1. Introduction to Project Planning
Katy Goldstraw, BA MSc pgchpe

2. Learning Outcomes
You’ll gain an insight into……
The importance of Project Planning
The role of the PROJECT MANAGER
Key stages in a Project Lifecycle
The importance of effective communication
Identifying Risks
Evaluation

3. The importance of Project Planning
Engages stakeholders and team members
Avoids dangers of getting side tracked/distracted
Saves time
Saves resources
Saves effort
Enables effective evaluation

4. The role of the Project Manager
SKILLS and COMPETENCIES……..
Motivate others
Lead others
Provide direction and leadership
Negotiate
Effectively communicate
Influence key decisions
Budget monitoring
Co-ordinate effort
Gain concensus

5. What is involved in Project Planning?
Critical elements of Project Planning:
Goal setting
Time management
Communication
Identifying risks
Resource management
Delegation / co-operation / task allocation
Monitoring and evaluation

6. Key stages in a project lifecycle
Project Sandwich
Plan what you are going to do
Deliver it
Evaluate it and communicate success

7. Goal Setting
Fitting YOUR project into the overall vision, aims & objectives of the organisation
GOAL Setting – think about your roles & your organisation’s roles

8. Goals – What are they?
An aim or purpose
Something you would like to achieve
Can be related to any of your roles

9. Exercise: Goal Setting
Select three important goals, which you would like to achieve in the next 6-12 months
Use your list of roles to give you some ideas
Well Formed Goals are:
Specific
Personal
Deadline
Positive
Realistic

10. Well Formed Goals are: Specific Personal Deadline Positive Realistic
SPECIFIC If it is not specific how will you know when you have achieved it?
PERSONAL You may not achieve your goal if it is dependent upon somebody else that has let you down.
DEADLINE You need a date to work to in order to motivate you. Things will usually have deadlines associated with them. Failing to include a date will mean that the goal will drift.
POSITIVE If you state your goal positively it will look attractive and motivate you to work towards it. Stating it negatively will probably do the opposite.
REALISTIC You will be setting yourself up to fail if your goal is not realistic.
Specific
Personal
Deadline
Positive
Realistic

11. Goal Refinement
“I want to set up a volunteer project running swimming with kids”
Specific (fail) – The goal is not clear about what must be done. Which kids and what sort of swimming? Therefore it is not specific.
Personal (pass) – This goal is something that is personal and within the individual’s control so it passes this test.
Deadline (fail) – This goal does not have a deadline when it will be achieved so it fails on this count.
Positive (pass) – The goal is something positive to move towards.
Realistic (fail) – It is impossible to say whether this goal is realistic or not given that it is not specific.

12. Goal Refinement Example
“I want to set a project teaching children from my local special needs school how to swim at my local council pool by the start of September 2008.
I can do this as I have ASA level two swim teacher qualifications ”

13. Exercise: Goal Refinement
Now go back to your three goals and refine them….

14. Planning your Goals
Visualise the goal
Write down the necessary steps
Identify your resources
Identify your blockers
Holistic check

15. Goal – How do I achieve it?
Visualise the goal
How will it feel to achieve the goal?
Write down the necessary steps
Contact the Special Needs School. Contact the local Swimming Centre. Recruit volunteers to support me with the project. Coordinate transport to the pool. Ensure H&S has been thought through. Ensure enough swim teachers to children etc etc
Identify your resources
My ASA teaching qualification. Special Needs School teaching team, Council disability support, Volunteers I can recruit, Can Do volunteer support booklet
Identify your blockers
Special Needs School may not want the project to go ahead. Council swim timetable may not allow it
Holistic check
How does this compare with my other life commitments? Can I pull this off?
“I want to set a project teaching children from my local special needs school how to swim at my local council pool by the start of September 2008.
I can do this as I have ASA level two swim teacher qualifications ”

16. Planning Challenging Goals
Helps to break a challenging goal up into chunks
Ask for support
Use the Internet
The most challenging goals are often the most rewarding

17. Exercise: Goal Planning YOUR GOALS
Visualise the goal
Write down the necessary steps
Identify your resources
Identify your blockers
Holistic check

18. How do you turn GOALS into PROJECTS?
Feedback
Ideas:
Use resources
Partners
Stakeholders

19. Project Planner
Think of an example project that you would like to develop
Complete the worksheet in a group
Remember to use your TEAM allocating roles and responsibilities
Idea
I would like to set up a project to involve volunteers in my current role as a Sports Development Officer

20. Successful Projects
Feedback

21. Successful Projects: Effective Time Management
Think about how you manage your time
Write down a few sentences discussing your strengths and weaknesses in relation to this

22. Successful Projects: Effective Time Management
We have learnt how to set goals and create plans to achieve them
Effective time management will help you to create opportunities to complete the activities you have planned
Do you think you have enough time to get everything done?
Plan for errors – include a contingency

23. Successful Projects: Effective Time Management
Decide what you need to do
Set your goal
Work out how to get it done
Plan your goal
Determine when you are going to do it
Manage your time
Do it!
Positive mental attitude
Discipline

24. What happens if I do not manage my time?
Sucked in!
Spat out!

25. Successful Projects: Effective Time Management
Not managing your time:
Spend your time on activities that are unimportant
Fail to achieve things you have committed to
Take too much on and feel overloaded/stressed
Managing your time:
Concentrate on the things that are of real importance to you
Be well placed to achieve your goals
Feel in more control of your life, have a clearer mind and relax without worrying about things you may have forgotten

26. Successful Projects: Effective Time Management

27. Successful Projects: Effective Time Management
Commit to allocating time to plan your week
Avoid drifting out of one week and into another without scheduling
Find a regular slot to plan out your week
Build this planning into your routine
Be realistic
Explore “I may” or “There is a chance that” language
If in doubt, reschedule
Think about all your roles
Do not fill your diary - leave time for the unexpected
Briefly review your schedule on a daily basis as things change

28. What is involved in Project Planning?
Critical elements of Project Planning
Goal setting
Time management
Communication
Identifying risks
Resource management
Delegation / co-operation / task allocation
Monitoring and evaluation

29. Katy Goldstraw BA MSc pgchpe
Questions?
Katy Goldstraw
BA MSc pgchpe