7 Key Areas to Consider

Project management checklists are an essential tool for any Project Manager. They help to ensure that all the critical areas in a project stay on track. While there is no one-size-fits-all checklist, there are common elements that all project checklists should include:

Purpose

What is the purpose of the project? Why is the project being initiated? What are the goals and objectives? The goals need to be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timed).

Time

What is the timeline for the project? When should the project start? When should the project end? What are the key milestones? What are the key scheduling constraints?

People

Who is sponsoring, championing, leading, and project managing the project? Who are the key internal and external project team members? What are their roles and responsibilities? How do we acquire the team? Who are the key internal and external stakeholders? What are their roles and responsibilities?

Money

What is the budget for the project? By when do we need to spend the money? How will costs be tracked and managed? What is the process if we deliver the project under or over budget?

Communications

How will communications be managed within the project team and with stakeholders? How will we foster a culture of transparency and report status from the project team to the project executive sponsors? How will we manage meetings, status reports, etc.?

Metrics

How will the success of the project be measured? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs)? How should we measure quality? Can we leverage process improvement practices?

RIDAC

How will we manage (risks, issues, decisions, actions, and decisions)? Where will we track RIDACs? Are we developing a RIDAC dashboard or status report to share with the project team and sponsors? What are the definitions on project status, workstreams, and deliverables being blue, green, yellow, red, or gray?

Considering these seven key areas, you can create a project management checklist that will help you successfully start, work, and finish your project.

Additional tips

  • Make sure the list is comprehensive but manageable.
  • Use clear and concise language.
  • Be specific about the action items and next steps.
  • Use visuals to help communicate the checklist.
  • Keep the list up-to-date as the project progresses.

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