Checklist: Step-by-Step Project Management for Legal Operations

Step 1: Determine project needs

• Identify relevant stakeholders.
• Determine general timelines, budget, project objectives, and project scope with stakeholders.
• Memorialize this information as an initial set of requirements.

Step 2: Build the project team and roles

• Determine what roles are needed on the project (i.e. project manager, analyst).
• Select team members with knowledge and experience relevant to the project and roles.
• Assign team members roles based on their skills.

Step 3: Gather formal project requirements

• Assign requirements gathering to the appropriate team member(s).
• Meet with stakeholders to outline the requirements for the project.
• Set up a meeting with stakeholders to discuss any conflicting requirements.
• Finalize requirements and review with stakeholders to ensure understanding.
• Document all requirements in a repository.
• Develop and formalize success criteria through which the project will be evaluated.

Step 4: Develop project charter and plan

When drafting the project charter, work with stakeholders to:

• Identify and document all stakeholders.
• Formalize and document the goals, scope, and budget of the project.
• Draft the charter with all relevant information, timelines, and stakeholders.
• Review the charter with stakeholders and finalize.

When drafting the project plan, work with stakeholders to:

• Document objectives, scope, timelines, schedule, and deliverables/outcomes.
• Document each role and stakeholder in the project.
• Identify and document project risks and dependencies.
• Review the plan with stakeholders and finalize.

Step 5: Develop the communication and change management plans

• Determine objectives for the plans.
• Determine the audience for each communication or activity.
• Determine the information that will be communicated to each audience.
• Set up a communication or activity cadence.
• Select the medium of communication, if applicable.
• Create an official timeline of when communications and/or activities should be executed.

Step 6: Develop the product or process

• Determine the design elements that the project team will handle.
• Review requirements and develop specifications for the design.
• Review the product or process with stakeholders and finalize.

Step 7: Develop the training plan

• Determine the changes that the project will represent for the organization.
• Determine the best training methods and materials to use.
• Design training courses and materials.
• Create schedule and timeline of training activities.
• Review the training plan with stakeholders and finalize.

Step 8: Execute the project

• Execute the communication plan.
• Execute the change management plan.
• Execute training activities.
• Launch the product or process.
• Meet with the organization to provide more information and training as needed.

Step 9: Monitor the project

• Meet with users and get their feedback on the project.
• Measure success of the process or product using success metrics.
• Make changes to the project to account for any deficiencies.