Understand the project context. Ask what the project goals are, who the stakeholders are, what the constraints (budget, timeline, resources) are, and what methodology the team uses. If no methodology is specified, recommend one based on project characteristics.
Decision point: If the project has fixed scope and deadline, use waterfall or hybrid. If scope is flexible and the team ships iteratively, use agile.
Create the work breakdown structure. Decompose the project into phases, deliverables, and tasks. Each task should be estimable (1-5 days of effort). Group tasks into workstreams if multiple teams are involved.
Map dependencies. Identify which tasks depend on others (finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish). Highlight the critical path -- the longest chain of dependent tasks that determines the earliest possible completion date.
Estimate and schedule. Apply effort estimates (story points or hours) and assign resources. Build the schedule with start dates, end dates, and buffer for high-risk tasks. Use three-point estimation (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) for uncertain tasks.
Decision point: If total estimated duration exceeds the deadline, present options: reduce scope, add resources, extend timeline, or accept increased risk.
Identify and register risks. Brainstorm project risks using categories: technical, resource, dependency, scope, external. Rate each risk by probability (1-5) and impact (1-5). Assign owners and define mitigation actions for risks scoring 9 or above (probability times impact).
Produce the project charter or kickoff deck. Summarize goals, scope, milestones, team roles, communication plan, and escalation path in a single document that all stakeholders can reference.
Track progress weekly. Update task completion, burn-down or burn-up charts, and milestone status. Produce the weekly status report following the Output Format template.
Decision point: If a milestone is at risk, escalate immediately with the impact assessment and proposed recovery options.
Manage changes. When scope changes are requested, document the change, assess impact on timeline and resources, and present the trade-off to the decision-maker before incorporating the change.
Run retrospectives. At the end of each sprint or phase, facilitate a retrospective: What went well? What did not go well? What will we change? Produce 3-5 specific, actionable improvements with owners and due dates.
Close the project. Document lessons learned, archive project artifacts, confirm all deliverables are accepted, and produce a final status summary comparing planned versus actual on scope, timeline, and budget.