Delivery Phase

image of delivery truck

The delivery phase of the Project Management Life Cycle has three distinct stages including design/develop, testing and readiness, and cutover and post go-live. Each stage may be cycled through multiple times, depending on the complexity of your project or initiative.

Design/Develop

During the design/develop stage you are to complete planning activities for testing and deployment, monitor implementation versus business requirements and scope, and control changes through the Change Management Plan. 

  • Project owner
  • Project manager
  • Functional/technical lead(s)

  • Requirements Traceability Matrix (Business Requirements -> Functional Requirements -> Development)
  • Test Plan, including test cases
  • Updated project schedule

  • System/Process development complete and unit tested
  • Requirements traceability and review complete
  • Critical design review complete
  • Test readiness review complete
  • Test and deployment plans are baselined
  • Service Level Agreement (SLA) development

Testing and Readiness

Objectives of the testing and readiness stage are to:

  • Test the process/system versus the business and technical requirements
  • Provide metrics enabling a high-level analysis of test results
  • Manage issues uncovered through testing to resolution

At the end of this stage, the project is approved to go-live.

  • Project owner
  • Project manager
  • Functional/technical lead(s)

  • Test results analysis and approval
  • Updated Requirements Traceability Matrix, with issues found and resolutions
  • Security review and approval
  • Service Level Agreement (SLA)
  • Updated Communications Plan
  • Draft of Transition Plan
  • Updated project schedule

  • Test procedures are fully executed and exit criteria met per test plan
  • User acceptance received
  • Required fixes are implemented
  • Transition plan is drafted
  • All remaining issues are documented with resolution dates
  • Project team cutover readiness review

Cutover and Post Go-Live

After the new process/system goes live, the deployment to users should be monitored per the deployment plan. This includes ensuring proper training tools, resources and planning are available to educate users. It also requires monitoring that adequate support is aligned during deployment.

  • Project owner
  • Project manager
  • Functional/technical lead(s)
  • Support/maintenance group

  • User/administrator training and support documentation
  • Project Transition Document

  • Key deployment milestones are completed per deployment plan
  • End users have been adequately prepared for new or changed system/process
  • Support resources have been engaged in preparing for hand-off