Unit Objectives

At the end of this unit, the student will be able to:

Identify the importance and purpose of effective planning.
Identify and describe each component of the project management plan, and
Define and prepare project planning documents.
Introduction and Overview
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Like snowflakes, no two projects are identical! The project team will decide how the project is planned, monitored and
controlled as determined by the nature of the project.
Types of IT healthcare projects may depend on the type of institution: hospital, physician practice, insurance company,
laboratory, or government institution.
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service or result.
It is important also to understand that an operation is an ongoing or repetitive activity or service. Its objective is to sustain
the core business. As we said earlier, a project is a temporary endeavor that creates a unique product or service. It general ly
has a very well defined purpose. It also consumes time resources and money. It is also characterized by a progressive
elaboration. Finally, a program is a group of related projects which are managed in a coordinated way to obtain the benefits
and control not available for managing them individually. As indicated on the slide, an operation is the smallest level shown
A
program.
l The project team will decide how the project is
planned, monitored, and controlled, as determined by the nature of the project.
Types of health care projects depend on the type of institution. This can include hospitals and physician practices, insurance
Project Planning Overview
Sunday, November 20, 2011
6:09 PM
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 1
Types of health care projects depend on the type of institution. This can include hospitals and physician practices, insurance
companies, laboratories, or government institutions.
Many projects deal with moving or analyzing data in some way. Some examples include:
analyses on diagnoses and money spent,
analysis of how much business a particular physician brings to a practice,
hospitals analyze data based on bed type that supports billing and charges
sharing information, for example, creating a universal patient chart, creating community health information networks
or

disease management, for example, collecting information from different sources into a single database for being a
warehouse,

and finally, collecting data for studies and research.

Why Are Projects Initiated?
The reasons for selecting a project may include, but are not limited to:
Customer requests
Market demand
Organizational need
Legal requirement
Technological advance
Social needs
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Stated another way there are usually more projects than people and money available in an organization, therefore, prudent
decisions must be made concerning which projects are selected.
Once the project is selected and a project charter exists, the project initiation is completed and the planning process can
begin.
Remember the project charter authorizes the existence of the project, designates the project manager, and provides the
project manager with the authority to acquire resources, and lead the project.
Referring to the slide, it is important to understand that there are various reasons for why project are selected. Some of
these reasons include requests from customers, market demand, organizational need, legal requirements, technological
advances, and social needs.
Project Management
1 and 1.
Project planning can begin at the completion of two key project initiation processes, which are:
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 2
1 and 1.
The project stakeholders are identified. As this slide indicates, project planning begins after a project initiation and
must take place prior to project execution.
2.
Five Process Groups
There are five key process groups.
Initiating processes are performed to define a new project or new phase of an existing project. A project charter is
created, stakeholders are identified, and the project is started.
1.
Planning processes are performed to define the scope and objectives of the project and develop plans to accomplish
the objectives. During project planning the project management plan and project documents are developed. These are
used to perform the project.
2.
Executing processes are performed to accomplish the work of the project and satisfy the project objectives. 3.
Monitoring and controlling processes involve tracking, reviewing, and controlling the progress and performance of the
project. They are used to identify required changes to the project management plan, and take corrective steps
appropriate to accommodate those changes.
4.
And finally, the closing processes. These are performed to finalize all activities and formally close the project or phase. 5.
Planning A Project
Activities during project planning include, but not limited to:
Collecting requirements
Defining project scope
Developing a project management plan
Defining activities
Creating a work breakdown structure (WBS)
Developing a schedule
Identifying and assessing risks
Developing risk response plans
Developing a communications management plan
Planning is a very crucial step in project management. Without planning it is very difficult to ensure a project success. It is
unwise to undertake a project of any size or complexity without taking the time to plan the approach to how the project
1 ? ?

