Using Tools, Templates, and Processes to Launch a Project

The major topics of this chapter are recruiting the full project team and preparing it to begin working on the project. This is an important step in the project, especially in those circumstances where the project team is coming together for the first time. At this point, they are just a group of people united by a common purpose they may know little or nothing about. It is your job as project manager to turn them into a team. The tools and templates you have at your disposal include the following:

• (Process) Recruiting the project team members
• (Template) The Project Definition Statement (PDS)
• Establishing team operating rules for:
  • (all 3) Problem solving
  • (Tool) Decision making
  • (Tool) Conflict resolution
  • (Tool) Consensus building
  • (Process) Brainstorming
  • (Tool) Team meetings
• (Process and Template) The scope change management process
• (Process) Communications management planning
• (Tool and Template) Work packages
• (Process) The resource assignment process
• (Process and Template) Finalizing the project schedule