1. Project Planning
GCP 2008

2. What is a project plan? Document that details What needs to be done,
Who is responsible for doing it,
When it will be done,
How long it will take, and
The current status of each step.

3. Why bother? Becomes your important management tool
Paints the big picture (and makes the whole team aware of the big picture)
Establishes accountability
Provides each person’s list of the urgent AND the important
Reduces duplication and misdirection

4. Example project plan

5. Plan components Hierarchy of tasks & to do’s Status: % complete
Phases, tasks, steps (outline the project)
Status: % complete
Responsible team member(s)
Day-by-day projection of schedule
Deliverable: the outcome of the task
Clarifying comments on the task
Use this tool daily during your GCP Project Meetings

6. The project planning process
Decide who will run the meetings
Identify project phases
Brainstorm tasks for each phase
Organize tasks into a hierarchy
Assign responsibilities
Identify deliverables for each task
Set deadlines for each task/phase
Meet frequently to review and adjust

7. Project scope document
1-2 page overview of the project as you understand it.
Forms the basis of mutual understanding with your client about what is (or is not) included in the project’s scope.
Show this document to your client and seek confirmation/agreement (it is your informal contract)

8. Project scope contents
Concise statement of purpose
Brief description of client organization
Bulleted list of work requested by the client
Guidelines for assistance or information to be provided by the client
Timeline, due dates
List of deliverable(s) to be produced

9. Project planning pitfalls
Plan and other documents created by team but not used, updated, adhered to
Planning cut short or skipped so the team “can get right to work”
One person drives the plan, other teammates don’t buy in to it

10. Project planning success
Create the plan as a team
Put someone in charge of maintaining and reminding the team about the plan
Meet frequently, use the plan to direct your discussions
Update the plan regularly

11. The bottom line…
Nobody should be doing anything on the project unless it is on the plan and they are responsible for it.

12. Team Planning Template
A shell document for your team to use is located on the GCP web site under “forms.”
A sample project scope document can also be found on the GCP web site.