budgeting. Some of the activities that take place during project planning include collecting requirements, defining the scope
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 3
budgeting. Some of the activities that take place during project planning include collecting requirements, defining the scope
of the project, developing the project management plan, defining the activities that must take place during the project,
creating a work breakdown structure or WBS, developing a schedule, identifying and assessing risks, developing risk response
plans, and developing a communications plan.
Planning A Project - Continued
Estimating costs
Determining the budget
Making procurement decisions
Estimating resource requirements
Defining project roles and responsibilities
Developing a communications management plan
Determine how performance will be measured
Planning quality
Conduct a kickoff meeting
This list continues the list in the previous section, which lists the key activities which take place when planning a project. You
should also estimate costs, determine the budget, start to make procurement decisions, estimate resource requirements,
define project roles and responsibilities, develop a telecommunications management plan, determine how performance will
be measured, plan for quality, and conduct a kickoff meeting.
Examples of planning activities could include planning a vacation. This could involve planning for lodging and transportation,
entertainment, food and financing, and other key element.
Planning a wedding - this could involve planning for pre-wedding activities such as invitations and the rehearsal dinner, the
actual marriage event, which would include church, flowers, and other items, and the post-wedding event, such as the
reception or honeymoon.
And finally, an IT project. An IT project could involve design collecting requirements, coding, programming, site installation
system analysis, testing, documentation train and various other activities.
Factors Which Lead to Project Success or Project Failure
By evaluating prior projects we can acquire information which is beneficial to managing our current projects. We want to
repeat our successes and take steps to avoid troubles.
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n a
bit about factors which lead to project success or failure. By evaluating prior projects, we can acquire information which is
beneficial to managing our current projects. We want to repeat our successes and take steps to avoid troubles.
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Learning Activity: Project Success
Reflect on a project you have worked on that you would consider successful.
List five contributing factors which led to that success.
Learning activity - projects success: The following is a learning activity addressing project success. Take a few minutes to
reflect on a project you worked on that you would consider successful.
Now list five contributing factors which led to that success.
Typical student responses will include proper documentation and change control procedures, well defined scope, excellent
communication, realistic schedules, adequate resources with well defined and understood roles & responsibilities, sr.
management support, and stakeholder buy-in.
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 4
Project Success
Project managers want their projects to be successful and must document acceptance criteria. There are many ways project
success is measured as determined by the customer and performing organization.
The standard student response is that a project is successful if it is completed on time, according to schedule, within budget

requirements.
Attributes of a Successful Project
What are the key attributes of a successful project? Success factors include, but are not limited to:
Proper project documentation (i.e. project charter, project management plan, requirement management plan, project
scope statement, work breakdown structure, risk management plan, communication management plan, etc.)

Clearly defined and assigned roles and responsibilities

Senior management or executive support (this is always the key factor - without the support of senior management,
most projects will not succeed)

Stakeholder buy-in,
Periodic team meetings and periodic meetings with the customer both of those items really go to the point of
communication. Having these team meetings on a meetings of the customer tend to facilitate clear communication,
and that will go a long way toward success.

