Planning plays a vital role in the Project Management World. It makes sure that the project is in the best quality, on time, cost effective and finally satisfies the objective of the project.
There are 5 areas that you will want to look at when you are in the planning phase of Project Management.
Project Specification
The project manager ensures that there is a common perception between the about each and every process of the project.
There are several benefits for a written agreement with specifications to help reduce misunderstandings, conflicting assumptions and ensure clarity about tasks to be performed and delivered
Project Deliverables
Here what the project sets out to achieve is clearly quantified with timelines and cost estimates.
Project Schedule
This defines what needs to be done and when, resources needed
Resource Plan
This lists out the individuals and organizations which play a leading role in the project. It also describes the importance of the roles and responsibilities of each individual involved in the project.
Communications Plan
Good communication ensures that all people working on the project are on the same page
A Monthly or weekly report is a common tool for communication. It helps to identify the performance of the project, milestones or targets achieved and tasks planned for the next period.
Dawn Chuma
Goal Activation Catalyst
Risk Management Plan
Every project faces some unforeseen problems that affect its chances of success. It is important to spend good amount of time and thought to what possibly can go wrong and make plans to preempt or at least contain it.
Some common project risks are too optimistic time and cost estimates, slow approvals and decision making, fuzzy roles and responsibilities, change in project scope and content, poor communication resulting in misunderstandings, delays, cost overruns, quality problems and rework and lack of resource commitment.
Testing and Quality
A plan is never complete without a clear provision for testing with well laid out testing procedures and parameters for each stage of the project.
Project managers who have a track record of completing projects successfully with satisfaction to all stakeholders know the importance of planning and spend a lot of time coming up with a detailed and jointly agreed plan. Good planning is half the battle won.
Dawn Chuma 
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