Geniusproject can map to a wide variety phase review processes. There can be as many phase review templates as needed. The setup below described should be used as guidelines and is not carved in stone. Alternate configuration is possible. Any phase review template contains the following items:

• Critical Success Factors setup in the project description (see Step 1: Create and setup critical success factors)

• A new document type (see Step 2: Setup a New Document Type called "Gate")

• A new subform template called [ScoreCard] (see Step 3: Match the scorecard document template to the "gate" document type)

• One document template [Gate] based on the score card form used to manage each tollgate score card (see Working with the Genius score card)

• A workflow definition called "Gate" to support a review process (see). Phase Review tracking reports (see Phase Review)

• A project template (see Phase Review Process Project Template) that includes the following:

• WBS with phase, deliverables & tollgates (Step 5: Create a new project template and Step 6: Convert milestones into tollgates)

• Document templates setup for all deliverables associated to a tollgate

• Predefined tollgate scorecards (Working with the Genius score card)

• Phase Review process setup and reporting setup (Phase review process and reporting setup)
  

1. Phase Review Process Project Template

So far this document has described the configuration pre-requisites to designing a phase review process. Geniusproject approaches the configuration of your process through the initial design of a project structure where tollgates are differentiated from other deliverables and phases built into the process are clearly identified.

1. Step 6: Create a new project template

Create a new project with the project type associated to the review process being created (i.e. a 3-stage process). The project status should be set to [template]

Create a plan that mirrors a WBS in line with you process. A 3-stage process means 3 phases have to exist. Note that a plan can be imported from MSP.

Every gate will be positioned under their respective phase (i.e. 3 stages relevant to the review process). Sub-phases can be added but won’t be accounted for in the review process. Though, there are useful for project tracking.

Note: Creating a gate comes down to creating a new deliverable whose labeled identifies that it is a gate (i.e. "gate 0: go to the Scoping"). Additional steps will be taken later on to differentiate gates from deliverables.

2. Convert milestones into tollgates

From the view "Plan – Gantt", open in edit mode each deliverable whose label identifies a

gate.

Click on the «Actions» button to convert your deliverable, and select the document type [Gate]. The template scorecard form configured earlier automatically comes up.

The template scorecard form and workflow matched to the [Gate] document type automatically come up.

Click [OK] to go through with the conversion

The form [ScoreCard] is merged into the deliverable record and two new tabs are created, «Score card» and «Phase Tollgate». Also, the workflow inherited by the newly converted gate is the pre- defined one.

2. Phase review process and reporting setup

Visibility is critical for the Management team. Reporting is available to track project status throughout the entire phase review process. All of the steps previously carried out let us finalize the set up of the phase review process and corresponding reporting.

1. Step 7: Configure the phase review process and reporting

Open Setup [Portfolio].

Under the «Setup» tab, click on [Phase Review Process]

Click on the «New phases review process» button and select [Phase Review Process]

The preliminary steps covered on point 15.3.1.1 were critical to complete this setup.

Click on the icon to add a new section to the phase review process.

Create as many sections as you have phases/stages in you phase review process. Each new section is added below the previous one. They should be defined from top to bottom based on the sequential review process. Select the tollgate associated with each phase from the drop-down [Name of the associated tollgate]. Other fields are automatically filled in. Note that the phase color can be changed if needed. If you refer to 15.3.2.2, columns colors can make for enhanced readability.

Once the phase review process is configured, edit and save the project description and convert again each of the gates (see 15.3.1.2).

2. Phase Review Reporting

The chart displays projects grouped by project type. The number of columns that appear equals the number of phases your process has (see 15.3.2.1). A diamond in each phase represents the tollgate that exists and its color-coded status. Diamonds change color as tollgate status change. Legends can be found below. Selecting a project that follows a different process will adjust the number of columns to match to the desired process.

Once the project is initially created, the agent "refresh the project list" from the portfolio database has to run at least once (by default it runs every two hours).

Note: Only projects that have gates show in this report and appear regardless of the project status.