Project Management: Initiation: Guiding questions and tips

The initiation phase  is a crucial time for asking stakeholders the right questions, performing
research, determining resources, and clearly documenting the key components of a project.

These guiding questions and tips, compiled by dozens of project managers, can help you
facilitate conversations with stakeholders and team members to uncover the details of your new project. 

Determine project details

When starting on a new project, it’s helpful to determine the “5 W’s”of the project. These

guiding questions can help you gather important project information and details:

• What will be done? What are the actual steps of the project?

• Why is this project being undertaken? What is the problem you are trying to solve? How

will the project and its deliverables help?

• Who will actually benefit from the project? Customers? Stakeholders? Employees?

• When does the project need to be completed, if it has a specific deadline? Not all projects do.

• Where will the project be completed? Locally? Internationally? In many locations?

Tips to help you determine project details To help determine project goals and ensure you thoroughly understand project details, ask three stakeholders from three different areas of the project to describe the project to you.  After asking questions, synthesize those conversations into one project summary.

Set project goals

All projects should have clear goals. Often, these goals will be determined by senior leaders, with your help. 

These guiding questions can help you set project goals:

1. What are the success metrics for this project?

2. What do various team members expect from the project? 

3. What do the stakeholders want from the project?

Identify and define project scope

Project scope sets the boundaries of your project by defining what is and is not part of your project. 

These guiding questions can help you identify a project’s scope:

Who is the project being delivered to? Who is the end user of the product or service? What is the size and complexity of the project?

What is the project timeline What is the project budget? What resources will be required?

Tips to help you define scope Clearly define the scope in writing at the beginning of the project, and get every stakeholder to sign off on it. Refer back to what was defined and agreed to if someone suggests adding more. Challenge anything you believe is out of scope by suggesting what you think might be “scope creep” and asking stakeholders if they agree.  If stakeholders disagree on scope, facilitate a conversation where they can find common ground.

Analyze costs and benefits

Proper initiation also helps ensure that the benefits of the project outcomes will outweigh the costs. 

These guiding questions can help you define costs:

• What are the biggest risks for this project? 

• What resources (money, time, people, supplies) will it take to solve the problem? How many people need to work on it? How much time will it take? Where will the resources come from? 

• What would be the cost of not solving this problem? 

These guiding questions can help you define benefits:

• What is the biggest problem you are trying to solve? How will your project solve it?

• How would you define “success” or “completion”?

• What are the direct or indirect benefits to the audience/users/organization? 

Develop project documentation

Documenting and organizing project components provides visibility and accountability. It's common for project team members and senior stakeholders to reference and contribute to your project documents throughout the project. 

📔 Project Charter Defines project and outlines details in a clear, succinct format to ensure all project stakeholders agree on what success is. Organizes vital project information in a skimmable format to ensure that busy senior stakeholders have visibility and an opportunity to provide feedback. Is a living document that should be continually updated to provide a central source of truth that all team members and stakeholders can reference. Is shared with stakeholders who must approve it to advance to the planning stage. 🔖 What’s in a project charter? Project summary Project goals Deliverables Scope and exclusion Benefits and costs Appendix 🔗 Download a project charter template

Understand and leverage stakeholders

Stakeholders are anyone involved in the project who has a vested interest in the project’s success. 

These guiding questions can help you better understand and leverage your stakeholders:

• What are your most important priorities and goals? How does this project align with those?

• What role would you like to play in this project? 

• Who else do you recommend I reach out to regarding this project? 

• Here’s how I plan to keep you informed—does that work for you?

Tips for working with stakeholders Review the organizational chart of your company and any supplier companies you are working with to ensure you understand the structure and titles. If there are titles you don't recognize, research them to see what they mean at different companies.  If there are senior-level stakeholders, consider seeing if they have an administrative business partner or connecting with someone else on their team. Tell that person about your project, and ask their opinion on what role the senior person may want, if any. Then, ask them for an introduction, if necessary.

Top tips for interview success

Four final preparation tips to help set you up for interviewing success:

1. Find connections between the job listing and your resume.

First, re-read your resume and the job description to help you draw lines between the two. Where do they connect? Then, as you interview, include specific keywords or phrases from the job description that match skills you possess or achievements you have accomplished previously in your career. 

2. Focus on data.

As you start to think about things you want to highlight in your interview, don’t forget to include data. This helps your interviewer understand not just your overall achievements, but how big of an impact you made. What data can you provide that tells the story of your experience as it relates to the position? The “equation” we suggest using to convey this information goes something like this: I accomplished X as measured by Y doing Z. Here’s an example: “I increased customer satisfaction by 22% in three months by designing a new digital onboarding process.”

