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Project Plan Documents

The author presents "the most important plan documents" based on a model project, but insists that it is for "didactic purposes" and are not to be used as a rigid model, as the nature of each project will determine the documents required.

Integration Management

Project Charter

The project charter provides key information about the project and authorizes its execution.

• Project title
• A summary of the conditions defining the project (introduction)
• Project justification
• Name of the project manager and his or her responsibilities and authority
• Basic needs of the work to be met
• Main stakeholders
• Description of the project's product
• Basic project schedule
• Initial cost estimates
• Initial assumptions
• Initial restrictions
• Initial resource needs
• Need for support by the organization
• Composition of the Change Control Board (CCB)
• Control and management of the project information
• Approvals with the signature of the executive responsible for the document

Project Plan

The project plan describes the procedures to be performed during the execution of the project. It describes:

• An overview of the project targets and scope
• Detailed project objectives
• Names and responsibilities of the project manager and of the main project team members (responsibility matrix)
• The project's organization chart
• Technical study of the solutions to be adopted by the project
• Contractual aspects regarding the participation of elements external to the project
• The work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Schedules, Gantt chart, and network diagram
• Main milestones
• Resource utilization by the project
• The budget, cost review, and cash flows
• Human resources training needs
• Systems established to evaluate quality and performance indexes to be achieved by the project
• Potential obstacles to be faced by the project and possible solutions
• Pending list

Top-Level Gantt Chart

The top-level Gantt chart displays the main project phases and works over time. It is summarized, and its purpose is to provide a global view of how the main works are distributed over time.

Integrated Change Control System

This document that describes all the processes regarding changes in the project, whether changes of scope, time, or costs. It indicates the criteria for consideration, and the consequences of making changes to the project.

Stakeholders Priority Matrix

This document describes the priorities of the stakeholders, as a guide for tactical decisions during the project's execution.

Lessons Learned Log

A journal of "lessons learned" as kept for the project as a method for documenting unexpected circumstances.

Scope Management

Preliminary Project Scope Statement

This document formalizes the scope of the project, defining the boundaries of the project. Usually, the preliminary project scope statement contains the following:

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Name of the sponsor
• Name of the project manager, his or her responsibilities, and authority
• The preliminary organization chart
• Names of project team members
• Composition of the executive committee or CCB
• Project description
• Project objectives
• Project justification
• Project product
• Client's or sponsor's expectations
• Project success factors
• Constraints
• Assumptions
• Project boundaries and specific exclusions
• The work breakdown structure (preliminary)
• Main project activities and strategies
• Main project deliverables
• Initial project budget
• Deliverables plan and project milestones
• Initial project risks
• The project's configuration management and change requirements
• Document change log
• Approvals

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The work breakdown statement divides the project into phases and components to facilitate measurement and management.

The document also provides definitions that describe each "work package": of the project, indicating the tasks to be performed, relations to other tasks, and criteria for success.

For each work package, document:

• The package name and code
• The main person responsible for the work package
• Estimated duration of the work package
• Estimated costs of the work package
• Main tasks to be accomplished
• Planned resources
• Main work package predecessors
• Main work package successors
• Risks associated with the package
• Other related information
• Approvals

Scope Management Plan

The scope management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage the entire project scope.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of the scope management processes
• The priority of scope changes and responses
• Configuration management process
• Frequency of the project scope evaluation
• Cost allocation for scope changes
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the scope management plan
• Other issues related to the project scope
• Document change log
• Approvals

Time Management

Activity List

This is a complete list of project activities, the necessary stages for the completion of a project performed on a sequence determined by the project characteristics. The activities may occur sequentially or simultaneously.

Of specific importance are:

• Executive activities-- These are the activities directly related to the course of action within the project.
• Milestones-- The milestone represents an event or condition that marks the execution of a group of activities related to each other, or the completion of a project phase.
• Deliverables - The outcomes that will be produced when a given activity (or set of activities) is completed

Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a popular graphical representation of schedules, using horizontal bars to represent the time of individual tasks, placed on a time scale that shows the order of tasks to be performed.

A "Leveling Gantt Chart" is a QA tool that provides two bars for each activity: one that indicates the planned time, another that indicates the actual time.

Network Diagram

A network diagram shows the interrelationship among project activities, generally in terms of dependencies (which tasks must be completed before another task can be begun). It generally takes the form of a flowchart.

Milestones Chart

A milestones chart provides markers on a horizontal calendar to indicate where deliverables will be completed. It is often integrated with the Gantt chart.

Schedule Management Plan

The schedule management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage the entire project schedule.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of schedule management processes
• Schedule change priorities
• Schedule change control system (SCCS)
• Process adopted for resource conflicts
• The project's schedule buffer
• Frequency of the project's schedule evaluation
• Cost allocation for schedule changes
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the schedule management plan
• Other subjects related to the project's time management not included in the plan
• Document change log
• Approvals

Cost Management

Project Task Budget

This document breaks down costs according to the tasks - the total project cost is the sum of the cost of the phases, each phase is the sum of its component work bundles, etc. down to the lowest level task.

