We all are project managers. Some of us manage projects like vacations or reunions, while others run implementations of new software systems, consolidation divisions of companies, launch new products, or build buildings. While the scale changes for different kinds of projects, and complexity changes as more people are affected and involved; at the core there are questions you can answer to help get any project off to a better start.

Here are seven of those questions you should ask (and answer!) when initiating a project:

1. What can I do at this early stage to increase the likelihood of project success? This question gets you thinking about the key things to do now. Often at the beginning, especially of big projects, people focus all their effort on planning. While planning is certainly important, sometimes there are actions other than