Lesson 6 – Project Planning

6.1 Project Planning

Planning will enable us to understand better the goals and objectives of the
project and will lead to huge benefit to project organization. It is the core
tool at the heart of the project management. It is the key to controlling the
progress of the project (Turner, J.R. 1999, The Handbook of project based
Management, McGraw-Hill, P.5.). Planning is the iterative process that goes
throughout the life of a project. Plan is a living thing that is not finished until
the project is completed. Following are the important criteria

A well thought out plan will clearly indicate

- What is to be done?
- Why it is to be done?
- What are the resources required?
- When it should be done?
- What are the acceptance criteria for successful completion?
-

Following critical activities have to undertaken at the planning

- Breaking down complex activities into manageable portion

- Determining logical sequences of activities
- Providing an input to subsequence PM process, including the
estimating the time and resources required
- Providing a logical basis for making decisions
- Showing effects of other systems
- Filtering playful ideas and activities
- Proving a framework for the assessment of programs
- Being essential for the revision/refinement process
- Allowing lessons to be learnt from practice
- Facilitating communication of ideas in a logical forms to others

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The planning process takes the following steps

1. Project objectives, requirements and scope are set. These outcome

elements specify project end-items, desired results and time, cost and
performance targets. (What, for how much and by when?)

2. The specific work activities, tasks or jobs to achieve objectives are

broken down, defined and listed. (What?)

3. A project organization is created specifying the departments,

subcontractors and managers responsible for work activities. (Who?)

4. A schedule is prepared showing the timing of work activities, deadlines

and milestones. (When, in what order?)

5. A budget and resource plan is prepared showing the amount and

timing of resources and expenditures for work activities and related
items. (How much and when?)

6. A forecast is prepared of time, cost and performance projections for

the completion of the project. (How much time is needed, what will it
cost and when will the project be finished?)

This overall project plan is referred to as the project master plan or project
summary plan.

6.2 Project Plan Development:

It is a coherent document which is used as a guide for project execution and

control. This process is repeated several times, until a final plan emerges
which specifies the resources to be used and the time frame for the
completion of the project. Final document provides a baseline for measuring
the progress of the project for controlling the project. Steps involved in
project plan development is given below,

1. Collecting data and information

2. Designing the Project Management Information system (PMIS)
3. Preparing Project Management Methodology

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 I. Collecting data and information

There are several ways to collect the information. Some of them are
discussed below,

• Outputs of the other planning process: It is considers about

other knowledge area and other supporting details.

• Historical Information (past projects): Records and databases

relating to past projects are used.

• Organizational Policy: Have to set formal or informal policies that

influence the project plan. Those policies related to following
criteria, Quality Management, Personnel Administration, Financial
Controls, Hiring and Firing policies, Standard contract provisions.

• Stakeholders, Skills and Knowledge: All the project stakeholders

contribute to the development of the project plan.

• Limitations and assumptions: Limitations are the factors that

reduce the number of options of the project plan. Assumptions
are the factors that the project manager considers to be real or
true.

II. Designing PMIS:

The project manager uses the PMIS in order to gather, integrate and
disseminate the information and outcomes of other project processes.
It is enables the project manager to distribute the required information
to the project team and stakeholders in the form of reports. It helps to
update regularly all activities of the project. It helps to monitor the
project process.

III. Preparing a Project Planning Methodology:

This includes the approaches used by the project manager to control

the project team to enhance the activities.

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6.3 Project Plan:

It is a formal approved document used to manage and control project

execution. The plan will be given to top management and functional heads to
give overall project overview of the activities. Other supporting documents
like technical documents also attached with project plan and given to top
management. Next will talk about PEP.

Project Plan Execution:

Activities included in the plan are executed during this stage. When the
project plan is executed, that the project manager should ensure all the
activities are properly coordinated. Project plan execution model is given
below,

Project plan P Product Skills

and Knowledge

Status Review
Supporting details M
Meetings
Work Results

Organizational Policy I
Work Authorization
System Change
Results
Corrective Action S

General Management
System

Organizational
Procedures

Explanation for the above diagram is given below.

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 • Inputs for Project Plan Execution:

Organizational policies, corrective actions, managerial skills and product

knowledge are the some of the inputs that the project manager expects to
execute the project plan. When there is any deviation from the project plan
the project manager should be able to take remedial action. The project
manager and the team should have complete knowledge about the project
product and qualities like leadership, communication, delegation and
motivation skills to encourage others to enhance the activities.

