Designing a Project Plan

This course will enable you to design a Project Plan in the most effective and efficient manner, ensuring that you plan for all aspects for your project. From budgeting, to time and cost management, the course will take you through a step by step process, to design a Project Plan that is realistic, achievable and practical.

Key Learning Outcomes

Whose responsibility is to create and design a project plan?

  • The Project Board
  • The Project Sponsor
  • The Project Manager

Designing a Project Plan: A Strategic Overview

In designing a project plan, one would first need to justify the case for the Project itself. A Strategy document should be prepared which will:

  • Outline the Project, the need for the Project, who the Project sponsor is
  • Communication to all stakeholders, the Project Sponsor and Team members regarding the Project and key deliverables
  • Identify timeframes
  • Establish costs and budgets for each area of the project
  • Define the Project Board and it’s responsibilities
  • Define the Project Team and responsibilities per Team Member
  • Define control mechanisms to manage the control of the project by the Project Board
  • In creating and designing the Project Plan, each deliverable should be allocated to a responsible person
  • A Cost Analysis will need to be carried out upfront to estimate costs per sub unit and total costs for the project. This should be highlighted in the design phase. Costs should be realistic as far as possible.
  • In designing the Project Plan, the Business case for undertaking the project should be communicated. It is imperative to highlight key business reasons for undertaking the project. A Cost vs Benefit analysis should be undertaken for the project, with input from Executives the project would be impacting. Once the analysis has been undertaken, the Executive sign off for the Business Case supporting the project should be requested, and upon receipt, be communicated to all stakeholders as go -ahead for the project. The Project Board and Project Manager should ensure that the communication and sign off is carried out with the responsible parties.
  • The Project Manager should detail the information required to initiate the project, and to collect and assemble all relevant stakeholder correspondence and Executive sign off to initiate the project
  • Once detailed, the Project Manager should request the go ahead for the project with the Project Board to start the project