Project Management Process – Phase 2 – Planning Overview

Project Management Process – Phase 2 – Planning Overview (#7 in the Hut Project Management Process)
By John Filicetti

The Planning Phase defines the project by:

• Gathering and finalizing the project requirements
• Identifying the project risks and ways to manage them
• Producing the detailed project schedule, the project management plan, and the project designs to guide the project
• Obtaining the authorization to proceed with the project.

Planning is of major importance to a project because the project involves doing something that has not been done before. If planning is done correctly and thoroughly, the rest of the project will be easier to manage.

The Project Schedule provides detailed task information in relation to the calendar, the relationship of the tasks, individual task costs, and the resources associated with the tasks. The Project Schedule will be used as a key project status document.

The approved project plan serves as a contract between the project manager, the client, and the project sponsor; defining the scope of the project and what is required, the anticipated benefits, the resources required, and the performance-based rewards and penalties. The purpose of the contract is to commit the project manager, the project team, and the project sponsor to the terms of the project plan. This includes understanding the potential risks and the actions that are necessary to manage them. By reading the Project Plan, a person should gain a good understanding of the project.

In order for the project team to produce the Project Design, they should analyze the business activities, needs, and data associated with the proposed solution, develop the solution in terms of the automated and manual procedures, develop proposed formats for input and output, and prepare the design to ensure a seemless transition to the new solution.

Inputs

• Project Charter
• Concept Proposal
• Meeting Reports
• Project Selection Criteria

Outputs

• Project Requirements
• Project Schedule
• Risk Assessment and Management Plan
• Project Management Plan
• Issues/Action Item Matrix
• Project Designs
• Meeting Reports

Next in the Hut Project Management Process:

Project Management Process – Phase 2 – Planning – Develop Project Schedule

Previously in the Hut Project Management Process:

Project Management Process – Phase 1 – Initiating – Select and Brief Project Planning Team

John F. Filicetti, PMP, MBA
John Filicetti is a Sr. Sales Engineer/PM-PMO-PPM Consultant with a great depth of experience and expertise in enterprise project management, project management methodologies, Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Project Management Offices (PMOs), Governance, process consulting, and business management. John has directed and managed project management teams, created and implemented methodologies and practices, provided project management consulting, created and directed PMOs, and created consulting and professional services in such areas as project portfolio management, Governance, business process re-engineering, network systems integration, application development, infrastructure, and complex environments. John has enjoyed many years as PMO Director for large corpoations in the Seattle area and leads the PMO Roundtable discussion group and forum.

John has attained a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Education/Technology from Washington State University and an MBA from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA.