The Detailed Investigation Stage: Promising … Let’s Have a Closer Look
During the Detailed investigation Stage you will identify and define the optimum solution and commercial proposition.
‘Understanding is the beginning of approving.’
ANDRÉ GIDE, 1902
Overview
During the Detailed Investigation Stage you will identify and define the optimum solution and commercial proposition.
You will need to:
- evaluate possible options and identify a preferred solution;
- ensure the preferred solution will meet the defined needs;
- define process, technical, and operational requirements where appropriate;
- test/research the concept with the target users and/or customers.
- check any legal or regulatory issues;
- evaluate possible suppliers and partners.
The next gate, for which this stage prepares you, is critical as it is the last point at which you can stop the project before substantial financial commitments are made.
Key deliverables
The Output Definition is the fundamental document set describing the output of the project in terms of process, organisation, systems, technology and culture. It is the document which integrates all the individual system, process and platform requirements. It also specifies how they will work together. The document set will continue to develop as the project proceeds and will be handed over to the manager(s) of any operational parts before the project is completed.
The Feasibility Report builds on the Initial Business Case. It includes the recommendation for which option should be adopted as the solution (including processes), and compares it against rejected solutions in financial and non-financial terms (see the CD-ROM for a template).
The Business Case contains the business rationale. It is the document on which the decision is made to authorise funding for the remainder of the project and the building in of costs and benefits to the business plan. The document is ‘live’ and under strict version control for the remainder of the project (see the CD-ROM for a template).
The Project Plan includes the detailed schedule, resource and cost plans for the Develop and Test Stage with the remaining stages in summary.
The Test Plan documents the tests required to verify performance of any outputs from the project both in isolation and working as a complete system (see the CD-ROM for a template).
| Deliverable | Prepared by | Review by | Approved, prior to gate, by |
| Output definition | Project manager | Team members and experts | Project sponsor |
| Feasibility Report | Project manager | Team members and experts | Project sponsor |
| Business Case | Project manager | Team members and key functional managers | Project sponsor |
| Project Plan | Project manager | as above | Project sponsor |
| Test Plan | Project manager | as above | Proposed owners of deliverable |
Note: These are minimum review roles and deliverables only. Each project manager should define the full set prior to the start of the stage.
Process steps
Detailed Investigation Gate. This gate determines whether further effort and resources should be invested in undertaking a detailed investigation. If the Initial Business Case is authorised, the Detailed Investigation Stage is started. See checklist on p. 98.
The Initial Business Case and project plans now come under formal version control.
| 1 | The project manager informs the stakeholders and key team members that authority to start the stage has been given. |
| 2 | The project manager ensures the start of the stage has been registered and assembles the team and briefs them on the scope for this stage (see Chapter 19). |
| 3 | The detailed investigation work is carried out (within the project control cycle, see pp. 23, 55) to assess the possible solutions and a preferred option is recommended, bearing in mind the risks and the benefits. A feasibility report is prepared. |
| 4 | The feasibility report is reviewed, amended if necessary, and agreed by the project sponsor who decides which option should be chosen and refined further. |
| 5 | Work on defining the chosen option is carried out. This may involve refining the output definition, the operational aspects, training plans, business processes, market plans and system designs. |
| The Output Definition now comes under formal version control. | |
| 6 | The project manager, with the team, prepares the detailed plan for the Develop and Test stage and finalises the business case document. These are reviewed with the team and stakeholders and, if necessary, are amended. |
| 7 | The detailed plan and business case are reviewed by the project sponsor and any other relevant stakeholders. It is then either accepted, rejected, deferred or amendments are requested. |
The Business Case is submitted for gate authorisation.
