Create and manage waterfall projects

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Create and manage waterfall projects

    This guide explains how to create and manage waterfall projects within ServiceNow, outlining essential tasks from project creation to testing and milestone management. It is designed to help project managers efficiently organize and control projects using the waterfall methodology.

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    Key Features

    • Create a new project: Navigate to Project > Projects > Create New to initiate a new waterfall project.
    • Open an existing project: Access the project workbench via the related link on the Project form for project management.
    • Add and edit project phases: Use the Add phase icon to insert waterfall or test phases. Edit existing phases by clicking the Edit phase icon and modifying details as needed.
    • Add milestones: Add milestones through the Add Phase pop-up within the project workbench to track key project events.
    • Manual testing setup:
      • Create test plans under Test Management > Test Execution > Test Plans > New.
      • Add test cases to test plans and associate test plans with test phases in the project workbench.
      • Assign test cases to testers and notify them to start testing.
      • Testers perform tests and submit results via Self-Service portals.
      • Monitor testing progress and perform testing sign-off from the Test Plan form.

    Related Tasks and Concepts

    • Managing project tasks, including creating parent-child task relationships and updating schedules.
    • Implementing cost management elements such as monetary and non-monetary benefit plans, cost plans, expense lines, and budget allocation.
    • Generating labor costs and project status reports.
    • Migrating budgets and financial baselines to Next Experience.
    • Activating email notifications for project tasks and creating project baselines and milestones.

    This structured approach ensures ServiceNow customers can effectively plan, execute, and track waterfall projects, maintain testing rigor, and manage financials to support successful project delivery.

    An overview of the tasks involved in creating a waterfall project.

    The following tables, arranged by task group, list the tasks involved in creating a waterfall project.

    Table 1. Create a new project
    Task How do I do this?
    Create a new project Navigate to Project > Projects > Create New.
    Table 2. Open an existing project
    Task How do I do this?
    Open a project in the project workbench Click the Project Workbench related link on the Project form.
    Table 3. Add phases to a project from the project workbench
    Task How do I do this?
    Create a waterfall phase for a project Click the Add phase icon (Add phase icon.) and select Waterfall from the Phase Type choice list.
    Create a test phase for a project Click the Add phase icon (Add phase icon.) and select Test from the Phase Type choice list.
    Table 4. Edit a project phase from the project workbench
    Task How do I do this?
    Edit a waterfall phase for a project Click the Edit phase icon (Edit phase icon.) on a project phase and make the required changes in the details of the project phase.
    Edit a test phase for a project Click the Edit phase icon (Edit phase icon.) on the test phase and make the required changes in the details of the test phase.
    Table 5. Add milestones to a project from the project workbench
    Task How do I do this?
    Add milestones to a project Click the Add phase icon (Add phase icon.) and then click Milestone at the top of the Add Phase pop-up window.
    Table 6. Set up manual testing
    Task How do I do this?
    Create a test plan Navigate to Test Management > Test Execution > Test Plans > New.
    Add test cases to a test plan Click the Add Test Cases from Test Suite related link on the Test Plan form.
    Create a test phase Click the Add Phase button on the project workbench.
    Add a test plan to a test phase Click the Edit Phase icon (Edit phase icon.) for the test phase and enter the name of the Test Plan.
    Assign test cases to testers Select a user in the Assigned to field on the Test Case form.
    Notify testers to start testing Click the Notify testers to start testing related link on the Test Plan form.
    Tester performs tests and submits results Navigate to Self-ServiceMy Tests or Self-Service > My Assessments.
    Monitor the testing progress The Test Plans list, Test Plan form, and Test Case form all display results for test cases and individual tests.
    Testing sign-off Click the Sign-off Test Plan related link on Test Plan form.