Have You Left Anything Out of Your Project Management Plan?

    2=Planning

  •  Minute Read

Have you left anything out of your project management plan? Check out this checklist to help you identify the baselines and plans that will be most helpful to each of your projects.

people planning project

As I define a project management plan, I strive for clarity, brevity, and simplicity. My aim is the create a plan that is easy to understand and that helps me and the project team achieve the project objectives.

Consider three things when creating a project plan:

  1.  Baselines (e.g., schedule baseline)
  2.  Subsidiary plans (e.g., schedule management plan)
  3.  Ancillary plans (e.g., requirements management plan)

Project Management Plan Checklist

Baselines

Scope Baseline

  • Project Scope Statement - describe product(s), project work, major deliverables, assumptions, and constraints
  • Work Breakdown Structure - create a hierarchical decomposition or outline of the scope of work to achieve the project objectives and to create the deliverables
  • Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary - provide the detailed information about the deliverables, activities, cost estimates, and scheduling information for each item in the WBS

Schedule Baseline - approved version of the schedule

Cost Baseline - approved version of the project budget

Subsidiary Plans

1. Project Integration Management Plan

Define how you will identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the project processes and activities.

2. Project Scope Management Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control scope.

3. Project Time Management Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control the schedule.

4. Project Cost Management Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control the budget.

5. Project Quality Management Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control quality.

6. Project Human Resource Management Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control human resources.

7. Project Communications Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control communications.

8. Project Risk Management Plan

Define how you will identify, evaluate, manage, and control risks.

9. Project Procurement Management Plan

Define how you will plan, execute, and control procurement.

10. Project Stakeholder Management Plan

Define how you will identify and record stakeholders, interest, needs, power, and influence.


Ancillary Plans

Requirements Management Plan - describe how you will identify, analyze, document, and validate requirements.

Change Management Plan - describe the process for managing changes in the project.

Process Improvement Plan - describe how you will evaluate and improve the project processes to enhance the value, decrease cost, and expedite delivery

Configuration Management Plan - describe how you will identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a product, service, or result; control changes; record and report changes

Tailor Your Project Plan

  • Work with the project team to think ahead. Discuss the development and testing of the product, service, or result. Identify threats and opportunities. Define your project plan accordingly.
  • Focus on collaboration, communication, and stakeholder buy-in.
  • Keep the project plan as simple as possible.
  • The project plan may be general or detailed depending on the needs of the project team.
  • The project manager should select the appropriate components for the project plan.
  • Determine your project life cycle. Will the project be a plan-driven project or a change-driven project?
  • Avoid making Rookie Mistakes in Planning Your Projects

    Download the PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN CHECKLIST so you can deliver projects with fewer problems and greater value.

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