A competent project manager and teem are very important to project success.
Risks are identified, assessed for severity and impact, and a risk response plan exists
Project baselines (schedule, budget, scope)
Project is monitored and controlled
Change control system
Well defined scope
Effective communication
Acceptance criteria is documented and understood
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Acceptance criteria is documented and understood
Team members understand the criteria for measuring project success
It is important to identify risks and to assess their potential severity an impact, and to produce a risk response plan. It i s also
very important a project baseline, and that would include having a baseline schedule, a baseline budget, and a baseline
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It is also very valuable that a change control system, and that goes right in line with the next item, a well defined scope. Any
of us who worked on projects know that scope creep, or changes to the scope of the project are very common, and so it is
important to have a change control system that allows you to accommodate change but also to control it very well, and to
document it. Effective communication is also a very, very important part of successful projects.
It is also very important to identify acceptance criteria, document it, and make sure is clearly understood by the team
working on the project as well as the client and other stakeholders. And finally, it is very important that the team members
,
or some combination of all those factors.
In summary, many success factors are obvious, such as selecting the best qualified and available resources, following project
management best practices, setting a realistic and achievable schedule, ensuring the team understands the project objectives
and are committed to project success.
Note that most of the project success attributes are the result of adequate and well-designed project plans!
Learning Activity: Project Failure
Reflect on a project you worked on that was not successful.
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Give students two minutes to reflect on projects they have worked on which were not successful.
Ask them to list five contributing factors which led to project failure.
Typical student responses for project failure will include poor documentation, poorly defined scope, lack of communication,
unrealistic schedules, lack of management support, human resource and funding constraints, and undefined roles &
responsibilities.
Note that many of the reasons for project failure is the result of poor planning or total lack of planning!
Factors Leading to Project Failure
Factors leading to failure include, but are not limited to:
Poor project communications
Not managing stakeholder expectations
Inadequate & insufficient project planning
Lack of project documentation (charter, project management plan, etc),
Lack of stakeholder buy-in
Lack of management support
Resource constraints (human resources are unavailable when needed & / or incompetent)
Unrealistic schedule
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Unrealistic schedule
Poor risk management (risks not identified or assessed, and lack of, or poorly prepared risk response plans)
This sections lists some of the factors which can lead to project failure. These factors include, but are not limited to, poor
project communications, failing to manage stakeholder expectations, inadequate and insufficient project planning, lack of
project documentation, which could include the project charter or project management plan, lack of stakeholder buy-in, lack
of support from management, resource constraints - for example the people you need to do the project are not available
-
in this case risks may not be identified are assessed , and there might be no plan to deal with when risk factors to come into
play.
There are number of additional factors that can lead to project failure. For example, unnecessary and/or unapproved scope
changes often referred to as scope creep - projects can very quickly get out of hand if the scope changes or grows in an
unmanageable way; lack of change control management, which ties right into the first item -
control change, your chances of project success are diminished; not using or improperly following change procedures; not
following the project management plan; poor project monitoring and controlling; continuously gathering requirements - you
never actually get the work or solidify requirements, you just keep trying to figure out what to do and never actually do
anything; poorly defined requirements or poorly understood requirements; undefined or poorly defined scope;
overoptimistic or unrealistic assumptions; unclear project roles and responsibilities. All these factors can lead to project
failure.
When a new project is undertaken the team wants to set it for success.
The project manager and team will analyze historical information.
They will prepare plans to avoid problems encountered on prior projects.
They will focus on taking preventive steps by identifying risks and potential quality issues.
WDZZWW
Project managers plan, lead and control project activities. Their responsibilities include but are not limited to:
identifying and documenting project requirements,
identifying team members,
establishing clear and obtainable project objectives,

preventing unnecessary scope changes,
monitoring and measuring project progress,
communicating project performance and progress,
ensuring that the team understands project objectives and
working with the team in developing project plans.
The PM is responsible for leading, managing, and successfully completing projects.
The PM must develop plans to manage the project scope, schedule, risks, resources, quality, and budget.
The type of organizational structure will impact the level of power and authority a PM has in managing the project.
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organization performing the project.
in a functional organization the PM has very little power and authority.
in a project-ized organization the PM has almost total power and authority.
C
Challenge to getting requirements/scope defined clearly what is it that people really need/want?
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Challenge to getting requirements/scope defined clearly what is it that people really need/want?

Lack of user guide and support (often an afterthought in the product).

