Fundamentals of Project Management, Third Edition

Sign-Off of the Plan

Once the plan has been prepared, it should be submitted to stake-holders for their signatures.

Following are some comments about the meaning of a signature and suggestions for handling the process:

• A signature means that the individual is committed to his contribution, agrees with the scope of work to be done, and accepts the specs as valid. A signature on the part of a contributor does not mean a guarantee of performance. It is a commitment. Because there are factors outside our control, few of us would like to guarantee our performance. However, most would be willing to make a commitment, meaning we promise to do our best to fulfill our obligations. If a signature is treated as a guarantee, either signers will refuse to ...