Summary
Your idea could mark the start of an exciting new opportunity for you and the department and this process outlines a clear process for you to follow to maximise your chances of delivering success. The Project Development Framework (PID) will help you to more concretely define your idea into a clear proposal and therefore gain the necessary support and approval to proceed to develop the initiative.
The PDF is split into three main phases. Movement between each phase can take place after approval from the relevant senior authority - usually the department's Senior Management Team or delegated authority.
Phase One - Defining the Opportunity
Here you will provide a summary of the opportunity and outline why the department should progress the idea further. This takes the format of a one-page high-level Business Case which explains what the proposal is, its potential scope, what it aims to achieve and who might be involved in making it a reality.
The Business Case is essentially your pitch to the relevant authority that this initiative should be pursued.
Phase Two - Developing a Plan
If your Business Case is strong and the department wishes to progress the opportunity you will next be asked to provide more detail about how you will achieve your objectives. You will be asked to prepare a 'Project Initiation Document' (PID) which clearly details what the project is, the objectives and how you will meet these.
Within this stage, you will also look in more detail at who will be responsible for key elements of the project (RACI matrix), define a realistic programme of work (GANTT Chart) and consider the risks associated with it (Risk Analysis).
It is at this point that you will also outline a reporting process so that you and the relevant project sponsors can keep track of the project throughout its lifespan.
This phase requires the most time-consuming preparation and will require consultation with relevant colleagues prior to submission. It is not uncommon for PIDs to be revised several times before a project receives the 'green light'.
Phase Three - Development
At this stage, you will have received the necessary approval and support to proceed. The team responsible for delivery of the project will have been identified and the programme will proceed according to an agreed timescale and project plan. This is not to say that changes will not need to be made along the way - so there will be an agreed programme of regular reports and communications taking place to ensure the project remains on track.
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