Overview

Project Management Checklist

Project Information
Project Number Project Name
Project Purpose
Project Sponsor Sponsoring Department
Project Manager Performing Department

Purpose:

The EPO project management checklists are intended to assist the project manager in planning, executing
and controlling projects. The checklists consist of Yes/No questions based on the knowledge areas in the
PMBOK ® 2004 edition. If the answer to a question is ‘No’, review the explanation provided and consider
what needs to be done in your organization or on your project to move to a ‘Yes’ answer. Suggested EPO
e-Books and Templates are identified to facilitate the change from ‘No’ to ‘Yes’ answers.
e-Book reference: Project Management Office
The content list below can be used to jump to a selected topic.
PMBOK ® Knowledge Area Project Management Topic
Integration Obtaining Project Approval
Initiating the Project
Tracking Project Progress
Managing Issues & Changes
Closing the Project
Scope Planning the Scope
Planning the Work
Time Planning Activities
Estimating Activities
Developing the Schedule
Monitoring the Schedule
Cost Estimating Project Costs
Establishing the Budget
Monitoring Project Costs
Quality Quality Management
Inspections
Testing
Human Resources Human Resource Planning
Managing the Team
Communications Stakeholder Identification
Communications Planning
Reporting Project Status
Risk Risk Identification
Risk Assessment
Risk Response Planning
Procurement Procurement Planning
Evaluating Bids & Proposals

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Overview

Contract Administration

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Integration

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Obtaining Project Approval
Is there a well-defined process to The first step in the project approval process is the Potential Project Project Prioritization
identify potential projects? identification of potential projects. This can be part of a Identification & Approval
strategic or annual planning process or triggered by some
external business event.

Has a project sponsor been identified The project sponsor is a key interface between the project Potential Project Project Prioritization
for each potential project? team and senior management. Project sponsors are often Identification & Approval
responsible for providing resources and setting direction for
the project.

Does a screening & prioritization The needs of potential projects will often surpass the Potential Project Project Prioritization
process exist for potential projects? available resources and finances. Prioritization will Identification, & Approval
establish the relative importance of competing projects and Portfolio Investment
screen out projects will low importance or poor benefits.
Tracking

Are potential projects prioritized by Potential Project Project Prioritization

business management prior to Identification, & Approval
approval? Prioritization is not an approval process; rather it is a Portfolio Investment
screening and ranking process. The output from Tracking
prioritization is a list of projects that have been ranked
according to their relative importance.
Does a Project Approval Committee Potential Project Project Prioritization
exist to review and approve projects? Identification, & Approval
Project prioritization should be done by department Portfolio Investment
managers and division Vice Presidents. Project approvals Tracking
are obtained from executives who belong to a Project
Approval Committee.
Is a business case prepared for each Project Business Business Case
The Project Business Case describes the project costs and
project approval? Case Preparation
benefits to enable a business decision whether or not to
proceed with the project.
Is a business need assessment Project Business Business Case
conducted for each potential project? The Business Need Assessment provides an analysis of the
high level business requirement being addressed by the
Case Preparation
project and an opportunity to comment on the relative
importance of the project.
Is a cost/benefit analysis completed Cost Benefit Analysis Business Case
The cost benefit analysis is performed to determine if the
for each project? Preparation
benefits of completing the project outweigh the costs of
performing the work
Are objective criteria such as Return Cost Benefit Analysis Business Case
on Investment (ROI) or payback Preparation
period used to prioritize and approve Return on Investment (ROI) is a percentage based on the
projects? net income from a project divided by the costs of the project.
The payback period for a project is the time it takes for the
benefits of a project to repay its costs.
Are project approvals based on Project Business Business Case
business, financial and technical Case Preparation
criteria? The Project Approval Committee (or a similar group of
senior management) needs to balance the business,
financial and technical criteria from a corporate perspective
when granting approvals to proposed projects
Initiating the Project
Has a Project Charter been prepared? The Project Charter is the document that formally Project Charter Project Initiation &
acknowledges the existence of the project. It may be
prepared by the Project Sponsor, the Project Manager, or as
Scope Planning
a collaborative effort.

Are project assumptions Assumptions are conditions upon which the project is Constraints & Project Initiation &
documented? based. They often involve a degree of risk and express
situations that the project may encounter. These
Assumptions Scope Planning
assumptions must be communicated to project stakeholders Checklist
and confirmed where required.

