This checklist is intended for use by Deputy Ministers in conjunction with the Enhanced Framework for the Management of Information Technology Projects (EMF). It is used to evaluate an IT project on an ongoing basis, to ensure that all factors influencing the success of the project have been taken into consideration.

Project Name:_________________________________		Project #:__________

Project Sponsor:_______________________________		Size: $____________

Intuitively, how do you feel about this project?
(What is your instinct telling you?)

Dangerous				Might succeed			     Likely to succeed

The questions of this checklist are intended to help validate this intuitive rating.

h:/…tbs/guid-dm2

It has been reported by the Standish Group that only 9% of all IT projects are ever completed on time, on budget and to specification.  Prior to the approval of an IT project, it is important to assess both the need for the project and its likelihood of success. These questions address the major issues as identified by the four principles of the EMF.  If you are not sure about a question, answer ‘No’.

Should the project be started?

Support for the Business	Yes	No	
1.	Has an adequate business case analysis been performed?			
2.	Is the business case based on the full cost of the system from initiation through implementation, including an estimated annual cost of operation?			
3.	Is there agreement from all executives that the project is essential?			

Accountability	Yes	No	
4.   Are there clearly defined, documented and understood responsibilities, accountabilities and authorities for each of the major players in this project?			
5.   Have adequate staff with sufficient expertise been identified & allocated?
6.	Is the project within the demonstrated capability of the department and external contractors?			

Corporate Project Manager Discipline	Yes	No	
7.   Have the Project Manager and Project Sponsor managed a project of this size, scope and complexity previously?			
8.   Are the Project Manager and Project Sponsor prepared to escalate issues when warranted, along a clearly documented escalation path and based on pre-determined criteria?			

Risk Management	Yes	No	
9.	Have all known management and technical risks been assessed and
 does a strategy exists to mitigate them? 			
10.   Has an independent review of this project been conducted?			
11.   Are there formal mechanisms and tools in place to monitor the project schedule & costs?

TOTALS - count up the answers from all four sets of questions	   		

Recommendation
	All ‘Yes’- Approved 

	1-2 ‘No’ - Approval withheld pending the resolution of issues pertaining to the following questions  
							
	3 or more ‘No’ Approval denied because: 
         _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
         _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Signature:   

Should the project continue?
During a project there are likely to be many reviews and gateways where a decision must be taken to either continue or stop a project.  This page is designed to help track that decision making process.  If there are more than 3 reviews for this project, please use additional pages.

	Review 1	Review 2	Review 3	
Date:	_______	_______	_______	
				
Support for the Business	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
1.	Does the Business Case for this project still hold?							
2.	Have the Business goals for the project changed?							
3.	Are the Project Manager and Project Sponsor still committed to the success of the project?							

Accountability	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
4.	Is the matrix of accountabilities still appropriate?							
5.	Is the project on time, on budget?							
6.	Are changes in scope being managed properly?							

Corporate Project Management Discipline	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
7.	In the event of serious problems, are informed decisions taken decisively? 							
8.   Does the project have a positive image?							

Risk Management	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
10.	Have the risks for the next period been identified?							
11.	Is a plan in place to manage these risks?							
12.	Is there a satisfactory level of cooperation among all parties? 							
13.	Are oversight and peer reviews occurring as scheduled?	 		 				
                                                                            TOTALS							

 Recommendation Review 1	           Recommendation Review 2	         Recommendation Review 3
 All ‘Yes’- Continue	 All ‘Yes’ - Continue	 All ‘Yes’ - Continue	
  ** Continue	  ** Continue	  ** Continue	
 1-3 ‘No’ Continuation withheld pending resolution of:   	 1-3 ‘No’ Continuation withheld pending resolution of:   	 1-3 ‘No’ Continuation withheld pending resolution of:   	
 4+ ‘No’ Seek EXIT GATE
Continuation denied:

	 4+ ‘No’ Seek EXIT GATE
Continuation denied:

	 4+ ‘No’ Seek EXIT GATE
Continuation denied:

What was Learned?
At the completion of a project, it is important to step back and review the experience.  What went well?  What processes should be kept and institutionalized?  What should be excluded from the next project?  In this manner the Learning Organization is developed.

Support for the Business	Yes	No	
1.	Was the business case sufficiently rigorous to withstand the perils of the project?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
2.	Is the annual cost of maintaining this system what was expected?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
3.	Was the project charter sufficient to ensure the active involvement of those concerned?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			

Accountability	Yes	No	
4.  Did the major players demonstrate their commitment to their responsibilities, accountabilities and authorities?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
5.   Did staff have sufficient expertise?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			

Corporate Project Manager Discipline	Yes	No	
6.   Did the Project Manager  and Project Sponsor manage this project well?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
7.   Was the project on time, on budget and within specifications?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
8.    Were decisions made rapidly and effectively?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			

Risk Management	Yes	No	
9.   Did the risk management process work?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………..			
10.   Has an independent review of this project been conducted?
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
11.   Is this review consistent with the project’s perspective? 
Improvements/Changes needed……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………			
Recommendations: ……………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
Should the project continue? - Additional Review Page
During a project there are likely to be many reviews and gateways where a decision must be taken to either continue or stop a project.  This page is designed to help track that decision making process.  If there are more than 3 reviews for this project, please use additional pages.

	Review #	Review #	Review #	
Date:	_________	_________	_________	
				
Support for the Business	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
1.	Does the Business Case for this project still hold?							
2.	Have the Business goals for the project changed?							
3.	Are the Project Manager and Project Sponsor still committed to success?							

Accountability	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
4.	Is the matrix of accountabilities still appropriate?							
5.	Is the project still on time, on budget?							
6.	Are changes in scope being managed properly?							

Corporate Project Management Discipline	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
7.	In the event of serious problems, are informed decisions taken decisively? 							
8.	Does the project have a positive image?							

  Risk Management	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	
10.	Have the risks for the next period been identified?							
11.	Is a plan in place to manage these risks?							
12.	Is there a satisfactory level of cooperation among all parties? 							
13.	Are oversight and peer reviews occurring as scheduled?	 		 				
                                                                            TOTALS							

 Recommendation Review #	           Recommendation Review #	         Recommendation Review #
 All ‘Yes’ Continue	 All ‘Yes’ Continue	 All ‘Yes’ Continue	
  ** Continue	  ** Continue	  ** Continue	
 1-3 ‘No’ Continuation withheld pending resolution of:   	 1-3 ‘No’ Continuation withheld pending resolution of:   	 1-3 ‘No’ Continuation withheld pending resolution of:   	
 4+ ‘No’ Seek EXIT GATE
Continuation denied:

	 4+ ‘No’ Seek EXIT GATE
Continuation denied:

	 4+ ‘No’ Seek EXIT GATE
Continuation denied: