What is project planning?
Project-work planning
Project-work can be divided into phases that must be accomplished in order to achieve the project goal. Division into phases and intermediate deliverables is useful in planning as it provides a framework for budgeting, scheduling, allocating resources and appropriately assigning team members and experts, as well as a mechanism for arranging milestones and project reviews.
When using a linear life cycle approach, the assumption underpinning integrated planning is that all the work can be defined, estimated, scheduled, risked, resourced and costed – so that a baseline can be established from which deployment can be managed and controlled.
When using an iterative life cycle approach, a baseline plan is still required, but the assumptions underpinning the plan are different, with flexibility and agility built into the thinking.
What is a baseline plan?
Linear life cycle
When using a linear life cycle approach, the assumption underpinning integrated planning is that all the work can be defined, estimated, scheduled, risked, resourced and costed – so that a baseline can be established from which deployment can be managed and controlled.
When using an iterative life cycle approach, a baseline plan is still required, but the assumptions underpinning the plan are different, with flexibility and agility built into the thinking.
For all people working to plan and deliver either standalone projects or projects within programmes and portfolios, the following are necessary:
- Contract award: Selecting suppliers and setting up contracts for success.
- Risk identification and analysis: Ensuring that the knowable risks are understood and the project plans take account of variability and risk events.
- Scheduling: Time-based planning with an emphasis on activities and resources.
- Estimation is the approximation of time and cost required to complete the scope of work to the defined quality requirements.
- Resource optimisation: Managing scope, quality, time and cost in a constrained system.
- Cost planning: Understanding where costs fall over time.
- Contingency planning: Ensuring plans reflect required confidence levels.
- Deployment baseline: Agreeing the integrated plan to enable managed deployment.
APM Body of Knowledge 7th edition
Read more about planning and scheduling in chapter four of the APM Body of Knowledge 7th edition.
The APM Body of Knowledge 7th edition is a foundational resource providing the concepts, functions and activities that make up professional project management. It reflects the developing profession, recognising project-based working at all levels, and across all sectors for influencers, decision makers, project professionals and their teams.
The seventh edition continues in the spirit of previous editions, collaborating with the project community to create a foundation for the successful delivery of projects, programmes and portfolios.
Related reading
The 10 golden rules of planning BLOG
One of the joys of my job is that I get to work with lots of different organisations and project professionals... read more
See more than the tip of the iceberg - how the 30 per cent rule helps project planning BLOG
Trying to predict the outcome of a project a couple of months down the line during the initial planning phase can sometimes feel like trying to predict the weather on a specific day in the next season... read more
Why the art of project planning is still a work in progress BLOG
While researching my previous blog on why the ‘why’ of a project often goes missing, it was notable that another ‘P word’, planning, kept coming up... read more
3 Reasons cyber security must be part of your project planning BLOG
Data sensitivity. All data is probably somewhat sensitive. We wouldn't be sharing it, administrating it, loading legacy versions of it into new business elements, etc. if it weren't important, right? ... read more
Are you planning to get things done BLOG
With teams large and small - often split across different geographical locations - to coach and motivate, a multitude of deliverables and timelines, and a host of responsibilities... read more
The importance of conventions: A critical evaluation of current practice in social cost benefit analysis RESEARCH
This research project comprised of a critical evaluation of current methods used by project planners and evaluators in the public and third sectors to quantify social benefits and costs... read more
Organisational design for managing multiple projects RESEARCH
The output of scope management is a specification that may be presented as a product breakdown structure (PBS) showing the deliverables and a work breakdown structure (WBS) showing the work required to produce them... read more
APM Planning, Monitoring and Control (SIG)
The generic area of operation is project control, focusing on the techniques and processes listed as well as interfaces to other subject areas, e.g. risk, governance, programme and portfolio management.
Could you be a project manager?
A good place to start is to visit our careers section; this provides you with the tools and resources to begin your project management journey.
