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Rolling Wave Planning
Rolling wave planning is a project management technique that involves progressive
elaboration to add detail to the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) on an ongoing basis. At the
beginning of the project, near term deliverables are decomposed into individual components (work
packages) and defined at the greatest level of detail. Deliverables and schedule activities that will
take place several reporting periods in the future are more broadly defined. For example, Phases
1-2 might be broken down fully in the WBS. Phases 3-6 might be outlined only to the level of
subprojects. Then, while schedule activities for phase 1 are underway, the detailed planning for
phase 3 would commence. As phase 2 is put in motion, planning for phase 4 would start and so
forth.
In this way, rolling wave planning permits work activities to move forward on current and near
term deliverables while planning is still ongoing for future work packages. This type of project
management approach is particularly useful when the availability of information needed to plan
future work packages in detail is predicated on the successful completion of previous project
phases. This technique may also help shorten time to completion in 2 ways:
1. By making it possible for productive activities to begin without waiting for every detail of
the project work to be determined in advance
2. By eliminating downtime for additional planning in the middle of a project since planning is
done continuously
Project management that is undertaken using rolling wave planning must have a well-defined
project scope from the outset. Otherwise, as planning is elaborated scope creep is likely to occur.
This term is defined in the 3
rd
and 4
th
editions of the PMBOK.
Related Entries:
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Can Decomposition Be Taken Too Far? Creating a detailed work breakdown structure (WBS) is a
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and deliverables. The basic matrix of a scope planning...
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a particular and specific process group that...
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management control of the decision making process. Top-level managers are often reluctant to...
Page 1 of 12 Project Management Knowledge Rolling Wave Planning Project Management Kno...
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Activity Definition Activity definition refers to the process of parsing a project into a number of
individual tasks which must be completed...
Can Decomposition Be Taken Too Far? Creating a detailed work breakdown structure (WBS) is a
critical process in project management. When you have defined each deliverable,...
Scope Planning Scope planning refers to a project management process that defines boundaries
and deliverables. The basic matrix of a scope planning...
Planning Processes In terms of project management, the concept of the planning process refers to
a particular and specific process group that...
Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Planning In project management, top-down planning gives senior
management control of the decision making process. Top-level managers are often reluctant to...
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Resources
Definitions
A
Apportioned Effort (AE)
Arrow Diagramming Method (ADM) [Technique]
Accept
Acceptance
Acceptance Criteria
Acquire Project Team
Activity
Activity Attributes
Activity Code
Activity Definition
Activity Description
Activity Duration
Activity Duration Estimating
Activity Identifier
Activity List
Activity Resource Estimating [Process]
Activity Sequencing [Process]
Activity-on-Arrow (AOA)
Activity-on-Node
Actual Cost
Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP)
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Actual Duration
Actual Finish Date (AF)
Actual Start Date (AS)
Analogous Estimating [Technique]
Application Area
Approval
Approve
Approved Change Request [Output/input]
Arrow
As-of Date
Assumptions Analysis [Technique]
Assumptions [Output/Input]
Authority
B
Backward Pass
Bar Chart [Tool]
Baseline
Baseline Finish Date
Baseline Start Date
Bill of materials (BOM)
Bottom-up Estimating [Technique]
Brainstorming [Technique]
Budget
Budget at Completion
Budgeted Cost of Work Performed
Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled
Buffer
Buyer
C
Calendar Unit
Change Control
Change Control Board (CCB)
Change Control System [Tool]
Change Request
Chart of Accounts
Charter
Checklist
Claim
Close Project
Closing Process
Co-location
Code of Accounts (in Project Management)
Common Cause
Communication (in project management)
Communication Management Plan
Communications Planning
Compensation
Component
Configuration Management System
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Constraint
Contingency
Contingency Allowance
Contingency Reserve
Contract
Contract Administration
Contract Closure
Contract Management Plan
Contract Statement of Work
Contract Work Breakdown Structure
Control
Control Account
Control Account Plan
Control Limits
Controlling
Corrective Action
Cost
Cost Baseline
Cost Budgeting
Cost Control
Cost Estimating
Cost Management Plan
Cost of Quality (COQ)
Cost Performance Index
Cost Variance (CV)
Cost-Plus-Fee
Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Contract
Cost-Plus-Percentage of Cost (CPPC)
Cost-Reimbursable Contract
Crashing
Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Criteria
Critical Activity
Critical Chain Method
Critical Path
Critical Path Method (CPM)
Current Finish Date
Current Start Date
Customer
D
Data Date (DD)
Date
Decision Tree Analysis
Decomposition
Defect
Defect Repair
Deliverable
Delphi Technique
Dependency
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Design Review
Develop Project Charter
Develop Project Management Plan
Develop Project Scope Statement (preliminary)
Develop Project Team
Direct and Manage Project Execution
Discipline
Discrete Effort
Document
Documented Procedure
Dummy Activity
Duration
E
Early Finish Date
Early Start Date
Earned Value
Earned Value Management
Earned Value Technique
Effort
Enterprise
Enterprise Environmental Factors
Estimate
Estimate at Completion
Estimate to Complete
Event
Exception Report
Execute
Executing
