Why You Would Want to Model Your Planning Process Off of a Project Plan Example

This is a guest blog post from Jason Westland.

Project planning from scratch is a difficult and intricate step. This would involve the detailed analysis and projection of what needs to be done in order to deliver the project. During the planning stage, you would have to obtain from the client what the goals and objectives are, defining the scope and then creating a plan on how you will set this into motion. The manager is also expected to provide a feasibility study in order to determine if the project is deliverable and profitable. He is also in charge in assembling the project location as well as the project team who will provide the technical skills required to achieve the established goals.

Project planning can sometimes be very tricky at the beginning, however, a good way to be able to develop a concrete and tangible plan is to attempt and base it first into a project plan example that is similar to the current project being devised. The rationale behind this is that a simple project plan example will simulate the factors that can be considered and incorporated in the project tracking and planning of the current endeavor. Outlining a present plan from a project plan example will also assist in business process improvement as the project manager will be able to determine what works best, what needs to be improved and what processes needs to be eliminated. Using the prior plan as a guide, the project manager will be capable of effortlessly devising a more pragmatic, more enhanced project plan. He will also be provided with an idea on what the probable risks and problems that a project may come across with.

If you have in the past, your company has used any kind of project management software or project planning software, and then obtaining prior plans is relatively easy especially if you used a web management application. The reason for this is that the data that you need is already in the system’s database and can be easily acquired online.  Once a project comparable to the existing one is identified, a project manager can generate a project plan template wherein he can input the factors or items that are considered necessary for the success of the existing project. On the occasion that this is done, a project manager can then ask himself the following questions: Are these factors situated in the template in accordance to the set goals and objectives? Are these factors feasible enough to be accomplished? Would it be cost efficient? How much resources are needed and what are the best practices to be used? Upon answering those questions, the project manager will be able to narrow down what factors or what part of the plan needs to be enhanced or needs more detail.

Having this kind of template would also allow a project manager to discuss the plan with his team in a more comprehensive way, adding suggestions and eradicating processes without difficulty. It also will be a tremendous help by providing a much needed format to succeeding future plans and endeavors.

Jason Westland has been in the project management industry for the past 15 years. He has recently published a new book called “A Project Management Life Cycle” and owns his own project management software company. If you would like to find out more about Jason’s Project Planning Software visit his website at projectplan.com

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