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Unit 1: Introduction to Projects

Initiation Phase Notes

The initiation phase is the beginning of the project. In this phase, the idea for the project is
explored and elaborated. The goal of this phase is to examine the feasibility of the project. In
addition, decisions are made concerning who is to carry out the project, which party (or parties)
will be involved and whether the project has an adequate base of support among those who are
involved.
In this phase, the current or prospective project leader writes a proposal, which contains a
description of the above-mentioned matters. Examples of this type of project proposal include
business plans and grant applications. The prospective sponsors of the project evaluate the
proposal and, upon approval, provide the necessary financing. The project officially begins at
the time of approval.
Questions to be answered in the initiation phase include the following:
1. Why this project?
2. Is it feasible?

3. Who are possible partners in this project?
4. What should the results be?
5. What are the boundaries of this project (what is outside the scope of the project)?

In the initiation phase, the project partners enter a (temporary) relationship with each other. To
prevent the development of false expectations concerning the results of the project, it makes
sense to explicitly agree on the type of project that is being started:

1. a research and development project;
2. a project that will deliver a prototype or ‘proof of concept’;
3. a project that will deliver a working product.

The choice for a particular type of project largely determines its results.

Example: A research and development project delivers a report that examines the
technological feasibility of an application. A project in which a prototype is developed delivers
all of the functionalities of an application, but they need not be suitable for use in a particular
context (e.g. by hundreds of users). A project that delivers a working product must also consider
matters of maintenance, instructions and the operational management of the application.

Definition Phase

After the project plan (which was developed in the initiation phase) has been approved, the
project enters the second phase: the definition phase. In this phase, the requirements that are
associated with a project result are specified as clearly as possible. This involves identifying the
expectations that all of the involved parties have with regard to the project result. How many
files are to be archived? Should the metadata conform to the Data Documentation Initiative
format, or will the Dublin Core (DC) format suffice? May files be deposited in their original
format, or will only those that conform to the Preferred Standards be accepted? Must the depositor
of a dataset ensure that it has been processed adequately in the archive, or is this the responsibility
of the archivist? Which guarantees will be made on the results of the project? The list of questions
goes on and on.

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