forverkefni

Forverkefni is an Icelandic term used in project management to describe a preparatory or pre-project undertaken before a larger initiative. The word combines for- meaning before with verkefni meaning project, reflecting its role as a planning stage rather than a full implementation.

The purpose of a forverkefni is to test feasibility, clarify objectives, and gather essential information that informs decisions about whether to proceed with a main project. It helps identify stakeholders, define scope, assess risks, and develop preliminary cost estimates. By producing early analyses, a forverkefni reduces uncertainty and supports more reliable budgeting and planning for subsequent stages.

Typical activities in a forverkefni include scoping and requirements gathering, feasibility studies, options analysis, risk assessment, high-level design or concept work, stakeholder consultation, and the preparation of initial budgets and procurement plans. Deliverables commonly include a feasibility report, a business case outline, a requirements document, and a high-level project plan.

In practice, forverkefni is common in the public sector, research, and projects funded by grants or EU programs, where funding bodies require a preparatory phase to validate the project before full implementation. The outcome is an assessment that can lead to approval to proceed, a revised plan, or a decision to terminate the initiative. If successful, the outputs of a forverkefni feed directly into the main project’s planning and governance.