Posted: April 18th, 2015

Learning for project initiation & planning

Week Eight: Learning for project initiation & planning

The spiral approach to developing the project business case and the project plan advocated by Zwikael & Smyrk is a practical tool rather than a theoretical concept. With this in mind, the purpose of these notes is to clarify the relationship between this approach and preparation by students of the project business case for assessment item 3 and the project plan for assessment item 4.

8.1 Iterative development of the business case and the project plan

The spiral approach to gathering information advocated by Zwikael and Smyrk is a practical device for assembling the information required for preparation of a convincing project business case and a plausible project plan. Zwikael & Smyrk describe the actual process of iterative development of these key project documents in considerable detail – see text book pp 140-143 in particular.

In this course, however, there is no need and no opportunity for students to demonstrate their grasp of this eminently practical device. In preparing their project business case for assessment item 3 and their project plan for assessment item 4, therefor, students should assume that the requisite information was gathered iteratively. They should not waste time and words on describing how they gathered that information. Rather, they should focus on the presentation of a complete document suited to their project and taking into account the guidance (including marking criteria) provided.