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Overview

Don’t leave out a single important detail: make sure you’re covering all of the meetings, creating all of the right documents, and getting approvals at all of the right times.

Why Would I Need A Project Management Checklist?

The truth is, projects are made up of hundreds of steps and thousands of decisions. In other words, it’s easy to get caught up in the overwhelm of things to be done, and missing a crucial task along the way could take your project to its doom.

This is where the checklist comes in. Use it to re-center your focus for each phase of a project. Use it to communicate to your team what needs to happen and why. Use it to educate your stakeholders about your rigorous process. And use it to double-check that you aren’t just operating on a whim.

Not convinced? Loads of professionals use checklists. Surgeons use checklists. Pilots use checklists. Astronauts use checklists. I could go on, but I won’t. This isn’t a beginner’s resource — it’s a standard operating framework that you’ll want to use because the success of your project matters.

How Do I Use This Checklist?

This checklist can (and should!) be used on every project. It’s a safeguard, no matter how many years of experience you have. Here’s how I’d recommend using it:

  1. Download the PDF version and read through it.
  2. Click the links to learn more about each particular checklist item. Some of the links will take you to how-to guides and additional templates, making this the central hub for your project management process.
  3. If you want to tailor the checklist, download the DOCX version.
  4. Add, remove, or modify any steps to make the checklist reflect your process.
  5. Keep your checklist handy. Print it and keep it on your desk if you need to.
  6. Refer back to the checklist weekly, monthly, and as you move between phases of a project to make sure you haven’t missed something that will come back to haunt you later.
  7. If appropriate, share the checklist with your team to explain your process or use it to educate your sponsor or other stakeholders about what happens when.
Screengrab from a page of our ultimate project management checklist