PROJECT PLANNING
Objectives
After studying this unit, you
will be able to:
Understand 'Project Planning'
and make an overview of
various stages of project
planning;
Know the managing planning
process.
PROJECT PLANNING
There are several reasons to use
considerable care when planning projects:
• The primary purpose of planning is to
establish a set of directions in enough
detail to tell the project team exactly
what must be done
• The purpose of planning is to facilitate
later accomplishment
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meet-target
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them-before-they-happen
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kathmandu-might-face-further-delays
Nepal National Pride Projects:
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Definitions:
According to Stephen P. Robbins:
Planning is deciding in advance about what to do, how to do it, when to
do it, and who is to do it. It provides the ends to be achieved.
According to Richard Steers:
Planning is the process by which managers define goals and take
necessary steps to ensure that these goals are achieved.
TIME PLANNING
•Accurate time estimation is a skill
essential for good project
management. It is important to get
time estimates right for two main
reasons.
01 02
Time estimates drive the Time estimates often
setting of deadlines for determine the pricing of
delivery and planning of contracts and the
projects, profitability of the
contract/ project in
commercial terms.
Time estimates are important as inputs into other
techniques used to organize and structure all projects.
Using good time estimation techniques may reduce large
projects to a series of smaller projects.
Step 1 – Understand the Project Outcome
Step 2 – Estimate Time
Step 3 – Plan for it to go Wrong
In Estimate time, make sure that you have
allowed time for:
1. Other high urgency tasks to be carried out which will have priority
over this one.
2. Accidents and emergencies.
3. Internal/external meetings.
4. Holidays and sickness in key staff/stakeholders.
5. Contact other customers, suppliers, and contractors.
6. Break-downs in equipment.
7. Missed deliveries by suppliers.
8. Interruptions by customers, suppliers, contractors, family, pets, co-
workers, etc.
9. Others priorities and schedules e.g. local government planning
processes.
10. Quality control rejections etc.
11. Unanticipated events
Contents of Project
Plan
1. Introduction 2. Standard description
1.1 Scope 2.1 Introduction
1.2 Objectives 2.1.1 Project objectives
1.3 References 2.1.2 Project deliverables
1.4 Definitions & acronyms 2.1.3 Evolution of the
1.5 Responsibilities project
2.1.4 Reference materials
2.1.5 Definitions &
acronyms
2.2. Project organisation
2.2.1 Life cycle model
2.2.2 Project organisational structure
2.2.3 Project organisational boundaries &
interfaces
2.2.4 Project
2.3. Managerial responsibilities
process
2.3.1 Management objectives & priorities
2.3.2 Assumptions, dependencies & constraints
2.3.3 Risk management
[Link] Risk management plan
[Link] Result of analysis
2.3.4 Monitoring & controlling mechanisms
2.3.5 Staffing plan
2.4. Technical process
2.4.1 Methods, tools & techniques
[Link] Methodology
[Link] Techniques
[Link] Tools
2.4.2 Software documentation plan
2.4.3 Project support functions
[Link] Quality
[Link] Testing [verification & validation in IEEE]
[Link] Configuration management
[Link] Administration/other
2.5. Work packages, schedule & budget
2.5.1 Work packages
2.5.2 Dependencies
2.5.3 Resource requirements
2.5.4 Budget & resource allocation
2.5.5 Schedule
2.6 Project training plan
2.7 Index [Optional]
2.8 Additional components
Planning Process
crucial considerations for project
planning
Demand
Competition
Technology
Scarcity
Managing the Planning
Process
First Stage: Definitions Third Stage: Evaluation
Preparation of Mission SWOT analysis
Setting of Objectives Evaluation
Fixation of Goals
Policies
Analysis of Environment
Second Stage: Formulation
Formulation of Strategies
Implementation of Strategies
How to Use the Tool?
Planning Cycle
Stage 1 – Analysis of Opportunities
SWOT Analysis
Risk Analysis
Understanding Pressures for Change
Stage 2 – Identifying the aim of your Plan
What do I want the future to be?
What benefit do I want to give to my customers?
What returns do I seek?
What standards am I aiming at?
What values do I and my organization believe in?
Stage 3 – Exploring Options
Stage 4 – Selecting the Best Option
Stage 5 – Detailed Planning
State the current situation.
Have a clear aim.
Use the resources available.
Detail the tasks to be carried out, whose responsibility they are, and
their priorities and deadlines.
Detail control mechanisms that will alert you to difficulties in achieving
the plan.
Identify risks, and plan for contingencies.
Consider transitional arrangements – how will you keep things going
while you implement the plan?
Stage 6 – Evaluation of
the Plan and its Impact
PMI (Plus/Minus/Interesting)
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Force Field Analysis
Cash Flow Forecasts
6 Thinking Hats
Stage 7 – Implementing Change
Stage 8 – Closing the Plan
Work Break-down
Structure
• A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a
deliverable-oriented grouping of the work involved in
a project that defines the total scope of the project
• The WBS is a document that breaks all the work
required for the project into discrete deliverables and
groups them into a logical hierarchy
• Often shown in two different forms:
• Graphical or chart form
• Tabular or list form
W B S F O R A B I R T H D AY C A K E
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WBS For A House Showing 6 Deliverables
1. Identify your Organization’s/Project’s Business
Processes:
(a) What are the processes in your organization that your project will
impact?
(b) What new processes will be created once your project is
implemented?
(c) What are your customers’ understanding of your processes?
(d) What are the key trigger points of your processes?
2. Gather required information:
(a) Who are the process owners?
(b) What are the processes you’ve identified trying to
accomplish?
(c) What is the level of quality required risk?
(d) What are the control points?
3. Documenting the Processes:
(a) What are all the steps of the processes?
(b) What are the objectives of the processes?
(c) What are the inputs and outputs?
(d) What tools or techniques are applied in each process
step?
(e) Where does the process begin and end?
(f) Who owns the process?
(g) Who monitors the process?
(h) How we will know it is working?
4. Analysis (post mapping):
(a) Is the process efficient?
(b) Does it make sense?
(c) What steps are unnecessary?
(d) Is the process in line with departmental or enterprise
objectives?
(e) Are there too many approvals or too much rework?
(f) Are there too many delays or bottlenecks?
(g) Is the process efficient? How do you know?
(h) What measures will be put in place to ensure the process
is as efficient as possible?
PROCESS MAPPING
Business process maps make workflow visible, understandable, and
measurable. An important consideration when mapping your business
processes is to view them through the eyes of your customers.
Four steps
Identify your Organization’s/Project’s Business
Processes
Gather required information
Documenting the Processes
Analysis (post mapping)