Project Definition

In the project definition stage, you make all the high-level decisions concerning the project; your conclusions create the soul of your project. At this stage, you need to:

Define the project scope. What goals do you want to accomplish? Which major tasks, and how many tasks, are required to accomplish these goals?
Determine your resources. What resources — in particular, people and equipment — are available to help you achieve your project goals?
Determine your schedule’s limits. How much time do you have to complete the project? What are the project’s milestones and deadlines?

Once you’ve decided the goals and broad framework of your project, you flesh it out by creating a project plan.