Approval in Project Management – Definition and Meaning
In project management, approval means the formal authorization, consent, or acceptance of a project artifact (e.g., document, design, prototype), a project phase, or a final project deliverable by an authorized person or body. It is used to ensure that defined quality requirements, criteria, or standards are met before the next phase begins or the result is handed over. Approvals typically occur at predefined control points (quality gates) or milestones and officially confirm the fulfillment of the specified conditions.
Example, best practice and further information
In a software development project, for example, the approval of the detailed software design could be granted by the client or a steering committee after verifying that all requirements have been considered. A best practice is to define clear and measurable criteria for each approval in advance. This is in line with quality management according to the PMBOK Guide and agile concepts such as the “Definition of Done.” Formal approval processes ensure that only reviewed and approved work results are further processed or delivered, safeguarding quality and reducing risks.