PROJECT PLANNING CHECKLIST Innovate with Ajay | Quick-start companion Project: ___________________ Owner: ___________________ Date: ___________ 1. PROBLEM AND CUSTOMER [ ] Name the person who experiences the problem. [ ] Describe the current workflow in their words. [ ] Record one concrete example of the problem. [ ] Separate assumptions from evidence. [ ] Write down the smallest useful outcome. 2. SCOPE [ ] Choose one primary user journey. [ ] Define what is included in the first version. [ ] Explicitly list what is out of scope. [ ] Identify the inputs, outputs and owners. [ ] Define acceptance criteria with observable behaviour. [ ] Identify whether AI is actually necessary. 3. DATA AND ARCHITECTURE [ ] Confirm permission to use each data source. [ ] Draw the data flow and component boundaries. [ ] Choose the simplest implementation that meets the need. [ ] Identify external services and failure conditions. [ ] Keep secrets out of the browser and repository. [ ] Plan access control and data retention. 4. IMPLEMENTATION [ ] Break the build into demonstrable milestones. [ ] Create a working vertical slice first. [ ] Record setup instructions and environment variables. [ ] Use version control for code, prompts and configuration. [ ] Keep human review around consequential decisions. 5. EVALUATION AND DELIVERY [ ] Test common cases, edge cases and failure cases. [ ] Review correctness, accessibility and usability. [ ] Measure latency and cost where relevant. [ ] Document limitations and known issues. [ ] Agree who owns the deployed system. [ ] Confirm monitoring, rollback and incident contacts. [ ] Record the next improvement based on feedback. NEXT THREE ACTIONS 1. ___________________ Owner: ___________ Due: ___________ 2. ___________________ Owner: ___________ Due: ___________ 3. ___________________ Owner: ___________ Due: ___________ This is a planning aid. Adapt it to the project and risk level. https://innovatewithajay.com/contact