The title is quite raflax but it is true! Projects are not delivering as we have planned. There are always situations during the project that cause changes and delays to the plans we have made. But the plan has a purpose.
Englishman Norman Sanders describes the importance of a project plan in terms of several different objectives. Norman Sanders is an experienced English project manager who worked in IT, developing computers with Maurice Wilkes and Alan Turning, among others. (Norman Sanders – Archives of IT (archivesit.org.uk))
Here are some of Norman Sanders’ thoughts on project management:
The project plan is a feasibility assessment (Feasibility)
The project plan could be seen as a kind of simulation for the implementation of the project. All projects have some kind of plan, but the more time we can spend planning and looking at the details, the better the plan tends to hold up in the implementation phase.
By spending a small amount of money on detailed project planning and analysis, and evaluating how to implement the project, you can save a large amount of money by avoiding mistakes at the implementation stage.
Approval for implementation
It is easier to get the owner’s approval to start a project when the project plan is properly prepared. The project owner can trust the implementation plan and give the go-ahead if the plan is realistic, detailed and carefully prepared.
The plan is an internal agreement
The project manager’s job is to get the project team to commit to the project’s objectives, delivery method, budget and schedule. The best way to do this is to involve the project team as early as possible in the planning process. If the project manager does not do this before the project starts, it will be much more difficult to engage the team once the project has started.
Budget
If the project is sufficiently compartmentalised and the different parts have been carefully planned with a schedule, workload and budget, the owner and project manager can have confidence in the plan. The plan serves as a reference against which the current situation and the forecast will be compared in the future.
Project plan as part of a customer agreement
If the project is for an external client, the importance of the plan is highlighted. It describes the implementation method, schedule and budget. The plan should be attached to the supply contract. A well-drafted project plan can help to win a tender, as it shows the client the commitment and competence of the supplier from the tender stage.
The project plan is the catalyst
The key role of a project plan is to define what will be done, what it will cost, who will do it and when it will be done. Once these things have been taken into account in the project plan, the different actors can move from one task to the next without unnecessary delays.
The project plan is an emergency brake
The project is typically implemented step by step, or gateway by gateway. Progress is authorised by the owner or steering group when the content, risks, schedule and costs of the next stage can be ascertained. If the estimate for the implementation of the next phase of the project changes significantly, for example in terms of results, costs or schedule, due to changing circumstances when compared to the original plan, the project can be suspended or terminated, thus avoiding additional costs and unnecessary equipment or other implementation.
Learning tool
How did I plan versus how did it actually happen? The above comparison is valuable information for future planning. The comparison cannot be made if no actual data is collected against the project plan. These include actual dates for tasks, actual hours and costs, and estimates of the impact of risks on the above.
When the actual data can be compared with the plan and the documented “lessons learned” are available to the company, the next project plans will be one step better in terms of quality.