What is the primary consideration in the Preliminary Investigation phase?

The primary consideration in the Preliminary Investigation phase is assessing the feasibility of the project. This phase focuses on understanding whether the proposed project is viable and worth pursuing further. During this stage, project stakeholders gather and analyze information to determine if the project aligns with organizational goals, meets user needs, and can be completed within budgetary and temporal constraints.

Assessing feasibility involves multiple dimensions, including technical feasibility (can the technology required be implemented?), economic feasibility (is the project financially viable?), legal feasibility (are there any legal constraints?), and operational feasibility (can the organization support the necessary changes?). This thorough evaluation helps ensure that decisions are made based on sound reasoning rather than assumptions, thus minimizing the risks of proceeding with projects that lack sufficient justification.

Other considerations, such as proceeding with system implementation or creating user documentation, may arise later in the project lifecycle once the feasibility has been established. Assuming project feasibility does not involve the rigorous analysis required during this initial phase and can lead to poor project outcomes if not grounded in thorough evaluation. Hence, the focus of the Preliminary Investigation must be on assessing feasibility to appropriately guide the decision-making process.