Executing Process
Execution
Expected Monetary Value Analysis
Expert Judgment
F
Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
Fast Tracking
Finish Date
Finish-to-Finish
Finish-to-Start
Firm-Fixed-Price Contract
Fixed-Price or Lump Sum Contract
Fixed-Price-Incentive-Fee Contract
Float
Flowcharting
Forecasts
Forward Pass
Free Float
Functional Manager
Functional Organization
Funds
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G
Gantt Chart
Goods
Grade
Ground Rules
H
Hammock Activity
Historical Information
Human Resource Planning
I
Imposed Date
Influence Diagram
Influencer
Information Distribution
Initiating Process
Initiator
Input
Inspection
Integral
Integrated
Integrated Change Control
Invitation for Bid
Issue
K
Knowledge
Knowledge Area Process
Knowledge Area, Project Management
L
Lag
Late Finish Date
Late Start Date
Latest Revised Estimate
Lead (Technique)
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned Knowledge Base
Level of Effort (LOE)
Leveling
Life cycle
Log
Logic
Logic Diagram
Logical Relationship
M
Manage Project Team
Manage Stakeholders
Master Schedule
Materiel
Matrix Organization
Methodology
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Milestone
Milestone schedule
Monitor
Monitor and Control Project Work
Monitoring
Monitoring and Controlling Processes
Monte Carlo Analysis
N
Near-Critical Activity
Network
Network Analysis
Network Logic
Network Loop
Network Open End
Network Path
Networking [Technique]
Node
O
Objective
Operations
Opportunity
Organization
Organization Chart [Tool]
Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
Organizational Process Assets
Original Duration (OD)
Output
P
Parametric Estimating
Pareto Chart
Path Convergence
Path Divergence
Percent Complete (PC or PCT)
Perform Quality Assurance (QA)
Perform Quality Control (QC)
Performance Maintenance Baseline
Performance Reporting
Performance Reports
Performing Organization
Phase
Plan Contracting
Plan Purchases and Acquisitions
Planned Finish Date
Planned Start Date
Planned Value
Planning Package
Planning Processes
Portfolio
Portfolio Management
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Position Description
Practice
Precedence Diagramming Method
Precedence Relationship
Predecessor Activity
Preventive Action
Probability and Impact Matrix
Procedure
Process
Process Group
Procurement Documents
Procurement Management Plan
Product
Product Life Cycle
Product Scope
Product Scope Description
Program
Program Management
Program Management Office
Progressive Elaboration
Project
Project Calendar
Project Charter
Project Communications Management
Project Cost Management
Project Human Resource Management
Project Initiation
Project Integration Management
Project Life Cycle
Project Management (PM)
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
Project Management Information System (PMIS)
Project Management Knowledge Area
Project Management Office
Project Management Plan
Project Management Process
Project Management Process Group
Project Management Professional
Project Management Software
Project Management System
Project Management Team
Project Manager
Project Organization Chart
Project Phase
Project Process Groups
Project Procurement Management
Project Quality Management
Project Risk Management
Project Schedule
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Project Schedule Network Diagram
Project Scope
Project Scope Management Plan
Project Scope Statement
Project Sponsor
Project Stakeholder
Project Summary Breakdown Structure
Project Team
Project Team Dictionary
Project team members
Project Time Management
Project Work
Projectized Organization
Q
Qualitative Risk Analysis
Quality
Quality Management Plan
Quality Planning
Quantitative Risk Analysis
R
Regulation
Reliability
Remaining Duration
Request for Information
Request for Proposal
Request for Quotation
Request Seller Responses
Requested Change
Requirement
Reserve
Reserve Analysis
Residual Risk
Resource
Resource Breakdown Structure
Resource Calendar
Resource Histogram
Resource Leveling
Resource Planning
Resource-constrained Schedule
Resource-Limited Schedule
Responsibility Assignment Matrix
Result
Retainage
Rework
Risk
Risk Acceptance
Risk Avoidance
Risk Breakdown Structure
Risk category
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Risk Database
Risk identification
Risk management plan
Risk Management Planning
Risk Mitigation
Risk Monitoring and Control
Risk Register
Risk Response Planning
Risk Transference
Role
Rolling Wave Planning
Root Cause Analysis
S
S-Curve
Schedule
Schedule Activity
Schedule Analysis
Schedule Compression
Schedule Control
Schedule Development
Schedule Management Plan
Schedule Milestone
Schedule Model
Schedule Network Analysis
Schedule Performance Index
Scheduled Finish Date (SF)
Scheduled Start Date (SS)
Scheduled Variance
Scope
Scope Change
Scope Control
Scope Creep
Scope Definition
Scope Planning
Scope Verification
Secondary Risk
Select Sellers
Seller
Sensitivity Analysis
Service
Should-Cost Estimate
Simulation
Skill
Special Cause
Specification
Specification Limits
Sponsor
Staffing Management Plan
Stakeholder
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Standard
Start Date
Start-to-Finish (SF)
Start-to-Start
Statement of Work
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis
Subnetwork
Subphase
Subproject
Successor Activity
Summary Activity, Hammock Activity
SWAG
System
T
Target Completion Date
Target Finish Date
Target Schedule
Target Start Date (TS)
Task
Team Members
Technical Performance Measurement
Technique
Template
Threat
Three-Point Estimates
Thresholds
Time & Material (T&M) Contract
Time-Scaled Schedule Network Diagram
Tool
Total Float
Total Quality Management (TQM)
Trend Analysis [Technique]
Triggers
Triple Constraint
U
User
V
Validation
Value Engineering
Variance
Variance Analysis
Verification
Virtual Team
Voice of the Customer
W
War Room
Work
Work Authorization (Method)
Work Authorization System
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Work Breakdown Structure
Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary
Work Package
Work Performance Information
Workaround
X
Z
Blogroll
Project Management 2.0
Scope Crpe
General
Maxs Project Management Wisdom
MCTS Exam Preparation
PMI
Projektmanagement (German)
The PM Podcast
This article about Rolling Wave Planning is from
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