W
PMBOK Guide Knowledge Areas
D Summary of Responsibilities
Integration Coordinate and integrate all project activities
Scope Define the work and ensure that the project includes only the required work
Time Complete the project on time
Cost Control costs and stay within project budget
Quality Plan, assure, and control quality in the project and resulting systems
Human Resources Lead and manage the project team
Communications Plan and implement effective communications with the team and stakeholders
Risk Plan, identify, analyze, mitigate, and control risks
Procurement Plan and conduct, and monitor acquisitions of needed materials and services
Each of the nine PMBOK knowledge areas of project management have planning processes. The project team must take into
account all project aspects which include managing time, cost, scope, quality, risk, procurements and communications when
developing their project plans. When there are approved changes during the project execution, the project plans are updated
to reflect the approved changes.
Project Planning Processes
Twenty of the forty-two project management processes described in the PMBOK guide, fourth edition are in project
planning. The project manager works with the project team members to determine which of the twenty processes are
appropriate for their project and then develop plans to manage the processes to ensure project success. Most of the
management plans which are developed or placed in the master plan or the project management plan. The above image
references PMBOK figure 3-8, planning process group.
Planning for Project Integration Management
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 8
After a project is initiated, the project manager and project team will begin planning the project. It is essential for them to
have a clear understanding of the scope of the project and product when developing the project management plan. This is
accomplished by referring to the project charter and stakeholder register. These are initiating documents. Collecting all the
project requirements and developing a project scope statement. The project management plan is developed in the
knowledge area known as project integration.
During the project planning, the project team develops a project management plan. This comprehensive document is the
master plan for the project and is used by the project team to guide them through project execution. Although it is finalized
and approved in planning, the document is continuously updated when new information is acquired as the project is
executed and controlled. And we have just defined the project integration planning process known as developing the project
management plan.
What is the Project Management Plan?
A project management plan is a comprehensive and essential document which:
provides a justification for the project being undertaken,
captures key project objectives,
describes the approach for managing the project,
summarizes what the project must accomplish,
how the work will be performed,
who will perform the work and
how the work will be measured, monitored and controlled.
Although developed during project planning, the project management plan is called a working document because it
continuously evolves through the project lifecycle.
The project management plan involves a collaborative effort that takes place between the project manager and the project
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commitment to the project. The overall effort is aimed at developing a plan which can be followed to successfully accomplish
the project objectives.
Project team members are considered subject matter experts since they are most familiar with performing the project
activities. They contribute their expertise in the development of the project management plan which leads to their buy-in
and commitment towards project success.
In addition to subject matter expert input, the project charter outputs from the planning processes, organizational process
assets and environmental factors, are often key inputs into developing the project management plan. These include but are
not limited to organizational rules and policies which can include organizational governance, templates, standards, historical
information, organizational structure and other items.
The plan evolves in incremental steps in an ongoing process known as progressive elaboration. Progressive elaboration is an
iterative process whereby the plan is continuously improved by acquiring new and detailed information as the project
progresses.
How is the Project Management Plan Developed?
What Essential Information is in a Project Management Plan?
As we mentioned in previous slides, the project management plan is a cumulative document containing:
a scope management plan,
a requirements management plan,
schedule management plan,
cost management plan,
quality management plan,
process improvement plan,
HR management plan or human resource management plan,
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 9
HR management plan or human resource management plan,
communication management plan,
risk management plan,
procurement management plan,
change management plan and
cost, schedule, performance and scope baselines.
The project management plan integrates strategic and other planning documents into a consistent and cohesive reference
document.
How is the Project Management Plan Used?
The project management plan is a roadmap used by project team members to guide them through project execution. It
serves as a communication document for stakeholders to inform them as to how the project will be performed and
managed. And finally, it integrates strategic and other planning processes into a consistent and coherent document.
Planning for Scope Management
Roadmap used by the project team members to guide them through project execution.
Serves as a communication document for stakeholders to inform them as to how the project will be performed and
managed.

Integrates strategic & other planning processes into a consistent & coherent document.
During project planning, the team works to clearly define the project scope by collecting requirement, creating a scope
statement and creating a work breakdown structure. Information regarding project scope is obtained in the project charter
and from information acquired from project stakeholders. After creating the work breakdown structure, often referred to as
the scope baseline, the scope boundaries are established. That is all of the work required, and only the work required, to
complete the project.
Planning for Project Scope Management
The above image illustrates a project scope statement template and you will see based on this template the key items that go
into the project scope statement.
The scope statement is prepared after collecting the project requirements. It provides a description of the project scope
which includes major deliverables, project assumptions and constraints and descriptions of work. It also provides a
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which includes major deliverables, project assumptions and constraints and descriptions of work. It also provides a
documented basis for making project decisions and developing a common understanding of the project scope. It is a key
input into creating the work breakdown structure or WBS. Constraints on IT healthcare projects could include HIPAA, EHR
standards and any other standards specific to the project.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
The initial description of the project scope is contained in the project charter and obtained from project stakeholders. The
project scope statement is the starting point for building the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
The key outputs of the Work Breakdown Structure process are the WBS itself, the WBS dictionary and the scope baseline.
The Work Breakdown Structure sets the project boundaries and is:
Created after the project scope statement is complete and provides detailed scope definition.
It is created on all projects regardless of size and complexity.
It is considered one of the most important project documents which is created during project planning.
The scope statement is broken down into small manageable components through a technique called decomposition.
Decomposition continues until all work is eventually broken down to the lowest level of the WBS called a work package
(and you can see this illustrated on the slide in the graphical depiction of the work breakdown structure).

In theory work packages are typically 80 hours to 8 hours of work. The project manager should break the work down
until a realistic chunk of work (or a deliverable) is reached that can be scheduled, assigned to be performed, cost
estimated, monitored and controlled.

