LEADERSHIP

54 • LEADERSHIP
resources, and others items necessary for achieving the project’s
outcomes.
Baseline Plan - This term is used to describe what might
need to be many documents. They could include the project’s
schedule, resource requirements, budget, finalized scope,
communications plan, and others. In the context of the process
model, the baseline plan is the agreed-upon approach and
formally signed-off notice to proceed to the execution phase
of work. The baseline plan is used in conjunction with measured
progress actuals, to track progress, evaluate results, and
judge the effects of corrective actions. Strategically, the baseline
plan should be a safe, simple model that supports all project
constraints and objectives and is deemed highly likely to
succeed by the planning and execution team.
Scope Change Request - This control document identifies
requested changes and helps manage alterations to the
scope of the project. It describes the change, its purpose, any
important background information, the proposed approach,
and the impact on progress, cost, time, and resources. The
document can serve as a formal notice to proceed or to revise
or kill the proposed change. Signature lines should be included
to signify authorization and agreement. From the project
manager’s point of view, it provides the information and sets
the stage so that they can advocate properly for or against the
requested change.
This listing of process documents is representative of a
typical small-to-medium-sized project, with average risks and
complexities. It provides the basic structure necessary to manage
and control the project management process. It also can
serve as a starting point to scale or refine the process for the
specific needs of a project, organization, or industry.