How many steps are associated with the Lift Off phase?

• A. 4-6
• B. 1-3
• C. 7-11
• D. 12-16

Answer: (D)

Lift Off is the preparation stage where everything needed for execution is set up and aligned. It requires a fairly comprehensive set of steps to cover key areas such as confirming scope and goals, establishing roles and responsibilities, finalizing the plan and milestones, setting governance and communication protocols, preparing environments and tools, and defining initial metrics and acceptance criteria. This breadth of preparation naturally fits a larger step count, typically around a dozen to sixteen steps, to ensure nothing crucial is left undone before moving into active work. Too few steps wouldn’t capture all the essential setup activities, while too many would push into execution tasks. So, 12–16 steps best reflect the depth of work in the Lift Off phase.