• Work Authorization System:

In general written authorization is given to begin the work, for small projects
verbal authorization is enough. This is a formal procedure followed by the
project manager to assign the work to team members.

• Status Review Meetings:

Periodically project team meets together to exchange information regarding

the execution of project. Sometimes these meetings are held once the
specific milestones of the project are completed.

• Outputs of Project Plan Execution:

Work results and change requests are the expected outcomes of the project
execution. Requests are sometime made to increase or decrease the scope
of the project. It is normally done by the project stakeholders to modify the
present execution. Work results provide information about the project
deliverables that are already produced or yet to be produced.

6.4 OVERALL CHANGE CONTROL:

This process involves in managing the factors that brings changes in the
project plan. This process considered to be successful if it maintains integrity
of all performance measurement baselines. All the changes should be
reflected in the project plan. Before starting the change control process
project manager studies the project plan, performance reports and change

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requests from project stakeholders. Coordinating the changes are given
below,

Overall Change Change Control

Control
Scope Change Control

Quality Change Control

Performance Cost Change Control

Reporting
Schedule Change Control

Techniques in Overall Change Control

• Change control system:

It is a collection of formal documented procedures that defines the

steps by which the project document may be changed. This procedure
includes tracking systems and other approval procedures. In the
emergencies situation this system allowed to take necessary action
without approval.

• Configuration management:

This ensures that the description of the project product is accurate and
complete. It documents all physical and functional characteristics of all
the project products and controls any changes to these characteristics.

• Performance measurement:

It is helps to assess whether the variances are within the specified

limits or not.

Try Self Assessment 1 to check how you have understood the content so
far.

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6.5 PROJECT OVERVIEW STATEMENT (POS)

Scope refers to all the work involved in creating the products of the project
and the processes used to create them. Project scope management includes
the processes involved in defining and controlling what is or is not included
in a project. Projects are initiated only when an opportunity is recognized or
when some need arises. In other words we can say scope defines accurate
description of the end–products or deliverables to be expected from a
project. It describes all the activities that have to be performed and
identifies the resources that will be utilized for the successful completion of
the project.

Project Deliverables:

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) defines a project

deliverable as any measurable, tangible, verifiable outcome, result or item
that must be produced to complete a project or a part of a project. Four
steps of preparing the project deliverables is given below,

• Request :

In the first step, As per the client requirement he requests the project
manager to undertake a project.

• Clarification:

In the second step, project manager tries explain to the client what he
has understood from the client’s requests. When the client feels that
the project manager has understood the requests made by him, then
this step is over.

• Response:

In the third step, project manager informs to client what he can do

such as his capabilities, schedule and fees for undertaking the project.

• Agreement :

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 Finally, both parties examine each others requests closely to
determine how the project should be executed. The final agreement is
documented in the “Project Overview statement”.

Preparation of Project Overview Statement is given below,

Client
Request

Clarification

Both project
manager and client

Response

Project Manager

No
Stop
Agreement
Both project Yes
manager and client

Project Overview
Statement

Project Overview Statement :(POS)

Scope statement is the document that formalizes the scope of everything

that the project must produce, and it is used as a reference to future
decision making. Normally it is done by Project manager together with the
team. Sample format of the Project Overview Statement is given below,

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Sample Project Overview Statement

Project Name: Project Manager: Project code:

Start Date:

Problem / Opportunity Statement:

Project Goal Statement:

Project objectives Statement:

Success Criteria:

Assumptions, Risks and Obstacles:

Prepared by: Date: Approved by: Date:

Project Problem /Opportunity:

It states the problem / opportunity that the project is going to address. This
should be written in the way that all the project stakeholders are able to
understand.

Project Goal:

A Project should have a goal in the way it should catch the attention of top
management. It should be stated clearly and precisely. It forms the purpose
of the project and provides guidance to the entire project team.

Project Objectives:

This is considered to be detailed version of the Project Goal Statement.

These project objectives denote the exact project margins of the project
goal.

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Success criteria:

It describes the business value of the project. When the project objectives
are achieved then it is said to be successful. While preparing this part
project manager should ensure that the success criteria are quantifiable and
measurable. If top management is not satisfied with the success criteria in
the POS, it might reject the project.

Assumptions, Risks and Obstacles:

It states all the organizational and environmental factors that affect the
outcome of the project. Project manager uses this section to alert top
management about the obstacles that may influence the project activities.

