Where You Should Focus —

IT Project Manager’s Checklist of Responsibilities

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Project/Document Date
Name
Project
Manager/Owner
Reviewed by
Notes: This IT Project Manager’s Checklist of Responsibilities lists major project management responsibilities. The project
manager must be mindful of High-level responsibilities throughout the project. More specific responsibilities are important to focus on
during specific stages/phases of software development. Include any other responsibilities that suit your particular business
environment and situation. Accuracy and detail create real value when using this document.

Throughout the project, the Project Manager should focus on:

HIGH-LEVEL RESPONSIBILITY REFERENCE COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT
1. Define and scope the
[more]
project correctly.
2. Identify and select
project resources (i.e., [more]
team and material
resources).
3. Lead the project team
through each phase of [more]
the project.
4. Estimate and create the [more]
project budget.
5. Identify and manage all
issues and risks on the [more]
project.
6. Create and maintain the [more]
project plan.
7. Manage all changes to [more]
the project.
8. Ensure that all the
project tasks and [more]
deliverables remain on
track and within cost.
9. Identify organization
politics and work well [more]
within those politics.
10. Manage the project
folder and related [more]
documentation.
11. Communicate and
maintain project [more]
progress on meetings
and status reports.

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Within each development phase of the project, the Project Manager should focus on:
REQUIREMENTS PHASE

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

1. Supervise collection of input from project

stakeholders to efficiently define the project
requirements.
2. Establish and manage realistic and committed
project schedules; taking into consideration
deadlines, dependencies, resources, and costs
when making changes and decisions to schedule.
3. Ensure account/project profitability.
4. Identify organization politics and work well within
those politics.
5. Ensure that the Project Team share a common
understanding of the project, that adequate
resources are being applied consistent with the
set timeframe.
6. Spearhead development and verification of the
System Requirements Specification and other
necessary documentation that outlines the
direction of project development.
7. Secure acceptance and approval of deliverables
from the Project Sponsor and Stakeholders.

8. Enlist management and constituency support.

PLANNING PHASE

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

1. Identify and select project resources (i.e., team

and material resources) and activities.
2. Estimate and create the project budget.
3. Manage and update the Cost/Benefit Analysis
report for all projects.
4. Identify and manage all issues and risks on the
project.
5. Create and maintain the project plan.
6. Work with the project's sponsor for the direction
and resource requirements of the project.
7. Assure compliance with industry standards and
the organization's project management guidelines.

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 PLANNING PHASE (CONTINUED)

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

8. Prepare a business case, project charter, project

justification or brief as appropriate and validate
the intended benefits.
9. Conduct risk management analysis after
proactively identifying risks, and then escalate
issues to Management related to project
development and schedule.

DEVELOPMENT PHASE

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

1. Lead the project team through each phase of the

project, and ensure that all the project tasks and
deliverables remain on track and within cost.
2. Manage the team’s performance of project tasks
and ensure that time tracking for all projects are
completed by project team on a daily basis.
3. Create and manage daily project plans
(schedules) and track project milestones
daily/weekly/monthly identifying overages and
other issues to the project team.
4. Manage all changes to the project and approve
job orders and change orders.
5. Drive functional expertise (i.e. Best Practices for
Project Management department).
6. Coordinate with the technical manager and team
members and communicate with other business
center managers and stakeholders of the project.
7. Prevent, analyze and resolve problems arising
from the four main project constraints (Cost,
Scope, Schedule and Quality) when they exceed
established parameters: the costs balloon out of
control, the scope expands beyond reason, the
project slips behind schedule, or the deliverables
do not possess expected value.
8. Motivate and coach team members and resolve
conflicts within the project or between cross-
functional teams.
9. Continually evaluate the Business Case at the
end of every phase of the project, making sure
that the team is taking a critical look at the
continuing business need and the current
cost/benefit ratio.
10. Verify plans and schedules and clarify vague or
evasive statements by talking to the Project Team
and Stakeholders and by personally examining
the development.
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 TESTING PHASE

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

1. Lead the development of a Test Plan that cost-

effectively takes into account all information
gathered about and from the stakeholders’ and
users’ feedback.
2. Assure the quality of the testing process.
3. Take decisive action as soon as a problem is
identified during testing to minimize its impact and
to establish a higher measure of trust and a
greater level of comfort with the project.
4. Maintain Issues Log for all projects.

DOCUMENTATION/TRAINING PHASE

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

1. Manage the project folder and related

documentation.
2. Communicate and maintain project progress on
meetings and status reports.
3. Verify that deliverables are made available
consistent with the project’s agreed milestones:
Business Case, Proposed Solution, (Project
Origination); Project Charter, Objectives, project’s
CSSQ documents, Constituency Communications
Plan and Description of Stakeholder Involvement
(Project Initiation); Project Plan (Project Planning
and later phases); Test Plan, User Guides,
Acceptance documents (Test Phase towards
Deployment).
4. Set an expectation that all projects should follow a
documented methodology, obtaining client sign-
offs, etc.
5. Identify skills required, schedule the necessary
work training, and adjust project schedule to
accommodate learning curve.
6. Assist in developing Scope and Scope Change
documents.
7. Assist in creating project estimates by producing
detailed, internally facing, breakdown of cost by
function and/or team member.
8. Manage client assets and purchase of graphic
images, photography, used in client projects.

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 DEPLOYMENT PHASE

RESPONSIBILITY DONE? COMMENT/STATUS SEE DOCUMENT

1. Review and approve deliverables before

deployment.
2. Prepare Acceptance documentation and obtain
approval from all stakeholders.
3. Initiate Project Audit Report from the project team
upon completion of project.
4. Obtain or create samples of deliverables, review
deliverables with all stakeholders, and update the
Quality Management Plan.
5. Initiate a Post-Mortem review and/or evaluation of
the project delivery, as necessary.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

SIGN-OFF

<<Company official note of project compliance, non-disclosure and commitment>>

Reviewer
Signature above Printed Name/Date

Project Manager
Signature above Printed Name/Date

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