What is a Project Management Plan?
The project manager develops the project management plan by following inputs from the project team and key stakeholders. The project management plan is a formal, approved document that defines how the project is executed, monitored, and controlled. It can be a summary or a detailed document and may include baselines, subsidiary management plans, and other planning documents. This document is used to define the approach the project team takes to present the intended project management scope of the project. As work proceeds, the project's performance is measured against the performance measurement baseline contained in the project management plan. The scope baseline, schedule baseline, and cost baseline are collectively referred to as the performance measurement baseline. If there is a deviation from the baseline as work is performed, the project manager deals with them by making adjustments to correct the deviations. If these adjustments cannot correct the deviations, then formal change requests to the baselines become necessary. Project managers spend a significant amount of time ensuring that baselines are achieved and that the project sponsor and organization get the full benefits of their projects. Personal development is quite important for a project manager. Besides proper planning, a project manager's skills also play a role in efficiently controlling the project and ensuring project deliverables are on time and the project is completed according to the project management plan.
What are the Components of a Project Management Plan?
A project management plan is a collection of baselines and subsidiary plans, including the following. All subsidiary plans together form the project management plan.
1. Baselines for scope, schedule, and cost
2. Management plans for scope, schedule, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement
3. Needs management plan
4. Change management plan
5. Configuration management plan
6. Process improvement plan
Creating a Project Management Plan
According to the PMBOK guide, the project management plan is a result of the develop project management plan process in the project integration management knowledge area. The project management plan is not created at the same time. It is developed iteratively, meaning it is developed, refined, reviewed, and updated. Since the project management plan integrates all the knowledge area management plans into a cohesive whole, it must be compiled after all the component plans have been created. Most of the components of the project management plan are created in various processes defined in the PMBOK guide; for example, the Communications Management Plan is developed in the communications process of the plan. However, the Schedule Management Plan, Cost Management Plan, and Scope Management Plan are created during the project management plan development process. When a project charter is created in the initiation process group, it includes a summary of scope, budget, and a summary (milestone) schedule. Since you already have these when you start developing the project plan, you can develop the scope management plan, cost management plan, and schedule management plan. Later, as you perform the Plan Scope, Estimate Costs, and Develop Schedule processes, you can review the components of the project plan in more detail to reflect a deeper understanding of the project.
