{"page":"\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nVideo\n
\n

\nShould Your Project Have a Second Project Phase?\n

\n
\n
\nGet Free Access for 10 Days!\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
×
\n\n\n
\n\nPublisher:\n\nCurated Video\n\n\n
\n
\nMike. We've delivered our project, but now my client/sponsor wants a second project phase. How can I integrate this into my project?'That's a question I a project manager asked me, that triggered this short thought-video, on whether to...\nMike. We've delivered our project, but now my client/sponsor wants a second project phase. How can I integrate this into my project?'

That's a question I a project manager asked me, that triggered this short thought-video, on whether to end or extend your project.

My answer to this is simple. In most cases, you would be wisest to treat the Phase 2 work as a new project, rather than an extension of the first. The reasons are simple. As always, three strong reasons will always outweigh twenty weak ones, so let's look at the best:

1. Simplicity
Adding another phase onto a nearly-finished project is like wiring a new house into the mains system of an existing one. The wiring will be far simpler and safer if you take a fresh feed and create a separate set of circuits for your new home.

2. Energy
People are energized by finishing things and celebrating. Towards the end of a project, learning that it is no longer 'nearly over' can be demoralizing. Finishing Phase 1 and then starting a new Phase 2 project will create more energy and will allow you to re-select a team for your Project Phase 2.

3. Accountability
When you merge Phase 2 into Phase 1, all your cost over-runs or underspends, and all your schedule slippage or gain, will get carried forward into Phase 2. This will make it hard to track what happened and why, and your accountability for Phase 1 will be diluted. Additionally, there will be more opportunities to miss or even hide problems. And lessons may not get learned.

Extend
Don't get me wrong: phased projects have a proper place in project management. When you start to define and plan a big project, this is the time to determine its phases. When you do this, you can also define the governance process that will track delivery, schedule, and expenditure, at the end of each phase. That way you can:
• be fully accountable,
• the team can celebrate and learn from its milestones, and
• you are making a big project simpler and less risky.\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Resource Details

\n
\n
\n
\n
Curator Rating
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Length
\n
4:31
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Grade
10th - Higher Ed
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Subjects
Career & Technical Education
1 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Media Type
Instructional Videos
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Source:
\n
\nOnline PM Courses\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Date
\n
2020
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n
Language
English
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Audiences
For Teacher Use
2 more...
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Materials

\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Transcript\n
\n
\n\nSign in or Join Now
\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" href=\"/subscription/new\">Video Preview\n
\n
\n
\n

Concepts

\n
\n
accountability
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Additional Tags

\n
\n
second project phase, second phase, phase 2, project management, mike clayton, onlinepmcourses, second project, project, phases, follow-up project, learn lessons, problems, lessons, starting, phase, reasons, give, answer, question, simple, case, reason, simplicity, house, wiring, makes, complex, simpler, risky, wrong, energising, start, longer, team, opportunity, track, define
\n
\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Classroom Considerations

\n
Best For: Explaining a topic
Video is ad-free
\n
\n
\n

Educator Ratings

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\nShow resource details\n
\n
\n\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Should Your Project Have a Second Project Phase?\" href=\"/subscription/new\">\"Should\n\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n"}