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Do You Really Plan Your Project?

By Son Nguyen, on June 18th, 2010

If you ask any project manager if she has a plan for her project, she definitely answers yes.  However, while most project managers agree that running a project without a plan is just as ruining a project, each has her own kind of plan. A plan that you are comfortable with may not appear like that for others. So, generally, what does planning a project mean?

For most of us, a project plan is essentially a project schedule. You write down what you and your team need to do, in the form of a Gantt chart, or just a simple to-do list with an expected completion date for each task. You and your team then go ahead with this plan, executing project works.

What makes this approach seriously flawed is that such a Gantt chart or to-do list are highly deliverable-oriented. That is, when first creating a project schedule you tend to include only the works required to make a project’s product. The chart on the right is one example. You see only product-related works carried out during a project.

Managing a project, however, is not just producing its deliverables. In essence, managing a project is ensuring that the expected results will be achieved. In order to do that, you should consider not only product-related tasks, but also factors that could potentially affect the deliverables: stakeholders’ expectations, communication, risks, your project team etc.

So, plan for activities that ensure the project results delivering, not only for activities producing these results. Besides project schedule, you should think in advance how you will communicate with stakeholders, how you will manage changes occurring during project, should you document them in detail or just with short descriptions, how often you will revise project risks, project status and other relevant information.

According to the PMBOK Guide, you plan a project by creating a project management plan, which includes plan for each project aspect: scope, time, cost, quality, human resource, risks, communication and procurement management, and a plan for combining and coordinating activities in these knowledge areas. However, it is a large topic in the PMP exam that I would like to cover in future articles. For now, just be aware that having a project schedule does not guarantee that your project is planned accordingly.

PM Practice   , , ,  
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  • http://shetakesnote.wordpress.com Myra

    I tend to associate the things I do in my career with things I do in my real life. Project Management to me is like “baby sitting”. You plan out your activities including meals and snacks and then you oversea the activities ensure that the kiddies are playing nice and being productive, staying on task. If things get off task because Suzy’s crayon broke and she needed the red crayon then your activity may take a bit longer to complete – get Suzy a red crayon before there is a total melt-down. Things can get out of hand if you don’t pay close attention or get distracted.

    As a PM Trainer, having a project plan, schedule along with a PID and Charter are of upmost importance to keep the project on task, on time and hopefully on budget.

    Great post.

    • http://pmreviews.wordpress.com Son Nguyen

      Hi Myra, thanks for comment and an interesting comparison. It is sometimes, however, difficult to project manager to identify why something goes wrong. In your example, you can fail to understand that Suzy need the red crayon, and give her a blue one. Things become worse when Suzy herself does not know which crayon she wants and just starts to cry whatever you give her :)

      We also have a group discussion about this article on LinkedIn, here , enjoy it ! )

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