Jun
6
Essentials of Project Planning
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up” A A Milne. I love this quotation as it so clearly illustrates the importance of planning. Often the most neglected stage in most projects is the planning stage where the project is given its clear direction and a common understanding is created. Although when this stage is missed or played lip service to things will end being “all mixed up”.
Lets take a look at a outline of the planning process.
Project Objectives
The reason and the expected outcome that the project is meant to achieve should be clearly understood by everyone involved in the project. In many cases this also means working with the stakeholders bring all their requirements and understanding together. Often during the stakeholder interviews and group interviews differences in understanding and desires are obvious. This along with your own research into the project and affected areas.
After all the fact finding process is complete the process of outlining and prioritizing all the objectives begins, it is important to document objectives in a way that will be both easy to understand and visualize so that they can actual be visualized. At this point a consensus can be achieved between all the stakeholders, These are then documented along with the expectations of each stakeholder.
Documenting Deliverables
In most cases working back through the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) process we begin to see all the deliverables that must be created before the end goal can be achieved. During this stage we can develop estimate time lines of the project.
Project Plan
Their are many examples of project plans based on the project management system or type of project you are undertaking. Most people focus on scheduling at this point in the planning process, giving detailed time lines and relationships between the task and resources. This scheduling and task dependence information will allow you to highlight the critical path, highlighting this and focusing on this will help to deliver the project.
Along with the scheduling information the document needs to clearly define the Product Descriptions and Acceptance Criteria, Risk Management Plan, Communication Plan, Tolerance and a Resource Management Plan (in most cases Human Resource Management plan).
Product Description and Acceptance Criteria
Outlining in detail the product that is to be produced giving a clear description with defined criteria so that the their is no room for misunderstanding.
Risk Management Plan
The document will outline all the potential problems that might affect the project and what their impact will be on the project, where possible steps that can be taken to negate the chance of the risk happening. Also in the unfortunate event that the risk becomes a issue an alternative plan and coping mechanism should be documented. One of the most neglected part of most risk management plans is to actual assigning a individual to each risk to manage it.
Communication Plan
The communications plan will clearly outline all the individuals and the Schedule of communication that will be undertaken throughout the project wither scheduled or caused by a exception.
Resource Plan
This outlines individuals and equipment that is required for the project and documents process and the skills required if an individual is not available to undertake specific tasks.
This has been a quick outline of the basics and I will go in to more detail on each element later.
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