Sample Project Plan

Confidentiality Statement
This <document title> along with all attachments hereto shall be considered <company>s Proprietary/Confidential Information.

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

Project Particulars Name of Project Project number Prepared by Project ownership Version number Date of current plan Project Contacts Name Primary Other Other Project Approval Authority for project funding Project Plan Distribution List List the recipients of the project plan. Name Title Interest in Project Position Phone Email Where applicable Name of project manager Name of area/title/department responsible

Version Control Record changes to the project plan. Version Number Date Reason/Comments/Approvals

Management Summary

2007 gantthead.com

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

The management summary sums up project information that is most important to management: objectives, cost, time frame, key benefits and an outline of the milestones. The summary should be one or two pages in length, depending on the size of the project. Major Changes From Project Proposal If you make significant changes to the project proposal, use the table below to indicate changes needed across the specific key project areas and the adjustments within each area to accommodate the requested changes. Category Scope Time Cost Quality Risk Management Communications Detailed Description and Justification for Project Changes If your management requires it, provide a detailed description and justification for the project changes from which the executive management, your PMO or project steering committee can decide whether or not to approve the changes. Reason for Variance from Project Proposal Proposed Changes (From Project Proposal)

2007 gantthead.com

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

Project Information The project plan contains details of the strategies and information necessary to execute a project. A governing body may request that a business case be prepared for the project if the project is valued above a certain dollar threshold.

Introduction and Background Objectives Comment on the circumstances that lead up to the need for and decision to fund the project. What are the overall aims of the project? Scope, Constraints, Assumptions Describe the activities and tasks contained in the project, showing the boundaries of the project. Outline activities outside the project scope and any assumptions that the project is based on. Establish the scope with the stakeholders. Scope verification and clear user requirements are important aspects to gain agreement with the stakeholders. The better you define the outcomes, the less probability youll encounter dramatic scope changes or scope creep. Break your project out into chunks or stages. Multi-year projects should show annual objectives. Scope Within Scope

Outside Scope

Constraints

Assumptions

2007 gantthead.com

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

Interdependencies with Business Activities, Systems and Other Projects List interdependencies and possible impacts to draw attention to integration issues. Interdependent Activity Possible Impact

Business Case and Benefits Realization What are the business reasons for carrying out your prospective project? The business case shows the benefits and added value of the project. A method for measuring the improvement or value should accompany each benefit. The monitoring and measuring may take place throughout the life of the system or service, long after the project and its postimplementation review are completed. The detail and effort put into the metrics depend on the project. Cost/benefit analysis is a method for determining the financial impact of projects in which the benefits are easily quantifiable and measurable. Cost/effectiveness of benefits with value added is a valid expression applied to many projects in cases where the benefits are not easily measured or quantifiable. Soft benefits may require using assessment techniques of anecdotal evidence and surveys. Net Present Value (NPV) is an algorithm for calculating the expected net monetary gain or loss from a project by discounting all expected future cash inflows and outflows to the present. Net Present Cost (NPC) is a variation of NPV for calculating expense flows for projects without a quantifiable income stream. NPV and NPC are the generally accepted bases for measuring the financial impact of proposed projects. List only those benefits contained within the scope of the project.
Benefits should indicate the method of measurement after the project ends.

Benefits

How to Measure

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The WBS is a separate, foundation project document and may be a diagrammatic representation of the project activities. MS Project may also be used to prepare a WBS. Indicate where the WBS for this project can be found.

2007 gantthead.com

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

Risk Management Provide a separate risk management plan to identify project risks. Indicate below where the risk management plan for this project can be found.

Costing Use the table below to provide comprehensive, detailed costing for the project. Identify and account for individual resources. Operating grant costs that will be absorbed should be shown. The Other category may include extras, as required. Include costs that will be absorbed. Break projects out into stages. Multi-year projects should show annual objectives. For a major project, include a salary cost component for the postimplementation review. In a separate table, show the ongoing costs of the continued maintenance of the products of the project when the project has ended. Use MS Excel if calculations warrant the use of a spreadsheet, or MS Project. Costs and Resources During the Life of the Project Category Salaries Equipment Software Other Contingent Funds Grand Total (All Costs) Total Operating Grant Total Other Funding Total Project Funds Allocated Basis for Estimated Project Costs Explain the basis of estimated costs above. Detail Duration Funding Source Amount

Ongoing Costs After Project Completion Ongoing

2007 gantthead.com

Detail

Funding

Annual

Approved Funding
6

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

Ongoing Costs After Project Completion Maintenance Salaries Equipment Software Other Total Basis for Estimated Ongoing Costs Explain the basis of the estimated costs above. Source after Project Ends Amount Source Contact

Timelines The project plan should detail timing with milestones for implementation of the projects activities. Large projects are advised to use a product like MS Project. Timelines should reflect the work breakdown structure with key activities and deliverables marked. The project manager should make sure that the time frame is realistic. Enlist project team members in the time estimates, if possible. The timelines should be based on reality, with contingencies allocated. Activity or Deliverable Timeframe Kill/Milestone Date

Quality This section deals with strategies for ensuring high quality for the project. As a minimum, the project plan should include the quality measures and acceptance criteria to be used. You could also attach a separate quality plan. If you do that, indicate below the location of the plan.

2007 gantthead.com

gantthead.com

Sample Project Plan

Project Management Structure The project plan should list the names of the sponsor, steering committee members and project manager. These key project members must understand their duties and responsibilities for a project to be successful. The project plan lists customized changes or extra duties from the standard roles and responsibilities. Generally speaking, the project manager deals with operational matters and reports to the steering committee/PMO/executive management on project progress, including strategic issues. The steering committee/PMO/executive management should work at a strategic level. An operational reference group may be included in the project structure. Project Role Sponsor Client Leader Project Manager Expert/Specialist Steering Committee Member (General) Internal Audit Representative Reference Group Member Reference Group Member Communication This section deals with strategies for communicating to and training stakeholders. Stakeholders will have been previously been identified in the project proposal. Use the table below or produce a separate communication plan. If you use a separate communication plan, indicate below where the plan can be found. Stakeholder Group Communication Strategy Training Strategy Name Title/Position Interest in Project

2007 gantthead.com