Obtain commitment from relevant stakeholders responsible for performing and supporting plan execution.

Obtaining commitment involves interaction among all relevant stakeholders, both internal and external to the work group. The individual or group making a commitment should have confidence that the work can be performed within cost, schedule, and performance constraints. Often, a provisional commitment is adequate to allow the effort to begin and to permit research to be performed to increase confidence to the appropriate level needed to obtain a full commitment.

Example Work Products

1.    Documented requests for commitments

2.    Documented commitments

Subpractices

1.    Identify needed support and negotiate commitments with relevant stakeholders.

The WBS can be used as a checklist for ensuring that commitments are obtained for all tasks.

The plan for stakeholder interaction should identify all parties from whom commitment should be obtained.

2.    Document all organizational commitments, both full and provisional, ensuring the appropriate level of signatories.

Commitments should be documented to ensure a consistent mutual understanding and for work tracking and maintenance. Provisional commitments should be accompanied by a description of risks associated with the relationship.

3.    Review internal commitments with senior management as appropriate.

4.    Review external commitments with senior management as appropriate.

Management can have the necessary insight and authority to reduce risks associated with external commitments.

5.    Identify commitments regarding interfaces between work elements and other work groups and organizational units so that these commitments can be monitored.

Well-defined interface specifications form the basis for commitments.