The guideline can be applied to engineering organizations (EO) which plan, create and/or commission automated machines or plants. It is intended to support EOs in assessing their own current situation and to give advice for them which target status under the given constraints and conditions are desired. It is shown how the desired target status as well as costs, risks and chances are related and closely connected to the adoption of the procedure. Scope of this part of the guideline is to describe the basics and approaches, to explain the modus operandi and works for the user as an instruction for use. It will also be assumed that the EO is involved in the project business and, in doing so, carries out activities in one or more of the project-related, consecutive phase acquisition, planning, realization and commissioning.