Project Management - Planning Phase

MGT202 – Project Management

Assignment One: Short Essay

Due date: 12th August 2012

Assignment brief:

An essay regarding the Project Planning Phase discussing:

What is the project planning phase of a project?

Why is it important?

What are the stages of the project planning phase?

What does a project plan include?

Who is responsible for delivering the project plan document?

Who are the stakeholders in the project plan?

Comments on the risks associated with the following planning deliverables listing the content of each particular planning phase:

Project plan

Resource (HR) plan

Financial plan

Quality plan

Acceptance plan

To understand the various phases of a project and the importance of each it is first necessary to understand what a project is itself. A project is a one-off effort through a series of activities and tasks that work towards a specified objective that is to be completed within certain specifications (Kerzner, 2009). These specifications vary but are generally inclusive of certain resources, funds, time frames and performance restrictions. A project has defined beginning and end dates, will involve the consumption of human and nonhuman resources (i.e. money, people, equipment) and will be multifunctional. Project management is integral throughout any project to ensure success in achieving goals within the set specifications. Project management will involve planning, organising, directing and controlling, which are all paramount to the process. The ‘project life-cycle’ as defined by the Project Management Body of Knowledge clearly defines five stages including: conceptual, planning, testing, implementation and closure phases. Each of these stages is important and the project as a whole...