Costs may be broken down in a number of ways, and it is not uncommon for there to be a "low" and "high" estimate for each item.

Allocated Resources Budget

This report summarizes the costs associated with each resource for the duration of the project, generally as a unitary cost or a fixed total cost.

Cash Flow

The schedule of cash flows indicates when project expenses must be paid, according to the estimated schedule - it is a critical document for budgeting and finance purposes.

The cash flows can also be represented as a line graph (cumulative cost over time), which is often called an "S-curve" due to its shape.

Cost Management Plan

The cost management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage all the project costs.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of the cost management processes
• Frequency of evaluation of the project's budget and the management reserves
• Financial reserves
• Authorities for using financial reserves
• Cost change control system (CCCS)
• Cost allocation for budget changes
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the cost management plan
• Other subjects related to the project cost management not included in the plan
• Document change log
• Approvals

Quality Management

The quality management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage the entire project quality.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of the quality management processes
• Quality requirements
• Quality standards
• The priority of quality requirement changes and answers
• The quality change control system (QCCS)
• Frequency of evaluation of the project's quality processes
• Cost allocation for quality changes
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the quality management plan
• Other subjects related to the project cost management not included in the plan
• Document change log
• Approvals

Human Resources Management

Organization Chart

A project organization chart shows the reporting relationships among individuals involved in the project. Generally, the sponsor is at the top, then the project manager, his direct reports beneath him, and so on.

This is not the same as the business's standard organization chart - it includes only those with a role in the project, and does not consider their "regular" position in the company - just their role in the project.

Project Team Directory

This document lists the names, positions, and contact information for each person shown in the organization chart.

Responsibility Matrix

The responsibility matrix lists the individuals involved in the project against areas of expertise (or responsibility), and indicates whether the person is accountable (in charge), substitute (to be called if the accountable person is not available), or merely a contributor.

The responsibility matrix displays the responsibilities of each project team member (Table 3.7.2). It may display the detailed responsibilities of each resource, or only the project people and key-role responsibilities. Also, the responsibility matrix identifies the responsibilities, the support needs, and the supervision of each project activity group and of each specific project plan. Usually, the responsibility matrix is part of the staff management plan.

Human Resources Management Plan

The human resources management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage all the project human resources.

• Project title
• Name of the person that prepared the document
• The project organization chart displaying the project team hierarchical structure, including the related matrix structure elements
• The project team directory containing all the human resources information on the project, including position, actuation area, and liaison
• The responsibility matrix, which associates the WBS elements with team members
• Policies regarding new resources and the reallocation and replacement of team members
• Training policies
• Resource performance review
• Bonus for team members
• Frequency of team performance review
• Cost allocation for extraordinary human resource needs
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the staff management plan
• Other subjects related to human resources management of the project not included in the plan
• Document change log
• Approvals

Communication Management

The communication management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage all project communications.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of the communication management processes
• Communication events (meetings and presentations)
• The communication events schedule
• Meeting minutes
• Project reports
• Technical environment, information storage, and distribution framework
• Cost allocation for extraordinary communications needs
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the communications management plan
• Other subjects related to communications management of the project
• Document change log
• Approvals

Risk Management

The risk management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage all the project risks. The risk plan is one of the secondary plans of the project overall plan.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of the risk management processes
• The risk breakdown structure (RBS) for risk identification
• Identified risks
• Qualitative risk analysis
• Quantitative risk analysis
• The risk change control system (RCCS)
• Risk response plan
• Contingency reserves
• Frequency of evaluation of the project risk management
• Cost allocation for risk management
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the risk management plan
• Other subjects related to risk management of the project not included in the plan
• Document change log
• Approvals

Procurement Management

The procurement management plan is a formal document that describes the procedures that will be used to manage all the project acquisition contracts.

• Project title
• Name of the person who prepared the document
• Description of the procurement management processes
• Contract management
• Evaluation criteria for proposals
• Contractor evaluation
• Supplier performance review
• Frequency of evaluation of the project's procurement management
• Cost allocation for the procurement process
• Name of the person responsible for the plan
• Frequency of updating the procurement management plan
• Other subjects related to the project's procurement management not included in the plan
• Document change log
• Approvals

Statement of Work

For each item to be contracted, a statement of work should be provided to potential suppliers to enable them to evaluate whether they can satisfy the needs of the project and provide a detailed bid. Each SOW should include:

• Purpose of the statement of work
• Specifications and quantities of the material and equipment to be purchased or description of the service to be contracted
• Supply conditions
• Proponent qualifications
• Contract requirements
• Supplier performance review
• Document change log
• Approvals