LECTURE 4

Project Planning

Introduction
The most important responsibilities of a
project manager are planning, integrating
and executing plans
Planning: Selecting the company objectives
and establishing the policies, procedures
and programs necessary
The project manager is the key to successful
project planning

Introduction

Project planning is determining what need to

be done, by whom and by when

Project planning must be systematic, flexible

and disciplined (thru reviews & control)

Project planning is an iterative and

continuous process and must performed
throughout the life of the project

Reasons for project planning

1. To eliminate or reduce uncertainty
2. To improve efficiency of the operation
3. To obtain a better understanding of the
objectives
4. To provide a basis for monitoring and
controlling work

Steps for Project Planning

Project Objectives
Project objectives must be known to all project
personnel and all managers, at all level of company
SMART rules:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic or Relevant

Tangible or Timebound

Project Planning and Control System

Planning activities
Monitoring activities

Planning questions often asked

Who plans the project?
Who executes the project?
Who is responsible for monitoring work and
controlling work?
Who is responsible for providing feedback
regarding the planning and execution phases of a
project?

The Line Manager(s) ?

The Project Manager ?
Both Parties ?
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Project Managers Responsibility

Project Manager will define:
Goals and objectives
Major milestones
Requirements
Ground rules and assumptions
Time, cost, and performance constraints
Operating procedures
Administrative policy
Reporting requirements
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Line Managers Responsibility

Line manager will define:
Detailed task descriptions to implement
objectives, requirements, and milestones
Detailed schedules and manpower allocations
to support budget and schedule
Identification of areas of risk, uncertainty, and
conflict

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Senior Managements Responsibility

Senior management (project sponsor) will:
Act as the negotiator for disagreements between
project and line management
Provide clarification of critical issues
Provide communication link with customers
senior management

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Problems with developing Objectives

Project objectives are not agreeable to all party
Project objectives are too rigid to change

Unsufficient time to define objectives well

Objectives are not adequately quantified

Objectives are not documented well enough

Personnel turnover is high

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Planning /Scheduling tools

Information needed at project initiation
The statement of work - SOW
Narrative description of work to be accomplished
Objectives, brief description of work, schedule

The project specifications

Statement of work
Man-hour, equipment, materlals

The Milestone schedule

Start date, end date
Other milestones: review meeitngs, procurement, testing

The Work Breakdown Structure

Structure the work into smaller elements
It can be manageable, independent, integratable and measurable
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Statement of Work - SOW

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Points to Address When Developing

a Statement-Of-Work

Purpose - objectives
Exclusions - what should not be done
Quantities - how many
Schedule - when the work will be started/completed
Deliverables (i.e... work done)
Acceptance criteria - what method will be used to
accept deliverables
Responsibility - department, office or person
responsible

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Statement of Work Elements

General scope of the work
Objectives and related background
Contractors tasks
Contractor end-item performance requirements
Reference to related studies, documentation, and
specifications
Data items (documentation)
Support equipment for contract end-item

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Statement of Work Elements

(Continued)
Customer-furnished property, facilities,
equipment, and services
Customer-furnished documentation
Schedule of performance
Exhibits, attachments, and appendices

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Work Breakdown Structure - WBS

WBS: A product- oriented family tree which shows a

subdivision of effort required to achieve an objective;
for example a program, project, and contract

A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) defines the work

to be completed in a project.

The WBS is the basis for time estimating, resource

allocation, and cost estimating and collection.

WBS is the tool for breaking down a project into its

component parts most important techniques used in
project management

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PURPOSE OF WBS
IT IS TO STRUCTURE AN ASSIGNED PROJECT
INTO VARIOUS ACTIVITIES IN ORDER THAT:
Detailed planning can be performed
Costs and budgets can be established
Objectives can be linked to available resources
in a logical manner
Specific authority and responsibility can be
assigned

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Work Breakdown Structure - WBS

Six-level structure
Level
Managerial
Levels
Technical
Levels

1
2
3
4
5
6

Description
Total program
Project
Task
Subtask
Work package
Level of effort

Most common type: Six-Level Indentured Structure

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Work Breakdown Structure - WBS

Can be developed using a top-down or bottom-up
approach
Can be hardware-related, function-related, or a
combination
Depth of WBS must balance out management
effort against planning accuracy (influences
technical and cost control)
For accuracy purposes the WBS should be taken
down several levels
The WBS must be structured for objective control
& evaluation
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Work Breakdown Structure - WBS

The total program can be described as a
summation of subdivided elements.
Planning can be performed.
Costs and budgets can be established.
Time, cost, and performance can be tracked.
Objectives can be linked to company resources
in a logical manner.
Schedules and status-reporting procedures can
be established.

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Work Breakdown Structure - WBS

(Continued)
Network construction and control planning can
be initiated.
The responsibility assignments for each element
can be established.

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In setting up a WBS the activities must:

Have clearly defined start dates
Have clearly defined end dates
Must be able to be used as a communicative tool
in which you can communicate the expected
results
Be estimated on a total time duration not when
the individual activities start or end
Be structured so that a minimum of project office
control and documentation (i.e. forms) are
necessary

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WBS Tasks
Have clearly defined start and end dates
Be usable as a communications tool in
which results can be compared with
expectations
Be estimate on a total time duration,
not when the task must start or end
Be structured so that a minimum of
project office control and documentation
(i.e., forms) is necessary
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WBS Building House

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New Restaurant

WBS for Restaurant

Specification
Process design
Purchasing
Product design
of needs
Cold dishes Kitchen equipment
Conduct survey
Warm dishes
Fixture
Study competition Menu design Service design Outside food
Furniture
Possible food
Perishables
Cold dishes Serving style
Possible service Warm dishes Dinning room
Staples

Advertising
On campus
Off campus

Local preparation
Start up
Construction
Preparation
Electricity
Pilot run
Plumbing
Analysis
Equip. installation
Furniture

Management
All functions
Coordination with
University

Labor force

Service
Reqts
Training

Kitchen
Reqts
Training

Cleaning
Reqts
Training
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WBS Controls
DECISION
TREES

SCHEDULES

`
WORK
BREAKDOWN
STRUCTURE

MGT.
COORDIN.

ACCOUNTABILITY

ORGANIZ.
CHARTS

COSTS
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WBS for objective control and evalution

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REASONS WHY PLANS FAIL

Corporate goals not understood lower
down in the organization/company
Plans encompass too much in too little time
Poor financial estimates
Plans based upon insufficient data
Poor staff requirements
Insufficient time allocated for project
estimating

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Classroom Activity 4a
What planning steps should precede total
program scheduling? What steps are
necessary?
Create a WBS for your current project.
Why should the entire project team be
involved in creating the WBS?

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Questions?

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