Why is it important to devise a plan for your project?

• Projects bring in clients.
• They bring in revenue.
• And they lead to growth.

So the question should be, why not devise a plan for your project?

A well-crafted project plan can help focus your plan objectives, map out your implementation, and ensure success. Proper planning can also result in effective and efficient implementation of the project.

To learn how to craft a robust project plan, you can either enrol in a certified project management certification or continue reading to discover the common areas to consider before developing projects.

1. The Project Itself

Plan even the basics. Set measurable objectives, determine how the project aligns with your overall organisational strategy. Also note, all key stakeholders must be in the room when you are carrying out these activities.

With your strategy as a guide, you can then identify where each project might meet multiple organisational goals or if there is one way to measure the efficacy of a project.

On one axis, you can set the project’s ease of implementation, and on the other, you can chart its anticipated impact on organisational goals. Without this comparison, your project might outweigh the impact.

Everything related to project planning may seem daunting right now, but when you gain a well-rounded education by a certified project management certification, your mind will be able to grasp these details quickly.

1. The Resources

Evaluating resources you have at hand and the ones you’ll need is critical to accomplishing the project. In this case, resources encompass time, people and budget. So, do you have the necessary resources required to make your project a success?

Remember, the resources may vary from project to project. In one project, you may need two IT personnel and none from marketing, and in the other, you may not need IT at all. So conduct a thorough analysis before selecting resources for your project.

What happens if you don’t have sufficient resources?

The project will become an ongoing drain for your organisation. And the more time passes, the more expensive and complicated it’s going to get.

1. The Integration

What holds a project together? The answer lies within two words – integration management, which comprises basic plans curated during the initiation phase. This document sets up the project and assigns the project manager.

Another area to consider is a project plan. Once formulated, the project plan is approved by the stakeholders and/or sponsors, and then it is meticulously monitored and tracked to determine the project’s progress.

Coming back to the point, project integration includes the directing and managing of project work, i.e., production of its deliverables. This process is monitored, analysed, and reported to identify and control any risks or problems that may occur.

Want to learn how? Consider enrolling in a certified project management certification. IIM Raipur is offering one such credible certification program. The IIM Raipur project management certification course can help you understand the PM tactics that stand the test time and everything ranging from planning to execution.

1. The Cost

This area of PM is all about the money, which means you need to have good estimation tools at your disposal to make sure that funds are tracked to every tiny facet of the project.

These tools will also:-

• Help keep the stakeholder and/or sponsors informed.
• Determine the project budget once you take all the task costs and combine them into the software.
• Help you perform earned value analysis, ensuring that the estimated costs are in line with actual expenditures.

To gain prowess in the most popular project management tools, enrol in the IIM Raipur project management certification course. This course will provide not only theoretical knowledge but also practical application of project management tools.

1. The Communication

The next area of concern is actually a pretty common and simple one – communication management. However, the simpler it looks, the more paramount is it.

Communications inform the team and stakeholders about plans, strategies, activities, implementation, performance, progress, everything. Therefore, the need to plan communications is critical to any project.

At this point, the frequency and channels of communication are determined—target who needs what and when. Also, note how communications occur when challenges arise in the project, such as change.

Manage communications when the project is executed to ensure everything runs smoothly. This will also involve controlling communications by reviewing their effectiveness regularly and adjusting if needed.

1. The Timeline

Project management is, no surprise, tedious and time-consuming. Every project is divided into several tasks that have start and end dates and budgets for each task. However, with things constantly changing over the phases of a project, revising these timelines and budget becomes crucial.

This involves schedule management, which includes creating a schedule for the project and determine who is responsible for what. It also includes defining activities, creating a task list, and a timeline by which the tasks or activities need to be carried out.

Planning a project, in theory, may seem like a walk in the park, but it is actually very complicated. You’ll need expert guidance from a certified project management course or a PMP certification. The easiest yet most comprehensive project management certification online is the IIM Raipur project management certification course. The curriculum, pedagogy, and content, everything is up-to-date and curated in a language you can understand.

Ready to Plan Some Successful Projects?

Now you know the areas you need to consider prior to developing a project, but do you have the traits of a highly effective project manager? Do you know all the gory details of these areas you need to consider?

If you are looking for expert guidance, look no further, the best project management course is here to the rescue. Ranging from aspiring project managers to established ones, everyone is relying on the IIM Raipur project management certification course to pave their way into a successful project management career.

So what are you waiting for? Enrol in this incredible project management course from IIM Raipur, and get ready to plan some kickass projects!