Notice: applying this to your agency.
The IT Project Resources are not meant to replace your agency’s internal project management practices or prescribe how you must operate. Instead, they offer concepts and tools that can strengthen delivery by providing a scalable framework for project level coordination. All project documentation should be maintained throughout each stage in alignment with agency policies and, where applicable, WaTech requirements and oversight expectations.
For Programs
Develop a high-level implementation schedule using Microsoft Project or a comparable enterprise-grade planning tool. The schedule must support critical path analysis, resource loading, baseline tracking, and performance reporting—serving as a dynamic planning asset to guide execution, oversight, and decision-making throughout the lifecycle.
For Programs with Agency‑Led Sub‑Projects
The schedule must: Include timelines for each sub-project, clearly identifying start and end dates, major milestones, and delivery checkpoints by agency. Map cross-agency dependencies, such as shared platforms, integration points, testing cycles, and coordinated releases. Align sub-project activities with enterprise-level stages, ensuring consistency with program governance, lifecycle reviews, and WaTech oversight milestones. Support resource coordination across agencies, including shared staff, vendor engagements, and capacity planning. Enable scenario modeling and impact analysis, allowing program leads and oversight consultants to assess delays, shifts, or risks across the full portfolio. Integrate with reporting tools and governance dashboards, ensuring visibility into progress, variances, and milestone readiness.
The schedule should be collaboratively developed with input from all participating agencies and reviewed by the program governance body. It must be updated regularly and referenced in lifecycle reviews, risk assessments, and impacted group communications. It must be able to track resource allocations, baselines, and critical path.
For Projects
Establish a detailed roadmap for executing the project, including Ss, dependencies, durations, and resource assignments.
Key Activities:
- Define deliverables and supporting activities
- Estimate effort, duration, and sequencing
- Identify critical path and float
- Assign resources and validate availability
- Baseline and publish the schedule
WaTech available templates: see Schedule Management Plan