6.6 Project Charter:

Project charter spells out the nature and scope of the work and
management’s expectations for results. It is a document that officially
acknowledges the existence of a project. It is prepared by corporate
executive and sponsors. Sample format of the project charter is given below,

Sample Project Charter

Project Title:

Project start date: Project finishes date:

Project Manager:

Project Objectives:

Approach:

Roles and responsibilities:

Name: Role: Responsibility:

Signature:

Comments:

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6.7 Work Break Down Structure: (WBS)

This format aims to decompose a large job in to a set of manageable tasks.

Many of the objectives addressed through projects are huge and mind
boggling in their complexity. Using WBS, and starting with the top objective,
you can decompose the project goal into the many tasks required to achieve
it. The time and money needed to complete those tasks can then be
estimated. This approach helps project managers to answer the following
questions…

• What must we do to achieve our goals?

• How long it will take?

• What will it cost?

WBS is a tool that project managers use to develop estimates, assign

personnel, track progress and reveal the scope of project work. WBS
helps the project manager to ensure that the project includes all the
activities needed and there aren’t any unnecessary activities. The
breaking down of work into hierarchy of activities and tasks is called
decomposition.

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 A Typical Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is given below,

A schedule that shows each steps of the project.

Project Goal
0.0

Objectives – 1.0 Objectives – 2.0

Task- 1.1 Task- 2.1 Task- 2.3

Task – Task –1.3 Task- 2.2

Activities
Activities Activities Activities Activities Activities
1.1.1 1.3.1 2.1.1 2.2.1 2.3.1
1.2.1

Activities Activities
Activities Activities
Activities Activities 2.2.2
2.1.2 2.3.2
1.1.2 1.2.2 1.3.2

Activities Activities
Activities Activities Activities
Activities
2.2.3 2.3.3
1.2.3 1.3.3 2.1.3
1.1.3

• The Project goal (job) must be broken down into objectives, then into
tasks and finally in to activities. ( we break down the project into
smallest components – activities)
• When we add all these objectives together, it accomplishes the project
goal.
• Tasks sub – objectives ( work packages - consisting multiple
activities – A task represents one of several major deliverables
towards an objective)

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Factors considered in developing a WBS:

• Each activity should be unique and distinct from other activities of the
project.

• Every activity in the WBS should produce a single tangible deliverable.

• The activities should be decomposed logically from higher levels to

lower levels.

• There should be some flexibility in the WBS development process, as

the WBS might be updated when the project scope changes.

Time and Resource Estimates:

Once the project manager is satisfied with the break down of tasks he has
to be concerned about time and cost.

• Time: Estimates regarding the time should be based on experience

using the average expected time to perform a task. When
presenting estimates to stakeholders, make sure that they are
aware of all the assumptions and variables built in to those
calculations.

• Costs and Skills: once the time issues have been addressed, the
project manager should revisit each task with the goal of
determining how much each will cost to complete, what resources
will be required, and what specific skills will be necessary.

Assigning the work:

Every task should have an identified owner, or someone like

responsible person. If the team has not yet been assembled, the
project manager should use the idea about skill requirement to select
the right people. If the project manager already worked with the
assembled team members means he knows individual strength of each
and every person. Therefore he can make the own assessment
regarding assignment of people.

6.8 PROJECT RESPONSIBILITY PLAN:

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This includes the responsibility of person who is involved in the work. Mostly
the manager uses the responsibility matrix to assign work. One example for
such kind is given below,

WBS Item Work Item Andrea Beth Keith Rose

1 Promotion S P S

2 Games P S S S

3 Rides s P

4 List of volunteers P S P

Here we can give numbers for each and every WBS Item. After that we can
assign responsible person for each and every task. P indicates the primary
responsibility and S indicates the supportive responsibility for the work task.
It is better to assign only one person as the chief person for a task. Because
some times there will be misunderstanding of other person will do it.

Try Self Assessment 2 to check how you have understood the content so far.

Summary:

Project integration management involves project plan development, project

plan execution and overall change control. The project manager executes
the project according to the project plan. Overall change control deals with
coordinating changes across the processes. If all these steps are properly
handled, the project can produce the desired project end deliverables.

The scope of a project determines the boundaries of the project. The project
manager prepares the POS based on the list of deliverables. A project
charter is the authorization for action. It spells out in writing the nature and
scope of the work and the sponsor’s expectations for results.

WBS is a technique used to decompose high – level project goals into the
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many tasks required to achieve them.