It might seem contradictory, but project plans are important because they help you determine what to expect.
Between changing requirements, miscommunications, new ideas, roadblocks, and other unexpected things that come up, it's likely that your plans will change at least a couple times. Helps you determine what to expectĪnyone with experience managing projects knows that they're unpredictable at the best of times. That means they can act as reference points and resources for complex projects, providing all the details team members need. Since project plans are often foundational documents, they contain all the essential information that people need about a given project. It can be hard for team members to locate the information they need. Project plans are often one of the first in-depth documents that project teams put together, but they're the first of many. Contains essential informationĪs you start making your way through project phases, many project teams get bogged down with information and documentation. This makes it easier to assign tasks and communicate transparently with clients and key stakeholders.
Project plans usually account for major project milestones and deadlines, so you'll get a good idea of how and when everything will get done. Putting together a solid project plan can help solve this problem because it forces project teams to develop an outline for their project and determine when all the project's tasks and elements will be worked on. Provides a general outlineĪt the outset of the project planning phase, thinking about how all the tasks will get done can be daunting. Once you've determined a baseline, it's much easier to determine how well your project is coming along throughout its development.Ī clear project baseline allows project teams and project managers to monitor things like project schedules, project progress, and project milestones with ease. Project plans are essential project management tools because they establish a project baseline off the bat.
While it would be impossible to list them all, here's a breakdown of the most important ones. There are many benefits associated with having a project plan in place. Every company has some kind of one-off type project that needs planning to succeed. It could be anything from implementing a new tool or work process to moving offices to migrating data. Note: Project management doesn't necessarily involve an event, which many people presume is the case with a project management plan.Ī project can be anything that's a standalone piece of work. Most incorporate some degree of project management. It also involves a certain amount of risk management. Project planning is the act of filling out a project plan and preparing for the project at hand. A project plan should clearly outline a project's mission, timeline, deliverables, and much more. What is project planning? It's also used as a resource that's referred to by the entire team. Just like a project report, a project plan is usually created and maintained by the project manager. It should provide a clear outline of every step ahead to make your project a success and run as smoothly as possible. A project plan should be your go-to resource for the entire project you have at hand. What is a project plan?īefore we begin, let's clear up the basics. This article will guide you through the entire project planning process, from managing team members, to Gantt charts to project management templates you can use for any project. A good project manager and a sturdy project plan are the two critical elements to managing a successful project. Project planning doesn't need to be as daunting as it sounds.
#Project planner templates free
Our free templates and examples will even help you get started and save time. This is a simple, actionable, step-by-step guide to help you write an effective project plan.