Starting a new project is not an easy task. In many cases, it is essential to know its feasibility beforehand for the company to execute it. That is, a project analysis and planning phase is necessary to determine whether it is viable or not.
In fact, if you want to undertake a new project, you should not leave room for improvisation, because it can ruin it. That does not mean that initial plans cannot be modified. They can do it, but always after thorough analysis and decision making. You want to know more?
What is project planning?
In essence, project planning consists of specifying the steps that must be taken for its development and implementation . But it also aims to control its progress . It means, therefore, ordering the corresponding tasks of a given project to achieve an objective, both in resources and time.
This planning will depend on the application area and the complexity of the project, and should be robust enough to always respond to its changing environment . To do this, various prior tasks must be carried out, among which are the analysis of the project and the establishment of its objectives.
Stages in project planning: previous phases
Before programming the phases that must be undertaken to launch a project, it is important to carry out two tasks: the analysis of the project and the definition of the objectives to be achieved with its implementation.
The project analysis
Analysis is the first step that must be taken in all project planning. At this stage, its feasibility and its relationship with the environment and the sector in which it is intended to be implemented are studied .
The factors that can affect its development are also studied , which can be of different types, for example:
- Economical: Especially in everything that has to do with the costs it entails.
- Social: You must ensure that the project is in line with the company culture or the messages you want to convey.
- Technological: The project must take into account the current technological reality and be viable in that sense. In relation to this, it is important to have a good project planning system, such as an ERP , that contributes to its success and helps define the objectives and their phases.
If it is detected that any of these factors may affect the project in a negative way, it is time to introduce the necessary changes to ensure that this does not happen. And if the problem or damage cannot be avoided in any way, it may be advisable to completely rethink the project to prevent it from becoming unviable.
Also Read: The Eight Essential Skills For A Skilled Project Manager
Defining the objectives
Once it is concluded that the project is viable , it is time to establish its objectives . To do this, several questions must be answered, such as what the company seeks to achieve with its startup and for what reasons it wants to do it.
It is also important to know the results that are expected to be achieved . With this, a lot of information is obtained that will be vital in the following stages of project planning.
The central stages of project planning
Once the two initial phases of all project planning have been completed , it is time to carry out the rest of the central stages , such as the identification of resources and the work plan.
Resource Identification
Once the project objectives have been defined, it is time to identify the resources necessary to carry it out. This phase consists of preparing a list of the tools, means and instruments that are going to be used for the deployment of the project and for carrying out its different stages. They can be of various types: human, technological, economic, etc.
Among them will be, depending on the type of project, the personnel in charge of carrying it out , the necessary computer resources and even the budget available.
This phase can serve to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the project . For example, you may discover that the team of experts you have is adequate for your development, but that the budget is insufficient to launch it. Therefore, it is also a very important phase to, based on the weaknesses detected, make the necessary changes .
Workplan
The next stage is decisive in project planning and consists of establishing the work plan for its implementation. It must specify execution deadlines, delivery dates, methodologies to be used for its development, necessary tasks and their distribution, etc. But also the strategy to follow, as well as the work system and the methods that will govern communication in the team.
Ultimately, in this phase the project roadmap is prepared . It must be taken into account that this is not a set-in-stone plan, but rather it must be flexible . During the development of the project, variables will arise that will affect its implementation, so it is advisable to leave margins so that these do not affect its development, or do so as little as possible.
Project underway and evaluation of results
If everything has gone well, the project will finish its development phase as planned. You may also have experienced some disruptions that have affected your timelines, and even your initial goals.
In any case, project planning does not end with its start-up or after its development. It will be necessary, after some time, to analyze the results obtained and assess whether the initial objectives have been met .
At this point, the most advisable thing is to prepare a report on the process followed and the objectives achieved. In addition to evaluating the results achieved, this report will serve, among other things, as a reference for planning future projects .
Conclusion
In summary, in all project management it is essential to carry out planning that includes all its phases, in order to achieve the set objectives. Obviously, there may be changes from what was planned, but these deviations are more likely to be minimal compared to those of a project that is not planned in advance.
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