If you don’t have access to this kind of data from a previous position, you can still indicate the scope you were accountable for and strengthen the language you use when describing your responsibilities by including action words like provided, created, developed, supported, implemented, and generated. For example: “I implemented a new scheduling system that led to the team meeting 95% of their deadlines.”

3. Look back at past work experiences.

Review your work history. That may not sound like something you need to prepare for, but most of us have done more than we think. It’s easy to forget some of our own wins—and lessons learned from mistakes. 

Think of examples of times you achieved something so you are prepared to answer questions like “Tell me about a time when . . .” or “How would you approach this situation . . .?" 

4. Come ready with questions.

Come to the interview with your own questions, such as “What are some upcoming projects I’d be working on? What current goals is the company focused on? Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?” This not only shows you care about understanding the company and the position you’re applying for, but it’s also a testament to the research you’ve done by looking into the company. Besides, this is your opportunity to interview them as well. 

This type of preparation will help you feel confident and prepared to talk about yourself, your experience, your career aspirations, and the position on your interview

Prepare your elevator pitch

 An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech about an idea, product, company, or individual (like you). You should be able to deliver your elevator pitch in the amount of time it takes to ride an elevator with someone from one floor to another. An elevator pitch is typically 30-60 seconds long, or approximately 75-150 words.  

To create a strong elevator pitch, you need to consider how to present yourself as a potential candidate for a specific role. Before you begin writing the pitch itself, you will identify and highlight the key information you want to share. Then, you will write a 30-60-second pitch. 

 

Part 1 - Identify and highlight key information 

Step 1: Prepare a brainstorming document 

Start a new word document on your computer in your word processing software of choice. You will use this document to prepare your elevator pitch. 

Step 2: Identify your target role 

To ensure you can frame your experience to the industry, you need to have a clear understanding of the project management role you want to perform. First, search for project management roles (like project manager, project coordinator, operations assistant, or program manager) on a platform like indeed.com, linkedin.com/jobs, or careerbuilder.com. Then, identify three roles that look interesting to you. 

Step 3: Identify key skills and experience needed 

Review the job descriptions you identified in Step 2. Record the skills and requirements you already meet and those you’re interested in developing. You will use this information as you plan your elevator pitch. 

Remember, almost everyone uses project management skills in their daily lives. For example, even though you may not have managed a formal project budget, you may be really good at keeping track of your personal or family budget. You can explain how your personal experience relates to project management skills like these in your elevator pitch.  

Part 2 - Create your pitch 

Step 1: Introduce yourself 

When you start a conversation with someone you’ve never met before, you introduce yourself. The elevator pitch is no different.  

Introduce yourself in 1-2 sentences, answering the question, “Who are you?” You can include your name, where you’re from, your current job, or your passions and hobbies.  

Step 2: Address the role 

In an elevator pitch, you need to get to the point as quickly as possible. Write 1-2 sentences describing the role and stating why it interests you.  

Step 3: Address your experience and skills 

Review the list of skills and requirements you recorded in Step 3. Think about how these skills and requirements align with your own experience. 

In 2-3 sentences, highlight your relevant experience and skills to discuss the value you bring to the role. Consider your strengths that make you a good fit for that role. Showcase your talent or a particular anecdote about a time you really excelled. 

Step 4: End by engaging your listener 

End with an engaging question or ask the listener for next steps. For instance, you could ask a question about a specific part of the role you find particularly interesting. You could also ask to set up some time to discuss it further. Ending with a question or request encourages your listener to engage in a conversation.  

Step 5: Revise and proofread your draft 

Once you’re done with your first draft, go back and revise. If necessary, cut down the text to fit within the 30-60 second limit (or about 75 to 150 words). Remember, you want to be able to quickly deliver your elevator pitch and capture your listener’s attention. Try reading your pitch out loud while you proofread. This can help you catch any awkward phrasing and refine your writing.  

 

 
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Here’s a sample elevator pitch from a job seeker reaching out to a connection they made through a friend:  

“Hi, my name is Alex. I’m currently a retail sales associate at [name of company], and I’m hoping to translate my passion for working with people and with teams to being a project manager at [name of company]. I’m interested in the project manager role because I love organizing and communication systems. I've put these skills to good use organizing events in my community. I’ve heard great things about how your company focuses on building products that are inclusive of all users—inclusivity is something I’m very passionate about! Could you tell me more about what it’s like being a project manager at [name of company]?  

Let’s go over what makes this is a good pitch: 

• It begins with a clear and concise introduction.
• It states the role Alex is interested in at the end of the second sentence.
• It mentions why they are interested in the company.
• It clearly captures their skills and experience in a sentence or two. It also specifically addresses project management skills, but doesn’t go into too much detail.
• It ends with a question specific to the role at the company to encourage conversation.
• It falls within the word limit.