2.2 Project Life Cycle Phases
Key Takeaways
- The project life cycle consists of phases that a project passes through from start to finish, and phases can be sequential, overlapping, or iterative
- Common phases include Initiating/Starting, Organizing and Preparing, Executing/Carrying Out Work, and Closing/Ending
- Phase gates (also called stage gates, kill points, or decision points) are review checkpoints between phases where continuation decisions are made
- Cost and staffing levels start low, peak during execution, and drop during closing
- Risk and uncertainty are highest at the start and decrease as the project progresses through its life cycle
Project Life Cycle Phases
The project life cycle is the series of phases that a project passes through from its initiation to its closure. Understanding the life cycle helps project managers structure work, allocate resources, and make informed decisions at each stage.
Generic Project Life Cycle
While specific life cycles vary by industry and organization, most projects follow a generic pattern:
| Phase | Activities | Key Outputs |
|---|---|---|
| Starting the Project | Define purpose, feasibility, high-level scope | Project charter, stakeholder register |
| Organizing and Preparing | Develop detailed plans, assemble team | Project management plan, WBS |
| Carrying Out Project Work | Execute plans, produce deliverables | Deliverables, performance data |
| Ending the Project | Verify completion, archive documents | Final product, lessons learned |
Phase Relationships
Project phases can be organized in different ways:
Sequential Relationship
Each phase starts only after the previous phase is complete. This is the most conservative approach and reduces uncertainty but takes the longest.
Overlapping (Fast-Tracking) Relationship
A phase starts before the previous phase is complete. This compresses the schedule but increases risk because later phases start with incomplete information from earlier phases.
Iterative Relationship
Phases repeat in cycles, with each iteration producing a more refined version of the deliverable. This is common in agile and adaptive approaches.
Phase Gates (Stage Gates)
A phase gate is a review at the end of a phase where a decision is made about whether to continue to the next phase, continue with modifications, end the project, or remain in the current phase.
Phase Gate Decisions
| Decision | Description |
|---|---|
| Go | Continue to the next phase as planned |
| Go with modifications | Continue but adjust plans, budget, or scope |
| Kill | Terminate the project |
| Hold | Remain in the current phase for more analysis |
Other Names for Phase Gates
- Stage gates
- Kill points
- Decision points
- Phase exits
- Milestone reviews
- Toll gates
How Project Characteristics Change Over the Life Cycle
Understanding how key project variables change across the life cycle is critical for exam questions:
Cost and Staffing Levels
- Start low during initiating
- Build gradually during planning
- Peak during executing
- Drop rapidly during closing
Risk and Uncertainty
- Highest at the start of the project (most unknowns)
- Decrease progressively as decisions are made and work is completed
- Risk cannot be eliminated entirely until the project is complete
Stakeholder Influence
- Greatest at the start when major decisions are still open
- Decreases as the project progresses because the cost of changes increases
Cost of Changes
- Lowest at the beginning when changes are easy to incorporate
- Increases significantly as the project progresses
- Making changes during execution is far more expensive than during planning
Critical Exam Concept: The relationship between stakeholder influence and cost of changes is inversely proportional. When stakeholders have the most influence (early), changes are cheapest. When changes are most expensive (late), stakeholders have less ability to influence.
Predictive vs. Adaptive Life Cycles
| Characteristic | Predictive Life Cycle | Adaptive Life Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | Detailed upfront | Progressive elaboration |
| Requirements | Defined early, stable | Evolving, refined iteratively |
| Deliverables | Single delivery at end | Incremental/iterative deliveries |
| Change | Controlled through formal process | Welcomed and expected |
| Feedback | At phase gates | Continuous |
| Risk | Managed through planning | Managed through iterations |
| Best For | Well-understood projects | High uncertainty, evolving needs |
At which point in the project life cycle are risk and uncertainty typically HIGHEST?
What is a phase gate?
When is the cost of making changes to a project typically the LOWEST?