Introduction

The project manual covers all formal aspects of a project. It serves as a checklist and helps to trace the project process. The project manual has to be regarded as a supporting tool and enables the project members can focus on the technical and professional matter of the project.
Furthermore it makes it easier for the lecturer to compare different students’ projects because of the standardised project implementation.
First of all it is very important to define all project relevant parts of the project manual before starting the project. The complexity of the project manual depends on the following criteria:

• size
• duration
• internal project
• external project
• students’ project
• employees’ project

In the case of students’ projects the project tutor has to decide which parts are relevant for the project. With any other project the project leader or the applicant has to decide which parts are relevant and which have to be filled in.
All project relevant documents will be defined in the following table. Basis for this decision are the criteria mentioned.

Document	Relevant	Note
Tender
Spreadsheet
SAP-Cover sheet
Contract for services
URD
Additional agreements
Project plan
MTA
Status report
Meeting protocols
Activity report
Project description for webpage
Presentation
Poster
Final project report
Test protocol

Note:
Concerning software engineering projects the approach defined in the FHJ Process handbook (http://dmt.fh-joanneum.at/~Tschin/fhjprocess) is relevant.