A strategy for project implementation

Projects involving  small number  of  activities,  resources,  constraints  and inter-relationship can be visualized easily by the human mind and planned casually. However, the project crosses certain threshold level of size and complexity, informal planning has to be substituted by formal planning. The requirement for formal planning is certainly much greater for project work than the normal operations. Without effective planning, there may be confusion.

Functions of planning:

• Planning a fundamental aspect of management, serves several significant functions.
• To allocate responsibilities, organising the project work for the individuals is like a back bone.
• This is a means of communication and harmonisation between all those involved in the project.
• People are induced to look ahead.
• Logic of urgency and timely consciousness are being instilled.
• It establishes the basis of monitoring and to be under control.

Areas of planning:

• Plan the project work.
• Plan the resources and organisation.
• Plan the money.
• Plan the information system.

• Steps in project planning:
• Project objectives to be set
• Work activities to be identified.
• Create project organisation
• Prepare project schedule.
• Make budget and resource plan.
• Prepare forecast of time, work, cost and performance projections.
• No of contractors to be included in terms of contract.

Figure 12.2: Steps in Project planning

Let us now discuss Project objectives and policies:

• Frequently, the focus of project planning is on questions like who does what and when. Before such operational planning is ready, the objectives and policies guiding the project planning exercise must be articulated. The questions to be answered in this framework here are: What are the technical and performance objectives and goals? Where is the time and cost goals?
• Vendor management has been a major issue of policy making. The concern here is the extent of work that is given to contractors. Well- defined objectives and policies serve as the framework for the decisions to be made by the project manager. All the way through the life of a project, he has to look for a compromise between the conflicting goals of technical performance, cost standard, and time target.