Creating the WBS helps control the project by preventing scope creep.
Essentially the work breakdown structure is a very well organized list of work that needs to be done on the project and this
helps establish the scope baseline.
Example: WBS for a Software Product Release project. First level decomposition may include: product requirements, detail
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 11
Example: WBS for a Software Product Release project. First level decomposition may include: product requirements, detail
design, project management, construction, integration and testing.
Work Breakdown Structure
The WBS is the foundation from which most planning stems.
It provides a graphical view of a project (this deliverable oriented hierarchy is the decomposition of the work to be performed
by the project team).
The WBS organizes and defines the entire scope of the project.
The project team will analyze each work package of the WBS to:
Identify all the activities (or work) which need to be performed (this information ultimately leads to the development
of the schedule and also making key procurement decisions)

The analysis of the WBS also leads to the ability to estimate the cost of performing the work (and this information
ultimately leads to informing the budget)

Determine the resources required to perform the work

Determine the quality of the work and,
Identify risks
Time Management Planning Processes
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 12
In developing the project schedule, the project team determines what work must be performed, who will be assigned the
work, sequence the work and when it will be performed, and the duration of the work.
When the Work Breakdown Structure is created the scope of the project is decomposed to the work package level. In the
time management process of defining activities the work packages are further decomposed to create activity lists.
The Work Breakdown Structure should not be confused with a schedule. The Work Breakdown Structure does not show
activity relationships, sequence of activities, or activity dependencies. The Work Breakdown Structure is developed before
the schedule. The work packages are further decomposed into activity lists which is an input into developing the project
schedule.
Activity Sequencing
This diagram is an Activity On Node (AON) diagram.
Boxes represent activities and arrows connect the activities and show dependencies. This is a very, very common method
used for performing project scheduling.
A High Level Summary in Developing a Project Schedule would include:
activities are sequenced (that means that the predecessors and successors of each activity are determined)
activity paths are determined
duration of each path is determined
finally the critical path is identified (and the critical path is the longest path through the project and this determines the
soonest the project can be completed)

Scheduling Terminology
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The Schedule management plan is a document within the project management plan containing information on how the
schedule will be developed and controlled, how schedule processes will be measured, and what scheduling tool will be used.
Duration is the total number of periods (that is work periods; days or workweeks) which are required to complete a
scheduled activity.
Effort is the amount of work or labor hours necessary to actually perform a scheduled activity.
Project schedule network diagrams are a schematic depiction of scheduled activities and dependencies (these are logical
relationships of activities); they model sequenced activities.
Finish to Start, Start to
Start, Finish to Finish, and Start to Finish.
Additional Scheduling Terminology
Schedule activity-based timeline or project baseline; documents when the project activities will be completed.
Critical Path the longest path of activities through the schedule network. It establishes the soonest date the project can be
completed. You will hear critical path referred to constantly when talking about project scheduling.
Gantt a Gantt chart provides a good graphic illustration (it looks like a bar chart) of the project schedule; this type of chart
is easy to construct and consists of listing project activities vertically on the left side of the bar chart and the schedule dates
are listed horizontally across the top of the bar chart. This is the default view in tools like Microsoft Project so if you have
dealt with tools like that you have seen the Gantt chart over and over again.
A Milestone a marker on a timeline with zero days duration; it signifies a major achievement or important event in a
project.
Float (sometimes referred to as slack) the amount of time an activity can be delayed and not delay the early start of a
successor activity; these are found on a noncritical path in the network diagram.
Scheduling tools refer to computerized project management software applications which help the project manager develop
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 14
Scheduling tools refer to computerized project management software applications which help the project manager develop
the schedule and provide information to manage the project.
Activity Duration Estimation Techniques
The project management team must estimate the likely number of work periods required to perform an activity.
There are a variety of estimation techniques and this slide refers to a few of those. It is important for the project
management team to estimate the likely number of work periods required to perform an activity. The project manager and
the project management team can use any of the following estimating techniques in order to achieve this.
Analogous this is used to determine the estimate by using resource duration estimate information from similar past
projects; this is often used in project initiation or early planning when detailed project information is lacking.
Expert judgment a project manager may acquire estimate information from individuals with historic information or
experience related to similar prior projects. It is not uncommon to bring in someone with expert judgment to help perform
project estimation.
Parametric this is a statistical approach to develop estimates based on historical data and other variables (for example
square footage, labor hours per unit of work).
A three point estimate can be used to calculate the expected activity duration by adding an optimistic estimate, a pessimisti c
estimate, and most likely average or m estimate together and dividing by three. You can see the formula is: t = (o + m + p) / 3.
A PERT estimate is a type of three-point estimate which uses a weighted average estimate (four times the average
estimate). While it has advantages such as a more precise scheduling and control, it is a more complex and costly method to
estimate durations. But it is also very popular.
Types of Activities Dependencies
Dependency determinations between activities must be known when preparing a schedule and understanding the
relationships between activities. Dependency determinations between activities must be know when preparing a
schedule. That is, it is very important to understand the relationships between all of the activities in the projects before you
can product an accurate schedule. There are several types of relationships. These are:
Mandatory activity sequence is inherent in the nature of the work performed; this is also known as hard logic; the
predecessor (or initial) activity must be started or completed before a successor activity (a secondary or following)
activity can begin. For example:

