Effectiveness And Efficiency Of A Project Plan

An old adage-plan the work and work the plan, in essence this is the key to successful project management. Project Managers (PM) must first plan out the project and then monitor and control the execution of the program work. There is a tendency for projects to short change the planning process. This is a common mistake. The time spent properly planning will result in reduced cost and duration, and increased quality over the life of the project. Using tried and true best practices for a PM will provide assurance that the program /project will be beneficial and successful.

The paper is divided into three sections, the first of which will establish a timeline of events. This project background will serve as a case study for the analysis in the following section that will be structured such that each of the previously mentioned facets will be independently analyzed and contrasted with project management principles. Finally the paper will conclude with a summary of the analysis and recommendations based on

With the exceptional growth in technology, the present day projects are often large and complex involving a significant risk. So, a Project Management Methodology enables the delivery organization to handle these projects comprehensively, systematically and in an integrated manner, which results in strategic, tactical and operational benefits.

The key to a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing we should do when undertaking any kind of project. A project plan can allow a Project Manager to complete a project within a specified timeline and a specified budget.Reaching these important goals, will make the project customer happy and help the organization to build a good relationship with the customer for future projects. Project planning is fundamental in order to avoid failure and disappointment. In project management, effective planning is absolutely required if the individual or group wishes to deliver a finished project on time and on budget. From a Project Management article (http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/40904.aspx) I read that during the project planning phase, plans are developed in the form of project baselines for schedule, cost, scope, quality and risks, all of which are components of the overall project plan. This gives the Project Manager basis for monitoring project progress and upon which to base decisions necessary for managing changes needed to help get the project back on track.

The first step will be to look at the goals of the project, and align them with the mission of the company. Systematically, the project will be broken into phases: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Budgeting, Evaluating, and Reporting. Each phase will be further broken down into tasks and placed into a work breakdown structure. From this view, one is able to see the entire project duration, critical path, and milestones. The Planning phase is integral in any project. This phase of the project defines project objectives, mission, goals, and approach. In addition, outlining key elements of the project is critical: performance expectations, risks analysis, and contingency plans. However, after completion

Project Management Institute. (2000). _A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (4th ed.)._

Project Risk Management – identifies potential risks (good and bad) that can affect the objectives of the project.

The nature and scope of a project is determined at the initiation stage. This involves analyzing the business needs, developing goals, budgets, tasks, deliverables, and the stakeholder analysis. The project planning stage determines the planning team, develops the scope, and identifies work breakdown structure and activities that will be needed to complete deliverables. The planning stage also estimates time and cost activities, develop schedule and risk plan, and gain formal approval for work to begin. The executing stage involves all processes used to meet the project requirement and involves managing people and resources. The process that entails the identification of potential problems and

Writing the project plan provides a structured framework for thinking about how the project will be conducted. A significant value of writing a project plan is the process rather than the outcome. It forces the players to think through their approach and make decisions about how to proceed. A project plan can be formal, as stakeholders and supporters approve documents and procedures used to guide both project execution and project control. Overall, project plans create a system of document forecast assumptions and decisions, push communication amongst stakeholders, substantiate approved scope, cost and schedule baselines.

Part of the planning process of a project is developing performance expectancies for the project team with the purpose of successfully completing the endeavor. A project manager must develop specific plans that guide team members through project process in a systematic approach, provide the tools that will be needed to skillfully complete the project, and ensure that the client’s requirements are met with the finished service. Establishing a procurement and change management plans supplies structure in which resources can be purchased and adjustments can be made to the project. Ethical and human resources considerations must also be taken into account, especially if staffing is accomplished in different countries. All of these elements supports the planning process of the endeavor and establishes the standards in which the project is accomplished.

What I learnt from this course, project management is that, it is an important part of any business plan or any organization, which is used to foresee or predict as many dangers and problems with the project on hand, as soon as possible before even beginning to actively work on the project; and it is a useful tool which also helps to plan, organize and control activities so that the project is completed as successfully as possible in spite of all the risks within the time and

After discussing the literature preview in the previous chapter, this chapter will discuss about the project planning phase and methodology use in the project. The sub topics is described and determined by the model to be used.

In order to achieve their business objective, project management and the used methodology are key factor which will be responsible for the success or failure of this project.

“Project management is a series of activities embodied in a process of getting things done” (Cleland, 2007, p.51). What stages would be involved on defining the ‘series of activities’ and what needs to be ‘done’? Would a complete definition of the project and its boundaries be directly linked to the project success?

This report will consist of the recommended sections a project plan should possess. These sections include a framework, necessary