How to Make a Project Management Plan
We all have projects that need to be finished, and some of us have more than others. To carry out a project successfully, you need a project plan: an outline of the entire project that works as a blueprint for the tasks at hand. If you haven't made one yet, this article will help you get your project from a rather loose idea in your head into an actual, readable plan. In simple words: how to make a project management plan.
1. The location
Believe it or not, the place where you do your planning plays a crucial role. A crowded place means more distractions, which in turn means you will most likely miss important things that should have been included in the plan. That's why I urge you to sit down and work on the plan somewhere you can focus and collect your thoughts.
If you have such a place at home, that's perfect. If not, you can almost always create one: a place where you can focus and get things done, a home office if you like. If for some reason that isn't possible, there are other options, such as the library or your office at work.
2. The purpose
Are you clear about the actual purpose of the project? A project is, after all, defined as an individual or collaborative effort to reach a particular goal within a limited time period. It's not uncommon for people to forget to spell out the exact purpose and aim of a project in explicit terms. Make sure it's understood by everyone involved, including yourself. If the project isn't well defined, it can lead to some pretty nasty confusion later on, as well as lost time and money. Make sure you get it right from the beginning!
3. Putting things down on paper
Where do you start? The first few words are usually the most difficult to put down on paper. I would recommend starting with a mind map that charts all the most important keywords and connections relating to your project. This will give you a good overview of the whole project.
There are two ways to plan a large project: you either build everything from the bottom up, or you start at the top and work down. The bottom-up approach is usually the more difficult way to start, since it requires you to know all the details of the venture before it begins.
The top-down approach is usually a good way to start if you're somewhat unsure of the details of the project and the steps needed to achieve its purpose. This means you start with a general overview of the project: its purpose, the key players and the major objectives. Once you've done this, you can look at each individual item and work out the details.