Have project constraints been Constraints are restrictions that will impact project Constraints & Project Initiation &
documented? management options. Because these constraints will limit
the project management approaches or alternatives
Assumptions Scope Planning
available, it is imperative that both Project Sponsor and Checklist
Project Manager share an understanding of these limitations

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Integration

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Has the Project Manager been The Project Manager should be assigned prior to project Project Charter Project Initiation &
assigned and his/her authority initiation and his/her authority should be defined and agreed
defined? to by the project sponsor.
Scope Planning

Tracking Project Progress

Are project team tracking meetings Project team tracking meetings should be held on a regular Team Tracking Project Tracking
held to monitor progress and discuss basis to discuss progress on activities and status of high
issues? priority risks and open issues, changes and decisions.
Meeting

Do project team members report time Time reports should be completed on a regular basis (daily Time Report, Project Tracking
spent on project activities? or weekly) by team members and reviewed by team leads
or the project manager.
Tracking View

Managing Issues & Changes

Is there a process in place to manage An issue is a situation that occurs outside the control of the Issue Notice, Issue & Change
project issues? project team that must be resolved in order for progress to
continue. In most cases, the issue must be resolved by a
Project Issue Log Management
certain date or there will be an adverse affect on the project
deliverables, target dates or costs. The resolution to the
issue needs to be documented and understood by all
parties affected.

Is a formal change management Change is a constant on projects; it is a reality of project Change Request, Issue & Change
process used on the project? management. Changes require deviations from project plan
and can impact project scope, cost or schedule. The
Change Request Management
changes must be handled through five Change Log
Management processes: identification, evaluation,
recommendation, approval, and incorporation.

Does a Project Steering Committee The Project Steering Committee consists of various project Project Steering Stakeholder
exist to help manage issues and stakeholders. The specific make up of the Project Steering
changes? Committee will vary from project to project and will depend
Committee Management
on a number of factors

Is there a process in place to escalate The Project Manager, in conjunction with the project team Decision Request, Issue & Change
important project decisions? and/or Project Steering Committee will have to make
important decisions during the project that will affect its
Decision Request Management
outcome. In some cases the decision will be made by the Log
project team and communicated to those affected. In other
cases, the decision will be escalated to the Project Steering
Committee for approval.

Is there a process in place to escalate In response to decisions or issue resolutions, actions may Action Item, Action Issue & Change
project action items? be required. Actions are not to be confused with planned
tasks or activities in the project schedule. Actions are
Item Log Management
unforeseen tasks undertaken to bring the project back into
alignment with baseline project plan.

Closing the Project

Have lessons learned from the project Project lessons describe what worked well on the project. Project Closure Project Closure
been documented for future projects This will provide an opportunity to carry these successes
over to future projects. Challenges and opportunities
Report, Project Reporting
encountered on the project provide recommendations for Closure
improvement on future projects. Presentation

Has an assessment of the overall The purpose of the project review is to: Project Review Independent
project been conducted? • Assess the project management techniques used on the
project and recommend changes where applicable,
Report, Project Project Reviews
• Review the application of the organization’s project Review
management framework and identify improvements to the Presentation
framework based on lessons learned on projects,
• Assess the feasibility of continuing with the project (or
program) and provide validation to terminate the project if
necessary.

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Integration

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Has a review of the project business The purpose of the business case review is to compare the Project Closure Project Closure
case been conducted? achievement of business objectives and project benefits
with what was originally forecast
Report, Project Reporting
Closure
Presentation
Has the project team provided an The Project Team Review section should be completed by Project Closure Project Closure
assessment of challenges and the team and submitted to the project reviewers for inclusion
successes from their perspective? in the Project Closure Report
Report, Project Reporting
Closure
Presentation
Has a review of the technology and The technical review focuses on the technology and Project Closure Project Closure
lifecycle processes been conducted? lifecycle processes used on the project.
Report, Project Reporting
Closure
Presentation

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Scope

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Planning the Scope
Have project objectives and critical Project objectives are the goals of the project. Critical Project Scope Project Initiation &
success factors been identified? success factors (CSF) are the project objectives that must Statement Scope Planning
be met for the project to be considered successful.

Have scope inclusion and exclusion Inclusion and exclusion criteria identify the specific Project Scope Project Initiation &
criteria been identified? deliverables, products, and services to be provided by the Statement Scope Planning
project and explicitly define the items to be excluded from
the project. This will define the scope boundary from both
sides.
Has the project strategy been defined The project strategy defines the approach to be followed on Project Scope Project Initiation &
and agreed to by the project sponsor? the project. It should clarify the methods, techniques and Statement Scope Planning
tools to be used.
Has a scope management matrix Scope Management Project Initiation &
The scope management matrix identifies the relative
been prepared and agreed to by the Plan Scope Planning
priorities of the three dimensions of the triple constraint
project sponsor?
(time, cost, and product).
Has a scope stability assessment Scope Management Project Initiation &
An assessment of the project scope stability will indicate the
been prepared? Plan Scope Planning
likelihood that the project scope may change and the
potential magnitude of such a change.
Has a scope change management Scope Management Project Initiation &
Successful change management on a project starts with an
approach been prepared? Plan Scope Planning
agreement on the methods to be followed to identify and
evaluate changes.
Planning the Work
Has a project Work Breakdown The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) provides an initial WBS Planning Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS) been prepared? decomposition of project deliverables into smaller packages
of work to support planning and estimating activities
View Structure Planning

Have project Work Packages been Work packages are discreet units of work that are assigned Work Package, Work Package
prepared and assigned? to individuals, teams, or external contractors. They can be
used to subdivide the work according to discipline or to
WBS Assignment Planning
prescribe a deliverable to be completed by a contractor View

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Time

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Planning Activities
Has a project activity list been The activity list is an extension of the WBS and identifies all Activity Plan, Activity Activity Planning &
prepared? the activities required to produce WBS deliverables. Planning View Estimating

Does each project activity have a The activity name should consist of an action verb (produce, Activity Plan, Activity Activity Planning &
tangible deliverable? prepare, develop, install, etc) and an object of that verb that Planning View Estimating
names the activity deliverable

Has a project network diagram been The activity sequencing is shown using a Project Network Activity Plan, Activity Activity Scheduling
created? Diagram which illustrates how the project activities will flow Sequencing View
from beginning to end. It is created by establishing the
dependencies among project deliverables

Have activity dependencies been Activity Plan, Activity Activity Scheduling

established? Dependencies can be mandatory (based on required
completion of deliverables) or discretionary (based on
Sequencing View
preferred sequence of activities).
Estimating Activities
Have activity duration and effort Activity estimates have two components: Activity Plan, Activity Activity Planning &
estimates been prepared? • Duration estimates (in days) provide an indication of how Estimating View Estimating
long a task will take and are used for critical path
scheduling.
• Effort estimates (in hours) are used to determine the
amount of work (by each resource) required to produce a
deliverable. Effort estimates are variable by resource and
will be used when resource leveling the project schedule.
Both duration and effort estimates need to be done for each
activity.

Have PERT duration estimating Using PERT estimating, three duration estimates are Activity Plan, Activity Activity Planning &
techniques been used? prepared for each activity: optimistic (O), pessimistic (P) and Estimating View Estimating
most likely (M).

Have resource effort estimates been The effort required to perform an activity is dependent on Activity Plan, Activity Activity Planning &
prepared for each activity? the resources assigned. Because effort is variable by Estimating View Estimating
resource, it should be estimated for each resource assigned
to an activity.

Developing the Schedule

Has the project critical path been The critical path is defined as the sequence of activities with Activity Scheduling Activity Scheduling
identified? the longest duration. The critical path activities should be View
associated with production of important project deliverables
and not support tasks.

Have resource leveling techniques Resource leveling is necessary when: Activity Plan, Activity Scheduling
been applied to the project schedule? One resource is assigned to multiple activities and their Resource Leveling
over allocation must be leveled out by extending the View
duration of some activities.
• Too many activities are assigned to one resource and
some activities must be transferred to other resources.
• Multiple resources (with varying availability) are assigned
to one activity.
• There are times in the schedule when resources are not
fully occupied and will need work. Activity dependencies
can be shifted to level off peaks and fill in valleys of
resource usage

Have duration compression To meet fixed end dates, the duration of the project critical Activity Scheduling Activity Scheduling
techniques been applied to the path may need to be shortened. This duration compression View
project schedule? can be accomplished through ‘fast tracking’ or ‘crashing’ the
schedule.

Have schedule milestones been Schedule milestones (evenly distributed throughout the Activity Scheduling Activity Scheduling
established? schedule) are established for status tracking and reporting View

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Time

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Has a baseline project schedule been A project baseline provides a foundation for tracking & Activity Scheduling Activity Scheduling
established? reporting and managing the effects of change. View
Monitoring the Schedule
Has a schedule management plan The Schedule Management Plan describes how the Schedule Schedule
been prepared? PMBOK time management processes will be carried out on Management Plan Management
the project Planning
Is progress tracked and the schedule Updating the schedule on a regular basis enables Schedule Update Project Schedule
updated on a regular basis? forecasting: View Management
• Finish dates of activities started or already in progress,
• Estimated start dates of activities not yet started

Have schedule variance thresholds Schedule variance reporting procedures should include: Schedule Schedule
been established? • Frequency of reporting schedule variances Management Plan Management
• Responsibility for explaining schedule variances, Planning
• Variance thresholds that will trigger explanation.

Are procedures in place to re- Approved change requests can be incorporated into the Schedule Project Schedule
establish the schedule baseline? project baselines. A new baseline schedule and/or project Management Plan Management
budget (depending on the nature of the change) is
established

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Cost

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Estimating Project Costs
Are standard cost accounts The first step in cost planning is defining the project Chart of Chart of Accounts Cost Management
established for project estimating, Accounts which establishes the standard project cost Planning
budgeting and tracking? structure for estimating, budgeting, tracking and cost
control.

Has a project cost estimate been Project cost estimates provide senior management Project Cost Project Estimating &
prepared? stakeholders with the financial information to: Estimate Budgeting
• Compare costs of potential projects competing for
approval,
• Compare the costs of an initiative to the tangible benefits
associated with delivery,
• Determine the financial commitment required to complete
the project,
Reliable project cost estimates are essential when
managing the expectations of funding authority
stakeholders.

Have estimates been prepared for Project estimates and budgets are both based on the Project Cost Project Estimating &
labor, equipment, supplies, expenses project accounts which, in turn, must be tied to the corporate Estimate, Project Budgeting
and financing costs to be incurred by financial Chart of Accounts. The structure of the financial Budget
the project? chart of accounts will vary from one organization to another

Have estimating assumptions been Estimating assumptions should be documented for Project Cost Project Estimating &
recorded? reference during cost control and to help support the Estimate Budgeting
management of risks, issues and changes.

Establishing the Budget

Has a budget been established for Project Budget Project Estimating &
cost tracking and control? Budgeting
The project budget, which forms the baseline for cost
control, is a time phased distribution of project costs. An
estimate becomes a budget when costs are allocated to
time phases (usually months or years).
Has a project cost management plan The Cost Management Plan establishes how the project Cost Management Cost Management
been prepared? estimating, budgeting and cost control processes will occur Plan Planning

Have funding release amounts been Typically, funding is based on budget amounts and is Cost Management Cost Management
defined for the project? released in increments before money is spent on the Plan Planning
project.

Monitoring Project Costs

Are earned value performance Using earned value performance measurements, the cost Earned Value Earned Value
indicators used to report schedule and schedule variances are calculated as follows: Performance Performance
and cost variance? Cost Variance (CV) = Earned Value – Actual Costs Calculator, Reporting
Schedule Variance (SV) = Earned Value – Planned Value
Performance Report
View, Project
Performance Report

Are earned value performance Earned value calculations provide a means of estimating Earned Value Earned Value
indices used to forecast project project completion costs based on actual cost and schedule Performance Performance
completion costs and variances? performance. Calculator, Reporting
Performance Report
View, Project
Performance Report

Are actual costs being recorded on Actual cost expenditures incurred by the project can be Project Cost Project Cost
the project? captured using timesheets or the organization’s cost Tracking Management
accounting process
Are procedures in place to re- Approved change requests can be incorporated into the Cost Management Project Cost
establish the cost baseline? project baselines. A new baseline schedule and/or project Plan Management
budget (depending on the nature of the change) is
established

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Quality

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Quality Management
Has a Quality Management Plan been The Quality Management Plan describes how the project Quality Management Quality Management
prepared for the project? management team will manage the quality of deliverables Plan Planning
produced on the project.

Are formal quality control techniques Quality control is the process of: Control Chart, Quality Assurance &
being applied to the project? 1. Measuring deliverables to determine if quality standards Pareto Diagram Control
are being met,
2. Monitoring results to determine compliance with quality
standards.

Inspections
Are project deliverables subjected to Inspection Report Software Inspections
formal inspections? & Deliverable
Inspections provide a mechanism to detect defects early Reviews
and improve the overall quality of project products. This will,
in turn, improve productivity and motivate team members to
produce better quality deliverables
Does a formal review and acceptance The primary objective of a deliverable review is to gain Deliverable Software Inspections
process exist for project deliverables? acceptance of a product so that work can proceed on to the Acceptance, & Deliverable
next phase or step. This acceptance should be based on Deliverable Reviews
predefined acceptance criteria.
Acceptance Log

Are acceptance criteria defined for Acceptance criteria describe the conditions required for the Acceptance Criteria, Software Test
review and testing of project project deliverables to be accepted by the project sponsor. Acceptance Test Planning &
deliverables? The acceptance criteria should be prepared early in the Tracking Execution
project; initial acceptance criteria should be included in the
Project Charter to ensure that the project sponsor and the
project team are in agreement throughout the project.

Testing
Has a software testing plan been The Software Testing Plan is used to document the testing Software Testing Software Test
prepared? approach, the required test environment and organizational Plan Planning &
responsibilities Execution
On software development projects, Test scripts identify the business functions to be tested. Test Case Software Test
are test scripts and test cases defined Test cases should be defined for each business function Planning &
for software testing? identified in the test script. They are designed to exercise Execution
the application’s response to both good and bad test data

During software testing, are defects Tests can be executed either manually or through the use of Defect Report, Software Test
recorded and prioritized for an automated testing tool that pumps test cases through the Defect Tracking Log Planning &
resolution? application. In both cases it is important to record test Execution
results, track defects and assign priorities to deal with
defects

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Human Resources

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Human Resource Planning
Have project roles been defined? Assigning the right resources to project activities is critical to Project Human Human Resource
meeting project objectives. To ensure that everyone Resource Plan Planning
understands their contribution, resources can be classified
into a number of roles.

Have the project resource Defining resource requirements for a project is one of the Project Human Human Resource
requirements been identified? most important planning processes. Each project will have Resource Plan Planning
unique resource requirements and may require a different
emphasis on project roles.

Have the project resource constraints Project Human Human Resource

been identified? Resource availability constraints such as commitment levels
or dependencies on another project to release the resource
Resource Plan Planning
should be identified and agreed to with the resource’s
functional manager
Have project resources been Once the project resources have been identified, they can Responsibility Human Resource
assigned to project deliverables? be assigned to Work Packages in the Work Breakdown Assignment Matrix Assignment
Structure (WBS) using a Responsibility Assignment Matrix

Has a project resource training plan Some of the resources assigned to the project will require Project Human Human Resource
been prepared? training to perform their roles and produce their Resource Plan Assignment
deliverables. This may occur when:
• New technology is being adopted on a project,
• A software package has been purchased,
• Employees are provided with career development
opportunities on projects.

Managing the Team

Is a project kick-off event planned? The project team kick-off meeting is the first team meeting Team Kick-off Team Management
to be held on a project. The primary purpose of the team Meeting, Team Kick-
kick-off meeting is to obtain commitment from team off Presentation
members and key stakeholders.

Do project team members understand To encourage constructive behaviors, curtail subversive Team Charter Team Development
their roles on the project and how behaviors and guide the team through the development
they will work together? stages, a Team Charter should be prepared. The Team
Charter is an agreement that states:
• What the team wants to accomplish,
• Why the team is important,
• How the team will work together to accomplish its goals

Have open communication channels The groundwork for open communications within the project Team Team Management
been established within the project team is laid with the Team Communications Plan Communications
team? Plan, Team Directory

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Communications

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Stakeholder Identification
Have project stakeholders been According to the PMI PMBOK 2000 (section 2.2), project Project Stakeholder
identified? stakeholders are: Communications Identification &
“Individuals and organizations that are actively involved in Plan Analysis
the project, or whose interests may be positively or
negatively affected as a result of project execution or project
completion; they may also exert influence over the project
and its results.”

