Executing phase

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Definition: coordinating people and other resources to carry out the plan

Project plan execution involves implementing the plan by performing the activities in the plan. The project manager must integrate related areas of the project into a harmonious whole often by using a variety of techniques to engage with stakeholders. External factors may exert an influence and need to be taken into account. The project manager will again use a wide range of skills, including technical, financial, communications, human resource and political. The aim is to focus on pulling all activities and aspects of the project together to achieve a successful end.

Changes and variances that occur to the plan during implementation feed into the controlling phase of the project, which overlaps all phases of the project. Project Change Requests are described in the section the Controlling Phase, below.

The project manager will conduct regular project team meetings to discuss progress on activities, project issues and keep track of developments. The project may have a reference group to ensure an appropriately wide range of issues are considered.

The project manager will organise steering committee meetings, which should be included in the project schedule in the Project Plan, as described in the Controlling Phase, below. The project manager will illustrate project progress using a variety of methods, for example, a Gantt chart in MS Project or a graphical representation of amount completed of the WBS. Regular reporting of the monitoring and measuring of progress and other metrics must take place for the steering committee.

The Project Plan should list milestones and kill points. The steering committee will be advised of progress against milestones as the project executes to make determinations of whether to continue execution of, halt or kill the project. Appropriate stakeholders should be kept informed of any changes to the Project Plan.