Plans

• Purpose
• Defined
  • What is a plan?
  • What is planning?
  • Levels of plan
  • The Project Plan
  • Stage Plans
  • Team Plans
  • Exception Plans
• The PRINCE2 approach
  • Philosophy
  • Prerequisites for planning -
    design the plan
  • Define and analyse the products
• Prerequisites for planning
  • Write the Project Product Description
  • Create the product breakdown structure
  • Write the Product Descriptions
  • Create the product flow diagram
• Identify activities and dependencies
  • Activities
  • Dependencies
• Prepare estimates
• Prepare the schedule
  • Overview
  • Define activity sequence
  • Assess resource availability
  • Assign resources
  • Level resource usage
  • Agree control points
  • Define milestones
  • Calculate total resource requirements and costs
• Analyse the risks
• Document the plan
• Responsibilities

Key sections

• Introduction
• Business case
• Organization
• Quality
• Plans
• Risk
• Change
• Progress
• Introduction to processes
• Starting up a projectDirecting a project
• Initiating a project
• Controlling a stage
• Managing Product Delivery
• Managing a Stage Boundary
• Closing a Project
• Tailoring PRINCE2 to the project environment
• Directing Projects with PRINCE2

Plans defined

What is planning?

Planning is the act or process of making and maintaining a plan.
The term is also used to describe the formal procedures used in this exercise, such as the creation of documents and diagrams.

Planning is essential, regardless of the type or size of the project; it is not a trivial exercise but is vital to the success of the project.

Without effective planning, the result of complex projects cannot be predicted in terms of scope, quality, risk, timescale, cost and benefits.
Those involved in providing resources cannot optimize their operations.

Poorly planned projects cause frustration, waste and rework.
It is therefore essential to allocate sufficient time [see 'The Complete Time Management package'] for the planning stage.

PRINCE2® requires a product-based approach to planning.

PRINCE2® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries.