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Project Management Plan Template

Purpose: Use this job aid to review the types of information that should be included in a project management plan.

1.0 Introduction

This section of the project management plan provides an overview of the project. For example, it may contain a project summary and a summary of the purpose, scope, and project objectives. You can tailor this section as needed to provide additional subsections in which your project may be more fully described. The following is an example of a high-level project overview:

A cosmetics company is planning to provide its field sales force with remote access to the corporate network to access sales order processing and customer relationship management information when the sales agents are on the road. When the sales agents visit retail accounts, they secure orders and estimate future demands for products. They will use remote access to enter the sales orders directly into the corporate system.

2.0 Scope

The scope section defines the purpose, scope, and objectives of the project. This usually includes a brief statement of the business needs to be satisfied by the project, a summary of the project objectives, the products to be delivered to satisfy those objectives, and the methods by which satisfaction will be determined. This section also includes a work breakdown structure (WBS), which specifies the various work activities to be performed in the project. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the scope section of a project management plan.

Objectives and deliverables

The project comprises all activities required to provide 200 sales agents with remote access to the corporate network. This will involve purchasing 200 laptops, setting up an Internet service provider account for each of the agents, installing a virtual private network (VPN) server at the company headquarters, and training the sales agents to use the new system.

Project deliverables are as follows:

• correctly configured laptops
• VPN server
• training and testing programs, and
• Internet connections

2.1 Scope planning and definition

The project will be carried out in five main phases:

Phase I: Secure agreement with the Internet service provider (ISP)

Phase II: Order/install equipment

Phase III: Install/test software

Phase IV: Conduct hardware/software testing

Phase V: Conduct training

Following acquisition of an ISP service agreement and software revision, the project manager, in consultation with the web access management team, will develop a detailed project scope statement. The detailed project scope statement will contain a thorough technical specification of the web access solution architecture, server and software implementation, and training and testing procedures.

2.1.1 Project assumptions:

• the infrastructure of the company network is robust enough to support 200 remote users and the network volume this will generate, and
• users can get through network security constraints

2.1.2 Project constraints:

• user experience with laptops
• user comfort with remote access
• limited connectivity, and
• capacity to place orders while offline

2.2 Work Breakdown Structure

From the detailed project scope statement, a detailed, multi-level WBS will be created. The WBS will break down the project deliverables into work packages to a level of detail that can be controlled for cost, schedule, and quality.

2.3 Scope control

Scope changes can generally be classified as external or internal. External scope changes are those scope changes that are originated by the customer or other external parties. Internal scope changes are those originated by the project team during the execution of the project. All scope changes requested will be documented on a change request form and will be investigated by the project manager or the project team for their effect on cost, schedule, and quality. When the full implications of the scope change are known, the scope change request will be approved or rejected by the project manager and the project sponsor.

2.4 Scope verification

As each major deliverable is completed, it will be approved and signed off by the project manager. Formal sign-off of deliverables will be documented on a deliverable acceptance form.

3.0 Schedule

The schedule section of the project management plan provides a summary of the schedule for the project, which serves as the schedule baseline. The level of detail is usually restricted to an itemization of the major work activities and supporting processes as, for example, those depicted by the top level of the work breakdown structure. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the schedule section of a project management plan.

3.1 Projected schedule milestones:

Software revision    January 5

VPN server availability    January 20

Laptops received    February 1

Laptops configured    February 25

Order processing capability verified    March 15

Beta test results received    April 1

Training completed    May 15

4.0 Cost management

This section of the project management plan provides a summary of the project's budget, which serves as the cost performance baseline for the project. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the cost management section of a project management plan.

Detailed cost estimates will be produced using a project management software application, which will list costs for materials and labor at the level of the work package or lowest level of detail of the WBS.

The detailed cost estimate will be rolled up through each level of the WBS, and costs will be tracked at all levels.

The detailed cost estimate will be used as a baseline for the project, and all project expenditures will be tracked and compared against this baseline. Earned value analysis will be used to track the cost of work performed and to estimate costs at completion.

Cost variations of greater than 10% of estimates will require formal approval by the project manager and will be handled by means of the change management system.

5.0 Quality

The quality control section of the project management plan specifies the mechanisms to be used to measure and control the quality of the work processes and the resulting work products. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the quality control section of a project management plan.

Overall project quality goals are to meet the acceptance criteria, which are defined as follows:

• As a minimum, the web access solution will require functional and operational readiness testing to ensure that the processes and procedures are in place to allow the system to be used and maintained. This includes testing physical connectivity, user access to network resources, user authentication and security issues, maintenance procedures, and user training.
• The project will be carried out in accordance with the organization's documented ISO9000 quality procedures.
• The quality manager is responsible for overall project quality and will ensure that a high level of customer satisfaction is achieved by ensuring conformance to requirements and preventing poor quality.
• A quality management plan will be drawn up that details all activities necessary to achieve project quality, including quality metrics and quality checklists.
• The quality manager will be responsible for carrying out audits, reviews, and design walk-throughs to ensure that project work meets a high standard of quality.
• All completed project work will be subject to inspection to verify that it conforms to specification and drawing details.
• The quality manager will be responsible for implementing a philosophy of continuous improvement, and all project work will follow a plan-do-check-act cycle.

6.0 Human resources

The human resources section of the project management plan specifies how human resources requirements will be met. It may also contain details of the roles and responsibilities of the people who will be needed to complete the project work. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the human resources section of a project management plan.

The project organizational structure will include the following management positions:

• technical design manager
• quality manager
• network administration manager, and
• purchasing and accounts manager

Managers will be responsible for identifying the resources required for each of their areas of responsibility. Roles and responsibilities will be identified, and all details will be maintained in a staffing management plan maintained by the project manager.

The individual managers together with the project manager will be responsible for selecting appropriately skilled personnel. Where possible, resources will be drawn from the organization's current staff. Where additional resources are required, the project manager and individual managers will advertise, select, and interview candidates for the relevant positions.

Existing organizational human resources procedures will be used for the selection and hiring of project staff. Project team members and personnel will be assigned responsibility for individual tasks, and resource calendars will be issued that detail what tasks are assigned and their start and finish dates.

Where necessary, appropriate training will be provided to project staff to enable them to perform the tasks assigned to them. Project staff appraisal will be carried out that will take account of the performance of project tasks in respect of quality of work, cost, and timeliness.

7.0 Communications

The communications section of the project management plan specifies the information that must be communicated to specified stakeholders, the reporting mechanisms, and the methods, tools, and techniques of communication within the project. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the communications section of a project management plan.

The project manager is responsible for ensuring timely and appropriate communication of project performance and issues to all project stakeholders.

A communication management plan will be drawn up that will detail what information will be communicated to whom and in what format.

Work performance information will be supplied to the project manager by individual managers on a weekly basis. Detailed project reports of overall project status, including progress and issues, will be circulated to the individual managers responsible for project execution. A monthly status report on project progress will be issued to the project sponsor.

The project manager will be responsible for updating this project management plan and its subsidiary plans and issuing the updated plans to the project team members.

8.0 Risks

This section of the project management plan specifies the risk management plan for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing project risk factors. It also describes the procedures for contingency planning, and the methods to be used in tracking the various risk factors, evaluating changes in the levels of risk factors, and the responses to those changes. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the risks section of a project management plan.

The following risks have been identified and may affect the schedule, cost, or quality of the completed infrastructure:

• infrastructure instability
• software incompatibility with legacy system
• hardware failure
• interconnectivity failure, and
• delays in hardware delivery

The project manager and the project team are responsible for planning and managing risk in the project. A detailed risk management plan will be prepared. Regular risk planning meetings with the project manager and team will be held to carry out documentation reviews and analyze project assumptions to detail and expand on the initial list of risks and to produce and update a risk register. Risks will be assessed for probability of occurrence and potential effect on the project and will be ranked accordingly. The project manager will be responsible for analyzing the overall effect of risk on project cost, and schedule objectives and contingency calculations will be prepared.

Risk responses will be formulated that will seek to avoid, transfer, or mitigate negative risk and to exploit, share, and enhance positive risk.

9.0 Procurement

The procurement management plan details the processes necessary to purchase or acquire required materials, products, goods, and services. It outlines how the processes, from developing procurement documentation through contract closure, will be managed. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the procurements section of a project management plan.

The project manager, in collaboration with individual managers, will review the work packages and activities of the lowest level of the WBS and will arrive at make or buy decisions based on the availability of resources and project expertise.

From this analysis, a detailed project procurement plan will be produced that details the procurement requirements of the project. From the detailed procurement plan and project specifications and drawings, the purchasing and accounts manager will prepare documents for a request for quote (RFQ). The project manager and individual managers will prepare a list of qualified sellers who, in their opinion, are most capable of performing the work. RFQs will be issued to this qualified list of sellers.

A minimum of three responses or quotations must be obtained. The project manager, together with the purchasing and accounts manager, will generally select the lowest cost quotation; however, where the lowest cost seller is not selected, the reasons why it has not been selected will be formally documented.

The purchasing and accounts manager, together with the project manager, will carry out negotiations and draw up the contract with the selected seller. Work carried out under contract will be subject to the same change management system as noncontract work.

Work carried out under contract will be subject to quality inspection to verify that it meets the needs of the project.

Work carried out under contract will be assessed for performance with respect to cost and schedule. Completed contracts will be marked as completed and filed with quality and performance reports for their work.

10.0 Configuration management

The configuration management section of the project management plan specifies the processes of configuration management, configuration identification, document control, status accounting, evaluation, and release management. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the configuration management section of a project management plan.

All project work will be carried out with reference to the approved current version of project specifications, drawings, and documentation.

Master files of approved current project documentation will be maintained in the project library of the project management information system.

All documents will list their revision level along with approval initials and a history of previous changes.

All copies of previous versions or outdated documents will be removed from the project site when they are replaced with a new version.

11.0 Change control

The change control section of the project management plan documents the procedures for tracking changes, logging and analysis of change requests, and procedures for notifying concerned parties when changes are made. The following is an example of the kinds of information that would be included in the change control section of a project management plan.

All project documentation will be subject to change control.

Details of proposed changes will be filled in on a change request form along with appropriate supporting detail, including specifications and drawings.

Change requests will be submitted to the project manager for evaluation and approval. The project manager or their delegate will assess the change for its effect on project cost, quality, and schedule.

Where changes include a change to project scope or where costs exceed 10% of estimates, the change will be subject to the approval of the project sponsor. In all other cases, changes will be subject to approval by the project manager.

Formal approval will be indicated by the required signature of the change request form.

Approved change requests will be assigned to individual project team members for implementation. On completion of the change, the assigned team member will sign the change request form as completed.

12.0 Stakeholders

The stakeholder management plan contains all the information a project manager needs to know in order to effectively manage relationships with stakeholders, keep them engaged in the project, and ensure their information needs are met. It includes stakeholders' names, titles, contact information, communication requirements, how they prefer to be informed about project progress and issues, frequency of distribution of information, and other related types of information. The following table is an example of a stakeholder management plan.