The standard for project management

Table 1-5. Project Business Documents

The project sponsor is generally accountable for the development and maintenance of the project business case 

document. The project manager is responsible for providing recommendations and oversight to keep the project 

business case, project management plan, project charter, and project benefits management plan success measures in 

alignment with one another and with the goals and objectives of the organization.

Project managers should appropriately tailor the noted project management documents for their projects. In some 

organizations, the business case and benefits management plan are maintained at the program level. Project managers 

should work with the appropriate program managers to ensure the project management documents are aligned with 

the program documents. Figure 1-8 illustrates the interrelationship of these critical project management business 

documents and the needs assessment. Figure 1-8 shows an approximation of the life cycle of these various documents 

against the project life cycle.

Project Business Documents

Definition

A documented economic feasibility study used to establish the validity of the benefits 

of a selected component lacking sufficient definition and that is used as a basis for 

the authorization of further project management activities.

The documented explanation defining the processes for creating, maximizing, and 

sustaining the benefits provided by a project.

Project business case

Project benefits management plan