One of the keys to success in a tech B2B marketing project doesn’t happen during the course of the project, but actually before the project ever starts. Project initiation documents give your team all the information they need to do the job efficiently and with vision. These documents literally start everyone on the same page, minimizing confusion, improving outcomes, and helping everyone enjoy the ride a little more.

What typical project initiation documents are used in tech B2B marketing?

• Scope of Work (SOW)âa formal document signed by the top stakeholder outlining work to be performed, deliverables, and project schedule
• Creative Briefâused as a guide for the creative team in developing creative project deliverables; approved by the Creative Director and major stakeholders prior to starting the project
• Project Estimate/Budgetâspreadsheet detailing all the costs associated with the project, including staff time and use of outside resources; the project estimate is an important complement to the SOW

Though all of these documents are unique, they serve the common purpose of answering all the who, what, why, where, and when questions for your team at the onset of the project.

• They define your project and its scope, objectives, and measures of success
• They outline the roles and responsibilities of project participants
• They give people the information they need to be productive and effective right from the start

As we say around McBru, every extra hour put into setting up your project documentation can save you two hours down the road. What other practices do you have for ensuring project success from the outset?

Photo credit: deboer, stock.xchng

Tags: project management, tech B2B

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013 at 5:43 pm and is filed under Project Management, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.