Start and Define

Define Phase

Objectives

This phase is the last phase before the start of the project.
It must :

Improve the need.
Refine and evaluate the various alternative solutions.
Describe the organization of the project.

Needed Inputs

For this phase, only output of the previous phase (initiate) are required: the project request and the decision.
v This phase will be fueled by the contributions of the various experts.

The stakeholders

Business side :

The Business sponsor: guarantees the availability of human and material resources for the smooth running of the project.
Business expert with a global vision of the project.
The key users: users or business expert.

IT side :

Project manager: in charge of preparing the project proposal, he coordinates the various stakeholders.
functional architect: provides the vision of the existing functional IT.
IT security officer
Architect:
Operation and hosting manager: server (costs), licenses, operation, schedule
IS manager: assumptions, costs, planning

The deliverables

A business case including :

What, How, When, Who — Overview of a Project charter

Synthesis: requirements, evaluation of alternatives and IT recommendations.
The reminder of the business demand and its requirements.
The functional and operational scope.
The needs of : information, functional, operational and security.
IS situation (functions, information, applications, infrastructure).
Evaluate the alternatives: solution, organization, architecture, compliance, deployment strategy, planning, resources, budget, business benefits, project risks. Synthesis in SWOT format, a weighted analysis of business criteria and benefits.

The project charter is a commitment by IT to respond to the need. The commitment can address only some of the cost / time / content / satisfaction constraints, commitment may therefore not cover all constraints (the very principle of agile).
A call for tenders may be necessary if the project exceeds the cost threshold and/or for build a team on new technologies, new methodologies etc.
In the case of a call for tenders, the time limit for the scoping phase may exceed 1 year.

To successfully complete this phase

Determine the different expectations and the tasks to be carried out during this define phase.
Organize a meeting to launch the initial phase to communicate with the business and IT stakeholders around the project process in general and the progress of this phase, taking care to note the different business interlocutors to be solicited and present the different expectations of each by discussing planning and availability of each.
Confirm with the business its need (between the 2 phases, time may have passed and the business has been able to mature its need).
Solicit as soon as possible the different IS that are part of the solutions in order to have their assumptions (and potentially revise the solution based on them) and collect planning and costing.
Carry out the work plan by keeping the business informed at the rate planned during the first meeting.
Write the decision brief for the rest of the project and then request a decision.
Communicate the decision to all parties and move forward for further action !!!

Communication is the key !!!!!

Project methodology

The decision file contains the future organization of the project.
Currently there are 2 common project methods :

The waterfall (with potentially iterative)
The agile methodology with Scrum, Kanban, Scrumban, RAD, ...

The Waterfall model is more suitable when the project is very precise in its specifications, its planning and risk anticipation.
The agile method is recommended when it is known that adaptation will be required.

Project RACI

See the section corresponding to the project methodology.

Comitology

Ratio for costing

Label	Number of days Ratio (based on development)
Development	100
Management	25
General design	25
Detailed design	50
Unit and integration test	13
System and acceptance test	25
User manual	5

Costs of IS project — Costs ratio (in days) to developp IS project

For the implementation time frames , the method COCOMO can be applied. And don't forget that to make a baby it takes 1 woman 9 months and not 1 month to 9 women ....

Note license costs, hosting and recurrent costs for corrective and evolutionary maintenance.

Some methods to conduct this phase

The SWOT matrix

For each of the possible solutions, fill the matrix with the following entries:

Strenghts (internal)
Weakness (internal)
Opportunities (external)
Threats (external)

Definitions

Some explanations of the terms (select to expand):

Production Deployment

It is deployed on production environments BUT is not not used or used by a small part of the users (this is called the pilot phase).

Commissioning

It is accessible and used by all users.

Report

Document allowing all parties to trace the delivery of deliverables.

Decision of all parties to proceed to the next step.
GO's decision can be qualified: prior actions must then be taken (e.g. corrections or rapid corrective delivery planning).

Recovery plan

Comes after the crash of servers, databases, etc., it is a function of uploading the application from the backups.

Service continuity plan

System adopted to guarantee the expected service rate.

RACI or RAM (responsibility assignment matrix)

Describes who does what on the project. The different responsibilities :
Responsible / Accountable / Consulted / Informed.