Preparationsphase

Preparationsphase, often called the preparation phase in project management contexts, is the initial stage in many projects or processes. It focuses on establishing the project’s foundation and readiness for execution. The main goal is to clarify objectives, secure resources, assess feasibility, and prepare the governance and plan documents that guide later work.

Typical activities include defining the project scope and objectives, identifying and engaging stakeholders, gathering and validating requirements, conducting feasibility and risk assessments, and developing an initial design concept. Organizing governance structures, roles, responsibilities, and decision rights is common, along with drafting core plans such as the project plan, schedule, budget, quality plan, risk management plan, communications plan, and procurement strategy. Technical and operational readiness tasks may involve defining requirements, high-level architecture, interfaces, and establishing the required environments or facilities. Compliance, regulatory, or safety considerations and a formal go/no-go decision are often part of this phase.

The phase ends when a formal authorization to proceed to execution is granted, or the project is otherwise approved to move forward. In different methodologies, this stage may be labeled initiation or planning or discovery. Examples of frameworks that include a preparation-like stage are PMBOK-based project management, PRINCE2, and various software development lifecycles and research programs.

Deliverables typically produced during the Preparationsphase include a project charter or initiation document, scope statement, requirements specification, risk register, governance and communication plans, a feasibility or business case, and a baseline schedule and budget.