necessary effort (from all personnel) be

available when required?

When prototypes are used, is the selection of

categories of prototypes feasible within the
expected development environment?

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Appendix A: Stakeholder Map

Key to Relationship Column:
A: Role is Affected/Changed by Programme, or Programme contributes to success of external organisation or project.
B1: Directly Benefits from the Programme
B2: Indirectly Benefits from the Programme
C1: Directly Contributes to the Programme
C2: Indirectly Contributes to the Programme

Stakeholder

Interest

Relationship

Notes

Info Requirements

Channel

Timing

13

Stakeholder

Interest

Relationship

Notes

Info Requirements

Channel

Timing

14

Appendix B: Initial Issue Log

(Issue Log template is also available separately as part of the generic Centre of Excellence template set)
No

Name

Description

Owner

Action & Progress

Action Date

Status

15

Appendix C: Initial Risk Log

(Risk Log template is also available separately as part of the generic Centre of Excellence template set)

No

Risk Description

Example Scenario

Impact

Likelihood

Owner

Management
Strategy

Resource
Requirements

RAG Status
(Red Amber,
Green)

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