Project Management Plan

A project management plan is merely a document that can be used to guide the execution
of a project. Even a good plan is useless unless it is properly executed. And execution
cannot be properly driven by the plan unless it is monitored carefully and the actual
performance is tracked against the plan.

Monitoring requires measurements to be made to assess the situation of a project. If

measurements are to be taken during project execution, we must plan carefully regarding
what to measure, when to measure, and how to measure. Hence, measurement planning is a
key element in project planning. In addition, how the measurement data will be analyzed
and reported must also be planned in advance to avoid the situation of collecting data but
not knowing what to do with it. Without careful planning for data collection and its
analysis, neither is likely to happen. In this section we discuss the issues of measurements
and project tracking.
A monitoring plan is a written plan that describes what will be monitored and how.
A good monitoring plan is simple. It is based on existing monitoring mechanisms
and sources of information, and collects only as much information as is used by the
project team. Monitoring plans are also required by donors, including the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

A monitoring plan in cooperation with the partner should be prepared to ensure

that:

 Both parties have an understanding of what is being monitored and why

 Monitoring is seen as a tool for learning and improving the work, not as a demand
from the donor
 Project indicators are relevant
 Information is collected regularly throughout the project
 Operational environment is considered in the plan

Project Execution & Monitoring

In this phase, the tasks described in project plans are executed according to their
schedules.
Execution needs monitoring in order to check whether everything is going according to
the plan. Monitoring is observing to check the probability of risk and taking measures to
address the risk or report the status of various tasks.
These measures include -
 Activity Monitoring - All activities scheduled within some task can be monitored
on day-to-day basis. When all activities in a task are completed, it is considered as
complete.
 Status Reports - The reports contain status of activities and tasks completed within
a given time frame, generally a week. Status can be marked as finished, pending or
work-in-progress etc.
 Milestones Checklist - Every project is divided into multiple phases where major
tasks are performed (milestones) based on the phases of SDLC. This milestone
checklist is prepared once every few weeks and reports the status of milestones.
Project Communication Management
Effective communication plays vital role in the success of a project. It bridges gaps
between client and the organization, among the team members as well as other stake
holders in the project such as hardware suppliers.
Communication can be oral or written. Communication management process may have
the following steps:
 Planning - This step includes the identifications of all the stakeholders in the project
and the mode of communication among them. It also considers if any additional
communication facilities are required.
 Sharing - After determining various aspects of planning, manager focuses on sharing
correct information with the correct person on correct time. This keeps every one
involved the project up to date with project progress and its status.
 Feedback - Project managers use various measures and feedback mechanism and
create status and performance reports. This mechanism ensures that input from
various stakeholders is coming to the project manager as their feedback.
 Closure - At the end of each major event, end of a phase of SDLC or end of the
project itself, administrative closure is formally announced to update every
stakeholder by sending email, by distributing a hardcopy of document or by other
mean of effective communication
The Monitoring & Controlling process contains eleven processes, which are:
1. Monitor and control project work. The generic process under which all other
monitoring and controlling activities fall under.
2. Perform integrated change control. The tasks involved with making changes to
the project plan. When changes to the schedule, cost, or any other area of
the project management plan are necessary, the plan is changed and re-approved by
the project sponsor.
3. Validate scope. The activities involved with gaining approval of the
oroject’s deliverables.
4. Control scope. Ensuring that the scope of the project does not change, and that
unauthorized activities are not performed as part of the project (scope creep).
5. Control schedule. The tasks involved with ensuring the project work is performed
according to the schedule, and that project deadlines are met.
6. Control costs. The tasks involved with ensuring the project costs stay within the
approved budget.
7. Control quality. Ensuring that the quality of the project’s deliverables are to the
standard defined in the project management plan.
8. Control communications. Providing for the communication needs of each project
stakeholder.
9. Control risks. Safeguarding the project from unexpected events that negatively
impact the project’s budget, schedule, stakeholder needs, or any other project success
criteria.
10. Control procurements. Ensuring the project’s subcontractors and vendors meet
the project goals.
11. Control stakeholder engagement. The tasks involved with ensuring that all of the
project’s stakeholders are left satisfied with the project work.