---
title: "Project life cycle phases and activities"
subject: "Project Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_7/project_engineering:life-cycle-phases-activities"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/project_engineering/life-cycle-phases-activities
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Project life cycle phases and activities

Project Engineering · Chapter 1: Introduction of Project and Project Management

- Asked in: 2073 Shrawan, 10 marks; 2066 Bhadra (old course), 8 marks; 2081 Bhadra, 6 marks; 2076 Chaitra, 6 marks; 2072 Chaitra, 4 marks (asked 5 times)
- Video: [Project Life Cycle in Project Management : 4 Stages of Project life cycle EXPLAINED](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DurtA7MXto) — Leaders Talk - ThinkEduca
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/project_engineering/life-cycle-phases-activities
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/project_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

Discuss the project phases and life cycle, giving examples of the activities carried out in the different phases and stages of the life cycle.

## Short answer

The project life cycle has four phases: initiation (feasibility, objectives), planning (design, schedule, budget), implementation (construction, monitoring), and termination (handover, closure). For a bridge, initiation covers traffic study, planning covers design and tender, implementation covers construction, and termination covers load test and handover.

## Answer

The **project life cycle** is the series of phases a project passes through from conception to closure. Each phase has its own activities and ends with a review (gate), where a decision is taken before the next phase begins. The common four-phase model is:

```text
 Initiation -> Planning -> Implementation -> Termination
 (Concept)    (Definition)  (Execution)       (Closure)

 Effort
   ^        ___
   |      /    \___
   |   __/         \__
   |__/               \___
   +--------------------------> Time
```

| Phase | Main work |
|---|---|
| Initiation / concept | Identify need, pre-feasibility, objectives, preliminary cost, go or no-go decision |
| Planning / definition | Detailed design, WBS, schedule, budget, resource and risk plans, contracts |
| Implementation / execution | Mobilisation, procurement, construction or manufacturing, monitoring and control |
| Termination / closure | Testing, handover, final payment, documentation, lessons learned, release of resources |

#### Activities in each phase
**Initiation (concept):**
- Identify the need or problem and collect basic data.
- Generate and screen project ideas; select the best option.
- Carry out pre-feasibility and feasibility studies (technical, economic, financial, environmental, social).
- Define objectives, scope and main deliverables.
- Estimate preliminary cost, time and resources.
- Identify stakeholders and the funding source.
- Prepare the project proposal or concept note and take the go or no-go decision.
- Appoint the project manager and form the core team.

**Planning (definition):**
- Detailed survey and design; prepare drawings and specifications.
- Prepare the work breakdown structure (WBS), schedule (bar chart, CPM, PERT) and budget.
- Plan resources, quality, communication and risk.
- Prepare tender documents, evaluate bids and sign contracts.
- Obtain approvals, permits and land.

**Implementation (execution):** mobilisation, procurement, construction, monitoring of time, cost and quality, quality testing, payments and reporting.

**Termination (closure):** final inspection, commissioning, handover with as-built drawings, final payment, demobilisation, completion report and lessons learned.

Example: for a bridge, initiation covers the traffic study and feasibility; planning covers design, estimate and tender; implementation covers the foundation, piers, deck and approach roads; termination covers the load test, handover and final bill.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is the common four-phase project life cycle?
   A. Planning, tendering, design, handover
   B. Design, construction, operation, maintenance
   C. Initiation, planning, implementation, termination
   D. Initiation, execution, planning, operation
   Answer: C. The model runs from concept through definition and execution to closure. (Key point: Four phases)

2. What marks the end of each phase of the life cycle?
   A. The final payment to the contractor
   B. The disbanding of the whole team
   C. Nothing; phases overlap without review
   D. A review (gate) decision before the next phase begins
   Answer: D. Each phase ends with a review gate, e.g. the go or no-go decision after initiation. (Key point: Gate review)

3. Which activity belongs to the initiation (concept) phase?
   A. Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies and the go or no-go decision
   B. Detailed WBS and tender evaluation
   C. Foundation and pier construction
   D. Handover with as-built drawings
   Answer: A. Initiation identifies the need, studies feasibility and decides whether to proceed. (Key point: Initiation activities)

4. For a bridge, which pair of activities is correctly placed?
   A. Load test in planning; design and estimate in termination
   B. Design, estimate and tender in planning; load test, handover and final bill in termination
   C. Traffic study in termination; foundation work in planning
   D. Tender in initiation; feasibility in implementation
   Answer: B. Planning defines the work and contracts; termination tests, hands over and closes accounts. (Key point: Planning vs closure)

## Related in Project Engineering

- [Life cycle phases and goal setting example](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Alife-cycle-phase-goal-example) — Project Engineering, chapter 1
- [Project attributes; implementation phase activities](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aproject-attributes-implementation-activities) — Project Engineering, chapter 1
- [Is a specified job a project? Implementation activities](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Ais-job-a-project-implementation) — Project Engineering, chapter 1
- [Activities in the implementation phase](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aimplementation-phase-activities) — Project Engineering, chapter 1
- [Monitoring, evaluation, controlling and life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Amonitoring-evaluation-controlling-life-cycle) — Project Engineering, chapter 1
- [Define project and explain its phases](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aproject-phases-define-in-own-words) — Project Engineering, chapter 1

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