Project Planning Software

Software Tips

What is project planning?

Project planning is the process of planning and organizing the goals, tasks, resources, deadlines and processes for a project in advance. Project planning is an essential part of project management and serves to ensure that a project is carried out efficiently and successfully.

Create a project management plan

Creating a project management plan is important. It provides a clear structure and defines the objectives and scope of the project. This gives all team members and stakeholders a common understanding of what is to be achieved. By creating the schedule as part of the project plan, tasks, milestones and dependencies are defined. This enables efficient use of the time available and ensures that the project is completed on time. The plan identifies and manages all required resources, including personnel, finances, equipment and materials.

A project management plan usually includes detailed budgeting to ensure that financial resources are used efficiently. The plan may include standards and processes for quality management in the project. Overall, the creation of a project management plan promotes transparency, efficiency and the success of a project by providing a clear structure and guidelines for planning, implementation and monitoring.

What documents can a project management plan include?

A project management plan is a comprehensive document that forms the basis for the planning, implementation, monitoring and control of a project. It serves as a reference document for the entire project team and other stakeholders and provides a clear roadmap for the successful implementation of a project.

The project management plan usually includes a variety of information and elements that are necessary for the effective management of a project, e.g. schedule, budget, resource plan, communication plan, risk management plan and quality management plan. Not all of these documents are required for every project or for every project size. For example, a risk management plan and quality management plan are not necessarily required for projects of smaller size and complexity.

Table: General overview of documents for a project management plan

• *Small projects: Duration from a few days to a few weeks, individual or small team, low budget, low complexity with clearly defined scope and well-defined tasks
• **Medium projects: Longer period of several months to a year, larger project team with possibly several departments or specialists, can include complex tasks and sub-goals and requires detailed planning
• ***Major projects: Duration often covers several years with long-term goals and milestones, large project team with experts, large budget including budgeting and monitoring, high complexity with different phases, dependencies, risks and variable factors

Work breakdown structure (WBS)

The work breakdown structure is a hierarchical representation of all work packages and tasks required to complete a project. It graphically represents the structure of the project by showing the relationships between the various tasks and work packages. The WBS helps to divide the project into manageable sections and facilitates the assignment of responsibilities.

Project schedule

A project schedule serves as a written record of the planned course of a project, both in terms of content and timing. This plan structures the process elements, including tasks and milestones, taking into account the factual links, the boundary conditions and the overall project objective. It can be structured in different ways.

Typical examples are

Milestone plan

A milestone plan identifies the most important milestones or key events in the course of a project. Milestones mark crucial points that indicate the progress of the project. They serve as reference points for project monitoring and control. The milestone plan helps to track project progress and ensure that the project moves forward in a timely manner.

Schedule or timetable

The schedule list is a compilation of all activities and tasks of a project in chronological order. It contains information such as start and end dates, duration and responsibilities for each activity. The schedule list serves as the basis for creating the overall schedule and provides a detailed insight into the project timeline.

Gantt chart

A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the project schedule, often in the form of a Gantt chart. The horizontal bars represent the activities or tasks, their length stands for the duration, and the position on the timeline indicates the start and end time. A Gantt chart makes it easier to visualize tasks, dependencies and schedules, which simplifies planning and monitoring.

Network plan

A network is a schematic representation of the logical dependencies between different activities or tasks of a project. There are two main types of network diagrams: the PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and the CPM (Critical Path Method) network diagram. Network plans help to identify the critical path, i.e. the longest chain of dependent activities, and to determine the time frame for the completion of the project.

Cost plan

A cost plan as part of project planning is a detailed overview of all financial aspects of a project. The cost plan is crucial to ensure that the project budget is estimated appropriately and that financial resources are managed effectively.

The main components of a cost plan are

Project cost estimate

A detailed estimate of all costs that will be incurred during the course of the project. This may include personnel costs, material costs, costs for external services, equipment costs, travel costs and other expenses.

Budgeting

Setting a budget that covers the total cost of the project. The budget should reflect the cost estimate and serve as a guideline for the financial management of the project.

Cost breakdown according to resources

A detailed breakdown of costs by resource, such as personnel, equipment, materials and external services. This enables more precise control and monitoring of expenditure.

Ongoing cost monitoring

Mechanisms and processes for ongoing monitoring of costs during the project. This may include regular reporting, budget comparisons and reviews.

Risk buffer

A portion of the budget set aside as a buffer for unforeseen costs or risks in the project. This serves to cushion unexpected events and ensure that the project is not impaired by unexpected expenses.

Cost control and management

A plan for effective cost management, including the definition of responsibilities, approval processes for additional expenditure and cost reduction measures where necessary.

Cost allocation

The allocation of costs to specific tasks, work packages or phases of the project. This enables detailed tracking of financial resources throughout the course of the project.

Cost tracking tools

The selection and implementation of tools or software to track project costs. These can help to maintain an overview of the project's financial performance.

Reporting

The timing and scope of reporting on financial metrics and progress against budget. This may include regular reports to the project team, stakeholders or senior management.

Final report

A comprehensive final report summarizing the actual costs compared to the budget. This enables an evaluation of budget accuracy and serves as a basis for future projects.

Resource plan

A resource plan in the context of project planning is a document that identifies, allocates and manages all the resources required for the successful completion of a project. Resources can include various aspects such as personnel, time, finances, equipment, materials and more.

Key components of a resource plan are

Typical functions of the project planning software

• Task Planning
• Resource Planning
• Scheduling
• Team Collaboration
• Budget Management
• Risk Management
• Reporting and analysis
• Gantt Charts
• Milestones
• Dashboards
• Plan Variants
• Task Prioritization
• Document Management
• Task Tracking
• Task Update
• Project Forecasts
• Project Completion and Evaluation
• Integration of Third-Party Tools