Discretionary dependencies involves using best practices when sequencing activities; this is also known as soft or
preferred logic. For example: plumbing and electrical work in construction can be performed in either sequence and so
a choice has to be made.

External dependency
activities, for example: permits or inspections.

Duration Compression Techniques

Schedule or Duration Compression techniques are used to compress or shorten the project schedule; these are typically used
-
First, crashing - crashing involves adding more resources to activity; this may also result in increased cost. But will help you
push the schedule forward more quickly.
And fast tracking fast tracking is a way of speeding up your project by overlapping your activities or running them in parallel
which might normally be performed in sequence. This can often lead to greater risk and potentially impact quality and may
sometimes result in rework.
MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 15
sometimes result in rework.
Cost Management Planning Processes
During project planning the project team uses estimated costs of individual activities or work packages. The cost estimates
are aggregated to establish a cost baseline.
The cost estimating techniques (analogous or parametric) are the same as used in time management to estimate activity
durations.
Cost Management Plan
A cost management plan sets the format regarding how project cost will be managed (such as cost estimates, cost budgeting,
cost baseline, cost variances). The plan is developed by the project team and is a component of the project management
plan. It may include:
Level of accuracy of activity cost estimates
Units of measure for the resources
Control thresholds for cost variation
Performance measurement rules
Reporting formats
Planning for Project Quality Management
During project planning the project team identifies and documents quality requirements, standards, and metrics to measure
quality performance for the project and product and then develops a quality management plan.
dd
attempt to exceed requirements or provide extras.
Plan Quality
The Quality Management Plan is a document within the Project Management Plan. This document addresses project quality
control (or QC), quality assurance (or QA), and continuous quality improvement.
During the planning process, the project team focuses on a proactive and preventative approach to ensure that quality is
designed into the project. If this step is missed it may result in poor quality with cost associated with excess inventory, waste,
rework and warranty support.
Planning for Human Resource Management
After the project team has identified all activities that must be performed they determine the project resource requirements
used to develop a human resource plan.
Human Resource Plan
The Human Resource Plan contains the following information :
Assigned team member roles & responsibilities.
The approach for managing team members and staffing policies.
It describes how project resources will be acquired and released.
It describes how team members will be managed.
business analyst
systems engineer
systems architect
database administrator
After the project team has identified all activities that must be performed they determine resource requirements which are
used to develop a human resource plan. Resources on an IT project could include one or more of the following roles:

MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 16

database administrator
network specialist
in the case of a health IT project, a medical specialist which could be a doctor, or nurse, or researcher
project manager or
programmer
A Human Resource Management Plan
Describes how training requirements of team members will be accomplished.
Defines criteria for rewards and recognition.
Provides project organizational charts and position descriptions. (This is an organizational breakdown structure which is
a diagram of project team members and reporting relationships).

A Human Resource Management Plan:

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
A common tool for project management and human resource management is a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (or
RAM). This is a diagram which correlates the project organizational structure to the Work Breakdown Structure. The matrix
diagram shown above depicts the work which must be performed and the assigned individual or team responsible for
performing that work.
Planning for Project Communications Management
During project planning, the project team develops a communications management plan which contains a description of the
identified project stakeholder information needs and defines the approach for communicating during the project.
A communication requirements analysis is performed to determine the stakeholder information needs.
The project team must determine what project information will be shared, who it will be shared with, when the
information will be shared, and how the information will be shared.

Information in the communication management plan may include organization charts, responsibility assignment
matrix, name and contact info of change control board members, meeting times and locations, locations of team
members, and potentially more information that can be determined by the project management team.

