Forprosjektet

Forprosjektet, or the pre-project phase, is a preliminary stage in project management designed to clarify the purpose, scope, and viability of a potential project before committing substantial resources. It is commonly used in Norwegian public and private sector contexts and is often required by funding bodies or governance frameworks.

The purpose of forprosjektet is to determine whether a project is viable and worthwhile, define objectives and success criteria, explore alternative approaches, identify major risks, estimate rough costs and benefits, and lay the foundation for a formal decision to proceed. The outcome should enable a go/no-go decision and provide a plan for the next phase.

Activities in a forprosjekt include stakeholder analysis, needs assessments, option analysis, technical feasibility, financial viability and return on investment, risk and regulatory assessments, environmental and social considerations, procurement implications, and an initial high-level schedule and resource plan. A dedicated forprosjektledelse or project management team may coordinate the work.

Deliverables typically comprise a feasibility report or forprosjektbeskrivelse, a business case or decision memo, a rough budget and timeline, a risk register, and a recommended path forward with criteria for approval.

Relation to other phases: successful completion leads to authorization for gjennomføring of the hovedprosjekt (full project planning and execution) or similar next steps, while failure can trigger cancellation or re-scoping. In practice, forprosjektet helps ensure alignment with strategic goals and provides a structured basis for governance bodies to decide on further investment.