In the previous post we said that every project has a series of phases; Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring y Closing. We have already seen what this first Initiation Phase consists of and today we will stop to address the main characteristics of the next phase, the Project Planning Phase.
When the Initiation Phase has been well worked through and the most important aspects have already been considered a thousand times, the decision is finally made to take on one or more projects. The first thing to do is to project management : the sponsor. This figure is fundamental since it is the sponsor who will carry out the work of internal promotion of the benefits of the project and who will seek the necessary support among the higher levels of the organization.
When this has been done, the Project Planning phase begins, which basically consists of making a plan. It seems obvious, but it is not so obvious. A plan is not a declaration of intentions, it is not an essay, nor is it a science fiction novel; a plan is a detailed document that will include all the steps to be taken in the project, as well as partial and total deadlines, costs and resources required, quality and scope. Despite what it may seem, defining the scope is the most difficult of all, but it is undoubtedly a fundamental step since the definition of the scope will determine exactly what are the expectations of the stakeholders in the project and, consequently, will determine the work or effort required to carry them out. It is important not to devote more resources and effort than necessary, but not less either.
This phase is fundamental since we will later evaluate the degree of compliance of the project in relation to what was planned in this phase. If we do not plan well, the Project Execution Phase will be subject to constant changes and it is just the opposite, to change as little as possible.
Once the plan is perfectly defined and validated, we will move on to the Execution Phase. If we have done things right, we will minimize the possibility of problems appearing in the later phases, which we will see in depth in the following posts, although, if you prefer, anyone from the Scwuimac! team can tell you in person all the doubts you have about it. We love talking about projects!
Photo: Dariusz Sankowski
