PAPERmaking! g FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY ® Volume 8, Number 1, 2022
How to Create a Realistic Project Plan in 12 Steps Alexis is a scholar-practitioner with a unique combination of expertise in business economics, general management, portfolio, project, and operations management. He has nearly two decades of experience managing major programs and projects within the manufacturing and power generation industries. Based on his experience, he recommends project managers follow the below steps to develop a plan that results in
quality deliverables on time and within budget. 1. Collect requirements from key stakeholders.
Once you’ve created a project charter and identified key project stakeholders, it’s essential to gather requirements. “You need input to generate output,” Alexis says. “The planning proc ess starts with collecting requirements from stakeholders. Once you have this information, you will be able to define the scope of the project and determine exactly what you need to deliver to your stakeholders. Strong communication skills are critical at this stage in the planning process. Without effective communication, it’s possible to miss important details that could be detrimental to the project’s overall success. 2. Define the scope of the project. Ask yourself: “What is it the team needs to produce or deliver?” and “What problems are the stakeholders trying to solve?” Then, work with your stakeholders to develop a comprehensive description of the project and the product deliverables in the form of a project scope statement. You must have a clear understanding of the boundaries of the project. For example, if you are building a software app for a customer, you must know what will be included in the app and what won’t. Who will use the application? What is it intended to do? What are the critical fu nctions and features it needs to have? 3. Create a work breakdown structure. Break down the project’s scope into smaller, more manageable deliverables and groups of related tasks, also known as “work packages.” This will allow you to assign resources to d ifferent parts of the project based on the skills needed. The work breakdown structure facilitates planning and coordination, which are two important functions of project management. 4. Define project activities. Break down work packages into a list of project activities. Consider this an action plan. It can help to ask yourself: “What are the activities that must be performed to create the deliverables of the project?” 5. Sequence project activities. “Almost everything happens in a sequence, but the tric k is to do as many things in parallel as possible — if you have the resources to do so,” Alexis says. “One of the key reasons for adopting formal project management methodologies is to reduce time-to-market. In dynamic and hyper-competitive industries, the The cost, duration, and resources required to complete the project activities depend on the scope of the project. Proper estimating is important for any project, as it helps determine if the plan is viable, set expectations, and keep costs under control. 7. Assign resources to work packages and activities according to skills and interests. Resources include not only labor but also materials, equipment, space, and technology. After identifying which resources you’ll need, Alexis suggests identifying the skill level needed for each activity. “The scope and level of complexity of the project will help you determine in what a reas you need to bring in high, mid-level, or entry- level skills,” Alexis says. This step allows you to determine the sequence of events that need to take place. To establish a realistic timeline, you’ll need to know how long each activity will take, how m uch each will cost, what resources (team members) you’ll need, and also when those resources are available (e.g., check into vacation schedules to avoid unexpected delays). a bility to reduce cycle time is a competitive advantage.” 6. Estimate activity duration, costs, and resources.
Article 11 – Project Management
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