Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to provide a complete, structured view of the Project Management Lifecycle (PMLC) as adopted by Memorres. It acts as the central reference for lean PM teams (1–3 members) to execute projects consistently, ensuring no phase or governance element is overlooked. While individual SOPs, templates, and checklists provide detail, this guide explains the end-to-end flow—how initiation, requirements, planning, execution, and closure are connected, and what outputs are expected at each stage.
For a mid-scale IT company with lean PM staffing, the lifecycle must balance rigor with efficiency. This guide prevents fragmentation of project practices and ensures all team members, sponsors, and stakeholders share a unified understanding of the project journey. It also provides a baseline for audit and quality assurance, as every project activity can be traced back to its place within the lifecycle.
By following this lifecycle, Memorres PMs ensure that projects begin with strong governance foundations, translate stakeholder needs into baselined requirements, maintain alignment through planning and control, and close with validated outcomes and archived knowledge. This guide transforms the lifecycle into an actionable process framework rather than a theoretical model.
Scope
This guide applies to all projects executed under the Memorres Project Management Department. It is mandatory for client-facing, internal, and strategic initiatives where PM oversight is required. The scope includes defining the five lifecycle phases—Initiation, Requirements & Scope, Planning, Execution & Control, and Delivery & Closure—and specifying the key activities, inputs, outputs, and gate criteria for each.
The guide covers the process flow from project authorization to closure, defining PM responsibilities, mandatory deliverables, and approval checkpoints. It integrates with detailed SOPs, templates, and policies within MIC. It does not replace those documents but provides the overarching map to ensure they are applied in sequence.
Compliance with this lifecycle is monitored by the PMO, with the Project Manager responsible for executing each phase and maintaining artifacts in MIC. Sponsors and stakeholders must support the process by providing timely approvals, inputs, and validations.
Main Section
Table 1: Project Management Lifecycle Overview
| Phase | Key Activities | Inputs | Outputs | Gate Criteria | Example Deliverables |
| Initiation | Governance setup, Project Charter creation, Stakeholder identification | Business case, client request | Approved Project Charter, Stakeholder Register | Sponsor approval of Charter | Charter v1.0, Stakeholder Register |
| Requirements & Scope | Requirements elicitation, validation, scope definition, RAID log initiation | Charter, stakeholder inputs | Requirements Specification, Scope Statement, Assumptions & Constraints Log | Signed-off requirements baseline | Requirements Spec v1.0, RAID log shell |
| Planning | Schedule baseline, WBS, resource allocation, budget confirmation, communication plan | Requirements baseline | Approved project plan, baseline schedule, risk responses | PMO approval of plan and baseline | Baseline Schedule v1.0 |
| Execution & Control | Task execution, monitoring, change control, reporting, stakeholder engagement | Baseline plan, approved resources | Status reports, updated RAID log, change requests | Adherence to KPIs, sponsor review | Weekly Status Reports, CR log |
| Delivery & Closure | Deliverable acceptance, knowledge transfer, closure checklist, archiving | Final deliverables | Signed acceptance, closure report, archived documents | Sponsor sign-off of closure | Project Closure Report, Archive |
Table 2: Roles & Responsibilities Across Lifecycle
| Phase | Project Manager | Sponsor | Stakeholders | PMO | Example |
| Initiation | Draft Charter, identify stakeholders | Approve Charter | Provide inputs | Review compliance | Charter sign-off |
| Requirements & Scope | Facilitate elicitation, validate requirements | Approve baseline | Confirm needs | Quality checks | Requirements signed |
| Planning | Develop WBS, schedule, comms plan | Approve plan | Commit resources | Validate baselines | Baseline schedule set |
| Execution & Control | Track tasks, manage RAID, report | Review reports | Provide updates | Audit adherence | Status report issued |
| Delivery & Closure | Facilitate acceptance, archive docs | Approve closure | Confirm delivery | Archive audit | Closure sign-off |
Table 3: Lifecycle Quality Checklist
| Criterion | Test | Evidence | Example |
| Governance | Policies applied consistently | Signed Charter, Governance policy | Charter v1.0 in MIC |
| Requirements | Clear, validated baseline exists | Signed requirements document | Requirements v1.0 |
| Planning | Approved schedule and WBS exist | Baseline schedule file | WBS in MIC |
| Execution | Status reporting is consistent | Weekly reports logged | Reports shared weekly |
| Closure | Archive completed and accepted | Closure checklist signed | Project closed 01-Dec-2025 |
Closing Note & Cross-References
The Project Management Lifecycle Process Guide is the backbone of Memorres’ PM discipline. It integrates governance, requirements, planning, execution, and closure into a single, repeatable flow. Every project must follow this lifecycle to ensure consistency, auditability, and stakeholder alignment.