Who can give me some tips (and tool) how to create the process flow behind an idea until execution of a project with all phases and approvals? Saving Changes...
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Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Miraida Weldam reat question — mapping the journey from idea to execution is often where strategy becomes reality.
Here’s a practical outline you might consider:
1. Idea Intake & Evaluation:
Use a simple form or idea backlog (tools like Trello, Notion, or MS Lists) to capture and prioritize ideas based on criteria like value, feasibility, and alignment.
2. Conceptualization & Pre-Project Assessment:
At this stage, apply a Business Case Template or Project Canvas to explore scope, stakeholders, risks, and benefits. Some organizations use a “Phase 0” or “Pre-charter” phase here.
3. Governance & Approval Flow:
Map decision gates (e.g., idea review → concept approval → business case validation → initiation).
A RACI matrix and a simple stage-gate model help clarify who approves what.
4. Initiation & Planning:
Now it becomes a formal project.
Use charters, WBS tools (like MS Project, Smartsheet or WBS Schedule Pro), and risk registers to set the foundation.
5. Execution & Monitoring:
Tailor your toolset to project type — predictive (MS Project, Primavera), agile (Jira, Azure DevOps), or hybrid (ClickUp, Wrike).
Integrate dashboards and status reviews.
6. Closure & Learning:
Don’t forget to embed lessons learned and feedback loops.
Many PMOs use Confluence, Miro, or SharePoint for capturing knowledge and reusing assets.
Tip: Use a process swimlane diagram (e.g., in Lucidchart or Miro) to visualize this flow and make it easier to adapt across teams.
Unfortunately there is no single process flow which would be at a useful level of detail. It really depends on the context of the project as some might lend themselves to more of an adaptive approach whereas others would be better delivered following a predictive one. It also depends on the existing governance standards and policies in your organization for finance and for project portfolio management.
Start with a simple framework: idea → feasibility → business case → approvals → planning → execution → closure. Tools like Lucidchart, Miro, or MS Visio help map flows visually. For governance, add stage gates where approvals are required. Keep it clear so stakeholders can follow easily
Miraida
I think that PMI's Disciplined Agile Toolkit is an excellent practical starting point to help decide on things like the right framework for the context which is going to drive a lot of downstream decisions. It sounded to me like a specific method e.g. Scrum, but instead it offers a disciplined approach of selecting the framework, and then break the problem down further to develop your plan.
Once you are getting into the details of things like every process and approval, that will be heavily influenced by your internal and/or external governance requirements. If you are in a heavily regulated industry, you may have a lot more process requirements but also a lot more documented guidance for how to comply with them such as which compliance processes apply to which business process groups. Saving Changes...
If you're starting from an idea, you'll need to take it a step further and "start with the end in mind." What will be different once this idea is implemented? What will be the same? How will things be different? What does success look like.
If this is going to involve one or more systems and multiple people, identify who and then start working with them. One approach is to create a Context Diagram. You identify the systems and actors involved, and then map their interactions - the inputs, outputs, and exchanges between them. A simple diagram may look like a hub and spokes. Something more involved may start to look like a tangled spiderweb.
What you end up with is information that helps you identify the processes and data flows/transformations involved; working with others, you'll want to make a list for each and then determine which are in scope versus out of scope. Once you know which processes and data flows are out of scope you can start building out the in-scope processes and flows - both current and desired state. With both current and desired state defined, you can conduct a gap analysis to determine what needs to be done to get from the current state to the desired state. With the steps identified, you can start assigning people and fleshing out the details of the tasks, ultimately creating the project schedule.
I've intentionally kept this independent of methodology/lifecycle/framework/etc. Hopefully I've understood and otherwise effectively answered your question, at least up to the point of execution. Saving Changes...
Hernan NuñezService Delivery Manager| DXC TechnologyCiudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
To build a strong project process flow—from idea to execution—you need clarity, structure, and stakeholder alignment. It starts with capturing the core need and shaping it into a clear, actionable concept. From there, you validate feasibility, define scope, and outline key resources. Planning should be simple but focused: timelines, risks, and roles must be visible and adaptable. Once approved, execution begins with clear ownership and ongoing tracking. Monitoring progress and managing changes is essential to keep momentum and trust. Finally, delivery must be reviewed, lessons captured, and the project closed with purpose. Tools like Miro, Notion, and Microsoft Planner can help visualize and manage each phase, but the real power lies in keeping the flow lean, communicative, and outcome-driven. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
I am in line with Kiron Bondale comments. But just trying to add something to valuable comments above my recomendation is using generative AI tools like PMI´s Infinity or ChatGpt. This is valid if you make the right prompt (see prompt frameworks here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/khizer-abba...607471104-Jv76/ and remember that human in the loop is the key success factor then you have to make trust and consistency checking. Saving Changes...
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