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OptimizeIT
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Project Management \ PM Lite
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Plan the Project

Plan the Project

Planning a project can be an overwhelming task, further complicated by the expectations of a heavy and formal PM process. Before becoming immersed in a project, it is essential to have a firm understanding of how the PM process should be carried out. Often, project planning is ignored in favor of getting on with work; however, many organizations fail to realize the value of a project plan in saving time, money, and mitigating risks. Leverage the tools provided in this module to set out a successful plan that can be used as a baseline for the project.

This module consists of three steps:

Understand PM Lite
Assess Project Details
Determine How To Achieve Project Objectives

When you have completed this module, you will have:

A comprehensive guide to help with the project management process, from start to finish.
Step-by-step guidance on how to evaluate and set the appropriate level of process for your organization.
A sound project planning approach that you can use for future projects.
A method for organizing, coordinating, and directing how the project team is going to deliver on its goals and objectives.
Various templates to assist in setting out and communicating project expectations.
A baseline project plan to compare and analyze actual project progress with estimated expectations.

The care and effort devoted to project start-up and planning makes the most significant contribution to project success. Ensure that the project team is using the necessary planning tools to set the stage for project execution.

Advanced

Steps		Tools	Related Research
Step 1: Understand PM Lite The practice of project management can seem daunting when thought of as a whole. In this guide, each step of the process is broken down into manageable sections that clarify how projects can be successfully administered from start to finish. Info-Tech Tip: The PM Lite program follows the recommendations as set out in the Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK, Third Edition). Although this is a common industry-standard PM methodology, use only those elements that make the most sense to your unique project.
	1.1 Light PM Process Guidelines This activity is intended to provide assistance to Project Managers and project staff with the process of light, yet structured, project management for a single project. Info-Tech's "Light Project Management Process Guide" serves as a high level guide to assist and provide context around key project management processes as they relate to completing Info-Tech's PM Lite OptimizeIT program. The project management process is broken down into three key sections: Plan the Project, Manage the Project, and Close the Project. The logical progression of key project stages helps to clarify how and when key steps of the project process should be carried out.	Light Project Management Process Guide
Step 2: Assess Project Details The project details solidify the project idea. From the outset, the project manager must ensure that stakeholder expectations are aligned with the expected project deliverables. Info-Tech Tip: An important step that often gets overlooked is gathering information and benefitting from past project experiences. Analyzing what worked - and what didn't work - should be carried over from project to project. History repeats itself: don't let the project team make mistakes that could have been avoided from a simple review of past projects.
	2.1 Project Definition Defining the project, its goals, objectives, and key deliverables clarifies and aligns expectations of the project for project stakeholders. Agreement on important project details signals the transition into project planning. Info-Tech's "Project Definition Statement" outlines the basic project details, such as: The project purpose, scope, requirements, and timing. Key success factors. Risk identification. Project stakeholders. Communication plans. Project approvals.	Project Definition Statement
Step 3: Determine How to Achieve Project Objectives Once the project has been defined and agreed upon, a project plan must be developed. Keep in mind that this process takes time. It is not uncommon to draft many versions until a viable project plan is agreed upon. Info-Tech Tip: Communicate project milestones early and often once the project plan has been solidified. Ensure agreement in the form of sign-offs from project stakeholders before moving on to project execution. Info-Tech Tip: The "Project Planning and Monitoring Tool" provided in this step is a tool that spans the entire project process. Use it at this stage to plan out the project tasks and milestones, and continue to use it during the project's duration to monitor progress. This will help to identify problem areas and highlight any tasks that are lagging behind schedule, so that corrective action can be taken.
	3.1 Create the Project Plan The beginning stages of the project are dedicated to working out the details of the project task schedule. Take advantage of Info-Tech's "Project Planning and Monitoring Tool" to determine and create a detailed project plan outlining how the project will progress. Before using the tool be sure to read the FAQ document that outlines important configuration information. Info-Tech's associated "Project Milestones Report" outlines key milestones of the project plan to be sent to the stakeholders and/or senior project sponsors. It informs the greater project team of the established timing and outputs associated with the project. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that the "Project Planning and Monitoring Tool" requires the use of macros to function properly. As is the case when changing macro security, it is strongly advised that the tool be tested in a secure environment before organization-wide rollout. If the organization does not allow the use of macros you can also use the "Project Planning and Monitoring Tool – No Macros" version. However, note that using this version will limit your ability to add and delete rows in the task planning tab.	Macro FAQ Document Project Planning and Monitoring Tool With Macro Project Planning and Monitoring Tool Project Milestones Report