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Project Life Cycle

The ordered progression of phases a project moves through, from its beginning to its end.

Key Points

  • Structures the project into distinct phases that may be sequential or overlapping.
  • Phase names and counts vary by organization and industry (e.g., concept, planning, execution, closure).
  • Includes governance checkpoints (phase gates) for go/no-go or continue decisions between phases.
  • Different from process groups; the process groups can repeat within each life cycle phase.

Example

An engineering firm uses a four-phase life cycle: concept, design, build, and closeout. After design, a phase-gate review checks drawings, budget, and risks to authorize moving into construction.

PMP Example Question

Which statement best describes the project life cycle?

  1. A set of related phases that take a project from beginning to end.
  2. The five process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.
  3. The sequence of stages a product goes through from market launch to retirement.
  4. The organizational methodology used to manage portfolios.

Correct Answer: A — Project life cycle

Explanation: The project life cycle is the structured series of project phases; process groups (B) repeat within phases, product life cycle (C) concerns the product, and (D) relates to portfolio management.

Project Management with AI: From Initiation to Closing

Build a practical project management process from initiation to closing with our Project Management: From Initiation to Closing with AI course. Learn how to move from informal project coordination to a structured, repeatable approach using PMBOK-aligned workflows, real examples, and professional templates.

This hands-on course follows a complete project lifecycle. You will learn how to write a project charter, define scope, build a work breakdown structure, develop a schedule, estimate costs, manage risks, engage stakeholders, execute the work, monitor performance, and close the project properly.

You will also learn how to use AI tools to accelerate project management work. The course includes reusable prompts, downloadable templates, assignments, and worked examples that show how project documents connect from one stage to the next.

The course is designed for professionals, team leads, coordinators, analysts, and new project managers who need practical skills they can apply at work. Enroll now and build the confidence to manage projects with structure, clarity, and control.

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