PROJECT PLANNING
Project planning is a discipline addressing how to begin, execute, and complete a project in a certain timeframe, usually with defined stages and designated resources, to perform a needed function.
Project success is usually directly related to the amount of planning that has been performed.
The primary project management document created during this phase is called a Project Management Plan, and it contains the following information:
1. Success Factors. The definition of project success is established. This usually includes schedule and budget, but often there are many other smaller factors that cannot be overlooked.
2. Scope statement. The work that will be part of the project is identified, and its boundaries are established.
3. Deliverables. The products and/or services that the project will produce are listed.
4. Schedule. The project is broken down into tasks. Timelines of each task are determined and deadlines for each project deliverable are determined.
5. Budget. The estimated cost of each task is determined and rolled up into an overall project budget.
6. Human resource plan. The project team roles and responsibilities are identified, and the method of acquisition for project team members is established.
7. Quality management plan. The quality standards for the deliverables are identified and quality assurance and control metrics are established.
8. Risk management plan. The most important risks to the project success factors (#1) are determined and analyzed to ensure they can be managed.
9. Procurement management plan. The external vendor needs are established and methods for acquisition and control of outside vendors are established.
10. Change procedures. The documentation and methods by which changes to the project management plan will be handled.
The project management plan should be approved by the project sponsor to kick off the project execution phase. From this point on, changes must be made through the project change control methods described within the plan, which normally should include a re-approval by the project sponsor.