Project Processes

Example of an Activity Description

An Activity Description contains 5 parts:
Part 1 - Page Header
A standard header for each Activity page.

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Project Processes Complex Projects

Project Management Stage
- Implement the Plan
Activity in the Stage Execute the Plan

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Part 2 - Activity Context

The purpose and starting point for this Activity are summarised here. For some Activities
prerequisites are specified. When documents are mentioned the document icon
to the explanatory template for that document.

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Part 3 - Activity - Actions

On each Activity page you will find one or more recommended actions relevant to this
Activity.

Part 4 - Activity - Outputs and Management Decisions

Outputs may be described as documents or events. Key Management Decisions indicate
the decisions that the Project Manager needs to make before moving on to the next
Activity or Stage.

Part 5 - Activity - References (Present for Complex Project only)

The references section contains links to other content of Project Architect that can help
with this Activity. The next Activity link leads to the next Activity in this Stage. If the
Activity is the last one in a Stage, this link leads to an overview of the next Stage.

Graphic training aids (GTAs) are publications that assist during the conduct of training and
the process of learning.

Current Training Aids come in different forms, including models, displays, slides, books,
pictures and media presentations.

Technical specification - document specifying the requirements for one specific part or for a
group of parts with equal characteristics.
Specification (often abbreviated as spec) may refer to an explicit set of requirements to be
satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A specification is a type of a standard
which is often referenced by a contract or procurement document. It provides the necessary
details about the specific requirements.
Sometimes a guide or a standard operating procedure is available to help write and format a
good specification. A specification might include:

Descriptive title, number, identifier, etc. of the specification

Date of last effective revision and revision designation

A logo or trademark to indicate the document copyright, ownership and origin

Table of Contents (TOC), if the document is long

Person, office, or agency responsible for questions on the specification, updates, and
deviations.

The significance, scope or importance of the specification and its intended use.

Terminology, definitions and abbreviations to clarify the meanings of the specification

Test methods for measuring all specified characteristics

Material requirements: physical, mechanical, electrical, chemical, etc. Targets and

tolerances.

Acceptance testing, including Performance testing requirements. Targets and

tolerances.

Drawings, photographs, or technical illustrations

Workmanship

Certifications required.

Safety considerations and requirements

Environmental considerations and requirements

Quality control requirements, acceptance sampling, inspections, acceptance criteria

Person, office, or agency responsible for enforcement of the specification.

Completion and delivery.

Provisions for rejection, re-inspection, rehearing, corrective measures

References and citations for which any instructions in the content maybe required to
fulfill the traceability and clarity of the document

Signatures of approval, if necessary

Change record to summarize the chronological development, revision and completion

if the document is to be circulated internally

Annexes and Appendices that are expand details, add clarification, or offer options.

Procedures - outline how to perform a process and describe how each policy will be put into
action in your organisation. Each procedure should outline:

Who will do what

What steps they need to take

Which forms or documents to use.

Questions that need to be answered in a procedure include:

Where do the inputs come from (suppliers)?
Where do the outputs go (customers)?
Who performs what action when (responsibilities)?
How do you know when you have done it right (effectiveness criteria)?
What feedback should be captured (metrics)?
How do we communicate results (charts, graphs and reports)?
What laws (regulations) or standards apply (e.g., ISO 9001, 8th EU Directive, IFRS, Sarbanes-Oxley)?

policy documents usually contain certain standard components including[citation needed] :

A purpose statement, outlining why the organization is issuing the policy, and what
its desired effect or outcome of the policy should be.

An applicability and scope statement, describing who the policy affects and which
actions are impacted by the policy. The applicability and scope may expressly exclude
certain people, organizations, or actions from the policy requirements. Applicability
and scope is used to focus the policy on only the desired targets, and avoid unintended
consequences where possible.

An effective date which indicates when the policy comes into force. Retroactive
policies are rare, but can be found.

A responsibilities section, indicating which parties and organizations are responsible

for carrying out individual policy statements. Many policies may require the
establishment of some ongoing function or action. For example, a purchasing policy
might specify that a purchasing office be created to process purchase requests, and that
this office would be responsible for ongoing actions. Responsibilities often include
identification of any relevant oversight and/or governance structures.

Policy statements indicating the specific regulations, requirements, or modifications

to organizational behavior that the policy is creating. Policy statements are extremely
diverse depending on the organization and intent, and may take almost any form.

Some policies may contain additional sections, including:

Background, indicating any reasons, history, and intent that led to the creation of the
policy, which may be listed as motivating factors. This information is often quite
valuable when policies must be evaluated or used in ambiguous situations, just as the
intent of a law can be useful to a court when deciding a case that involves that law.

Definitions, providing clear and unambiguous definitions for terms and concepts
found in the policy document.[citation needed]