Communications Management Plan

Describes the communication needs of the project stakeholders.
Describes how communication will be managed on the project, and the type and format in which the information will be
communicated

MATC HIT-104 Lectures Page 17

communicated
It describes when and how communications will be shared.
It identifies who is responsible for providing information.
And it describes required escalation processes for communications.
Communication Requirements Analysis
During project planning the project team conducts a communication requirements analysis to:
Determine the type and format of information needed to develop the communications management plan, and
Identify the stakeholder information needs.
Communications Methods
Project information is shared with stakeholders by different methods.
First, interactive communication which could include meetings, phone calls and other types of communication that
take place in a two-way format; this can be some type of dialogue.

Then there is push communication such as memos, reports and faxes in which one party pushes communications to
another party.

And then there is pull communication which includes internet sites, knowledge repositories and other kinds of self-
service information resources where people can go and consume the information at will.

The Kickoff Meeting

The kickoff meeting is the first major meeting in project planning with the key project stakeholders. Its focus is on building
relationships, reviewing the project objectives and understanding project goals. It will include a high-level discussion of
project scope, risks, schedule and milestones, communications, constraints and assumptions. It is also a great chance to
review team member roles and responsibilities. It is also an opportunity for the project leadership to describe how the
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stakeholders to ask questions they may have and typically in this meeting the project management plan is shared.
Planning for Project Risk Management
During project planning, the project team focuses on how to conduct risk management activities which includes identifying
risks, accessing the risks and developing risk response strategies. Typically the project risk planning process includes planning
for: risk management, identifying risks, performing qualitative risk analysis, performing quantitative risk analysis and then
understanding how to appropriately respond to all risks.
Risk Management
In the risk management process, the project team determines risks which may affect meeting the project objectives. The goal
in the risk management process is to increase the probability and impact of positive events and decrease the probability and
impact of negative events in the project. The project team should be proactive and consistent in addressing project risk issues
during the entire project lifecycle.
Risk Management
The risk management policies of a company will help determine how the project team will plan to manage project risk.
The project manager needs to understand the risk tolerance levels of the stakeholders. For example, are they risk adverse,
are they risk seekers or are they risk neutral? And this will impact how they will relate to each of the stakeholders based on
those criteria.
Risk Management Plan
The risk management plan document describes how project risk management will be structured and performed on the
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The risk management plan document describes how project risk management will be structured and performed on the
project. Components of a risk management plan include:
the appropriate approach to managing project risks,
the roles and responsibilities in managing risks,
budgeting for managing risks,
identification of key risk categories,
definition of risk probability and impact,
a risk probability and impact matrix,
the risk tolerances of the different stakeholders in the projects and
a place to track risks.
Risk Management Terminology
Dimensions of risks. Probability of event is the chance of a risk event occurrence. Odds of something occurring generally is
measured in percentages, real numbers or non-numerically.
The impact of an event may be good or bad.
Probability or likelihood can be measured as 0 % to 100% or low, medium and high.
The impact of an event is also known as the amount at stake or consequence.
Risk Register
A risk register is a document which is developed early in project planning and progressively elaborated in the risk
management planning process. At a minimum, the risk register contains identified risks, description of risks, results of the
qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, risk triggers, risk owners, and planned risk response strategies.
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The above image provides an example of a risk register. And you will see it consists of rows and columns and the key columns
are risk ID number, a risk statement or description of the risk, the probability of occurrence of that risk, the impact or
potential impact of that risk playing out. Can include a score that would be probability x impact, which would really be your
risk score. Things that could trigger that risk, who is the owner of that risk and who would deal with risk response and what is
the planned response if that risk does play out in the project.
Planning for Project Procurement Management
During project planning the project team develops a procurement management plan. The plan documents the goods and
services which will be procured from outside the project organization what the procurement approach should be.
Summary
Major reason for project failure is the lack of, or inadequate, project planning.
Planning is recognized as a very crucial step in project management to ensure project success.
The project team should be involved in developing the plans which define how the project will be accomplished. The
plans will be used by the project team to perform the work and control the project.

Amount of time and effort dedicated in planning the project should be appropriate to the project requirements.
Every project should have a WBS because virtually all planning stems from it!
Since each project is unique, the level of detail, the amount of risk, and the project constraints all are input to the planning
process.
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