Has the ‘stake’ in the project and the Each stakeholder’s stake in the project will take one of three Project Stakeholder
required commitment from each forms: Communications Identification &
stakeholder been identified? 1. Providing a product or service which contributes to the Plan, Stakeholder Analysis
project objectives.
Analysis
2. Receiving or using a product or service delivered by the
project.
3. Interested in the project outcome
The required commitment of each stakeholder is critical to
the level of planned communication.

Have the communication needs of The stakeholder communication needs should consider: Project Stakeholder
each stakeholder been identified? • Preferred communication medium, Communications Identification &
• Constraints on technology access that may affect Plan, Stakeholder Analysis
communications,
Analysis
• Recommended reporting frequency,
• Special information needs of each stakeholder.

Have the priorities, support and It is important to determine the schedule, cost and product Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholder
influence of key stakeholders been quality priorities and support of key stakeholders. Identification &
identified? Stakeholder influence is their ability to make or influence Analysis
decisions related to project objectives.

Communications Planning
Has a project stakeholder Project Communications
communications plan been prepared? Communications Planning
The Project Communications Plan describes how
communication will be accomplished with each stakeholder. Plan
Has a project meeting plan been The Project Meeting Plan identifies (for each type of project Project Communications
prepared? meeting) the: Communications Planning
• Meeting attendees, Plan
• Objectives of the meeting,
• Agenda items,
• Logistics such as timeframe, frequency and location,
• Technology medium

Have required project presentations The Project Presentation Plan identifies (for each type of Project Communications
been planned? project presentation) the: Communications Planning
• Presentation audience (individuals or groups), Plan
• Objectives of the presentation (what will be accomplished),
• Logistics such as timeframe, frequency, and location,
• Equipment required for the presentation (projectors,
screens, flipcharts, laptops, etc),
• The presentation type (speech, presentation, video)

Has a project document distribution The Project Document Distribution Plan describes: Project Communications
plan been prepared? • Original source of the information (previous project or Communications Planning
deliverable of current project), Plan
• Project repository location of the deliverable (hyperlink to
Web URL or directory folder name),
• Distribution schedule (completion date or distribution
frequency)
• Distribution list (based on stakeholder communication
plan)

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Communications

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Is access to project documentation The Project Communications plan should describe Project Communications
provided for key stakeholders? procedures for: Communications Planning
• Accessing information between scheduled Plan
communications,
• Updating and refining the communications plan as the
project progresses.

Reporting Project Status

Are project accomplishments reported The project progress report is used to report on deliverables Project Progress Progress & Status
to stakeholders on a regular basis? completed and accomplishments during the reporting Report Reporting
period. It is also used to predict deliverables that will be
completed during the next reporting period.

Is project schedule and cost status Based on project milestones, status reports provide a Project Status Progress & Status
reported to stakeholders on a regular comparison of actual/forecasted completion dates with Report, Status View, Reporting
basis? schedule and cost baselines. Status Presentation

Is the status of project issues and The status of outstanding (or recently resolved) changes Project Progress Progress & Status
changes reported to stakeholders on and issues should be reported to stakeholders regularly. Report, Project Reporting
a regular basis? The description of the issue should include the impact on Status Report,
schedule, cost and deliverable (where known) and a
Status Presentation
resolution required by date. The description of the change
should include a business justification for the change and
the impact on cost and schedule.

Is the status of high priority project A description of the specific risk and triggering event should Project Progress Progress & Status
risks reported to stakeholders on a be provided along with the risk priority (high, medium, or Report, Project Reporting
regular basis? low). The consequences that arise from the risk occurrence Status Report,
should be described and the approved risk decision
Status Presentation
(prevent, mitigate, monitor, or accept) should be indicated

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Risk

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Risk Identification
Has a risk management plan been The risk management plan (prepared early in the planning Risk Management Risk Management
prepared for the project? phase of the project) describes how the four risk Plan Planning
management steps (identification, assessment, response
planning and monitoring/control) will be performed on the
project.

Have project risk factors been Risk factors are categories of risk sources that may have an Risk Identification Risk Identification
identified? impact on the project cost, schedule, scope or quality Checklist
objectives. Each project risk factor should be considered
when identifying potential project risk events.

