ICT is using the Confluence wiki tool for collaborating during projects as well as keeping a repository of past project information.

Project Proposal

The Project Proposal outlines what is to be done during the project. It provides enough information for the business process owner and sponsor to understand the terms of the work being undertaken. It includes: needs (features), how to know when the project is a success, personnel skills and experience needed, limitations on or rules about how the work is done and project priorities.

Governance Structure

The project reporting relationships are explicitly drawn out using a tool such as MS Visio.

Risk Assessment

The Risk Assessment identifies potential risks and explains how they will be managed during the project lifecycle. A major concern is the appropriate communication of risk information, in particular where escalation is required.

Budget Plan

Basic budget information is prepared to explain the expected project expenditures.

Meeting Notes

Decisions and actions are recorded. Basic meeting notes capturing the discussions held help team members understand the context of decisions or need for additional information. Separate and comprehensive decision records are kept.

Scope Statement

The deliverables that will be produced by the project for the customer or the supplying organization are identified during the project planning stage. Identifying what is and is not included in the project can take different forms depending on the type of project being undertaken. The example shows a high-level scope that can complement the project milestones in a software implementation and integration release schedule.

Schedule - Basic

A detailed task and effort schedule that reinforces the scope statement and produces a timeline for the project is created. Software development projects based on the OpenUp or Agile processes develop 30-day iterations.

Competitive Bids & Purchase Orders

Purchasing Services assists in all aspects of acquiring goods and services. The Purchasing Services website provides information on procedures and requirements.

Communication Bulletins

When the communication plan is developed, the media choices and formats for communication bulletins are decided. A template is not provided; however, examples of bulletin formats in use at the U of S can be found at http://www.usask.ca/its/about/news.php.

Status Reports (includes Risk Log)

Every project defines what status reporting is required, for which audience and the frequency. For example, in iterative development, every sprint may end with a status report. Materialized risks, along with the team's response, are brought forward to management formally in the status report.

Issue Resolution Log

The log helps the team monitor issues to closure. An issue is stated as a question and assigned to a team member for follow through to resolution. Issues that are significant have issue resolution documentation prepared; this document much like meeting notes provides context for the recommended action to resolve the issue.

Project Delay Log

Delays are recorded as a support to schedule or scope change during the project. During closure, the project delay log is investigated in order to improve the project process in the future.

Lessons Learned

The success and failures of the project process, the technical aspects and the managerial processes are examined by the project team, by the customer and sponsors. The focus is on recommending ways to improve future project performance. Lessons learned are best accumulated through the course of the project and provide valuable team-building exercises.

Closing Report

The closing report is prepared by the project manager as a method to share lessons learned and recommendations for improvement with other project teams. It contains an executive summary of the project's processes and any variances that were approved through change requests.