Have potential risk events been The first step in risk assessment is the identification of risk Risk Identification Risk Identification
identified? events (discreet occurrences of potential problems). The Checklist, SWOT
risk description must be complete enough to support risk Analysis
response decisions and preparation of risk response plans.

Risk Assessment
Has an assessment of each potential Risk Assessment, Risk Assessment &
risk event been prepared? For each identified risk, an assessment of its urgency, Risk Event Prioritization
growth, probability, and impact should be conducted. Each
Scenarios
risk should be described in sufficient detail to be understood
by project team members, sponsors and management.
Have high priority project risks been Risk Assessment, Risk Assessment &
identified? The priority of the risk is assigned based on the probability
Risk Register Prioritization
and impact assessment. Attention should be focused on
high probability and high impact risks.
Are decision tree techniques used to Decision trees provide a graphical representation of Decision Tree Decision Analysis
quantify project risks and decisions and quantify the risks and rewards of these
opportunities? decisions.
Has a readiness assessment been Readiness Assessment ‘footprints’ are a means to evaluate Readiness Footprint Readiness
done to evaluate risks associated with risks associated with one or more alternatives. These risks Assessment
one or more alternatives? are assessed using eight categories of organizational
readiness and the corresponding attributes of alternatives
under consideration.

Risk Response Planning

Has a risk response plan been The risk response plan contains preventative actions, Risk Response Plan Risk Response
prepared for high priority risks? corrective actions, risk monitoring and communications Planning & Control
plans.

Have risk response plans evaluated Risk response plans often affect more that one risk event. Risk Response Plan, Risk Response
to determine their effectiveness? Risk responses should be evaluated to determine the affect Risk Register Planning & Control
of risk responses on the high priority risk events. The risk
response evaluation will also help uncover secondary and
residual risks.

Has a risk monitoring plan been The Risk Monitoring plan describes: Risk Response Plan, Risk Response
implemented for high priority risks? • The tracking and control of risks (a continuous process Risk Register Planning & Control
involving both the project team and management).
• The preventative action plans to be implemented
• How the status of existing risks and the potential for new
risks are to be assessed.
• Triggers that alert the project team of a risk occurrence
and the corrective action to be taken.

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0

 Procurement

Project Management Checklist

Question Y/N Explanation EPO Template EPO e-book
Procurement Planning
Has a procurement management plan The Procurement Management plan is completed if Procurement Procurement
been prepared for the project? products or services will be purchased for the project from Management Plan Planning
an outside supplier. The Procurement Management Plan
identifies:
• How services will be procured for the project,
• Procedures for evaluating bids and proposals (including
approvals required),
• The types of contracts to be used to procure products or
services,
• Contract administration and reporting procedures.

Has a Statement of Work been The Statement of Work (SOW) describes the procurement Statement of Work Procurement
prepared for the procurement items? item so that prospective sellers can decide if they are Planning
capable of providing the item and how the work can be
undertaken.

Has the project team performed a buy Analysis of buy vs. build options is undertaken to determine Procurement Procurement
vs. build analysis on project whether the project team can produce the product/service or Management Plan Planning
deliverables? if it should be purchased.

Evaluating Bids & Proposals

Have objective evaluation criteria Alternative Selection Bid & Proposal
been defined for alternative Proposals should be evaluated against a set of criteria Evaluation
evaluation? ranked as follows:
• Mandatory – these are ‘must’ criteria based on critical
success factors or project objectives.
• Optional – these are the ‘want’ criteria based on
requirements.
Is a rational process used to select Alternative Selection, Bid & Proposal
from alternatives and minimize risks Project teams frequently must evaluate alternatives and
make selection decisions that involve a degree of risk.
Pairwise Ranking Evaluation
from selection decisions?
These decisions can be complex; a quantifiable approach is
required.
Contract Administration
Has a Contract Management Plan Contract administration is the process of managing the Contract Contract
been prepared for each contract on contract and the relationship between the buyer and the Management Plan Administration
the project? seller. The Contract Management Plan describes how a
specific contract will be administrated during the project

Upon completion of the contract, has Contract Closure Contract

Contract closure is the process of completing and settling
a contract closure report been Report Administration
the contract, resolving open items and completing contract
prepared?
closure documentation.

EPO Template © 2008 Gord Gibben, PMP Version 9.0