Concepts of Project Planning

 Realization of a set objectives requires

systematic planning and careful
implementation
 Application of knowledge, skill, tools and
techniques in the project environment,
refers to project management.
 Project in general refers to a new endeavor
with specific objective and varies so widely
that it is very difficult to precisely define it.
 Turner: “ An endeavor in which human, material
and financial resources are organized in a novel
way to undertake a unique scope of work, have
given specification, within constraints of cost
and time, so as to achieve beneficial change
defined by quantitative and qualitative
objectives” Turner (2003)
 A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to
create a unique product, service, or result.”
Project Management Institute (PMI) - A Guide To
The Project Management Body Of Knowledge
(PMBOK Guide) Fourth Edition 3
 “A project is a temporary organization that is
created for the purpose of delivering one or
more business products according to an agreed
Business Case.” Office of Government Commerce
(OGC) - Managing Successful Projects with
PRINCE Fifth Edition 4.

 “A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken

to create a unique product, service or result in
order to achieve an outcome." Australian
Institute of Project Management (AIPM): AIPM
Professional Competency Standards for Project
Management 2008 Edition 10
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to
produce a unique product or service

Characteristics of
Temporary Unique
Projects

 Temporary – Definitive beginning and end

 Unique – New undertaking, unfamiliar ground
Beneficiaries Requirements Completed within allocated
satisfied/exceeded time frame

Completed within allocated Accepted by the

budget Beneficiaries
 Poor Requirements
Scope Creep
Gathering

Unrealistic planning and Lack of resources

scheduling
A project:
 Has a unique purpose.
 Is temporary.
 Is developed using progressive elaboration.
 Requires resources, often from various areas.
 Involves uncertainty
1. Temporary means that any project will have a
start dates and an end date.
2. Projects differ from operations, because
operations are continuous and repeating (projects
are temporary), and operations deliver the same
or almost the same results.
3. A temporary piece of work with a finite end
date undertaken to create a unique product or
service. Projects bring form or function to ideas or
need.
4. Planning, execution and controlling of project is
the primary field of project management.
 Developing a watershed
 Creating irrigation facility
 Developing new variety of a crop
 Developing new breed of an animal
 Developing agro processing centre
 Construction of farm building

Note
 each of these projects differ in composition,
type, scope, size and time
 Resettlement Project
 Urban Renewal Project
 Children Recreational Park
 Community Multipurpose Centre
 Community Sanitation and Solid waste Management
 Recreational Park
 Health Centre
 School Project
 Storm Water Master Plan
 It involves resource commitment. It could be
money, land, labour, and other materials
 Project is beneficial. There are benefits in
undertaking such projects to the society.
 It involves some risk or some cost (Opportunity
cost)
 Projects are structured
 Project may be tangible or intangible. It is tangible
when it involves a physical construction and the
benefits can be measured. It is intangible when it
does not require a physical construction.
The planning, organising, directing and
controlling of....

....activities, people and money....

....to achieve a specific objective

 Three major dimensions that define the
project performance are scope, time, and
resource or cost
 These parameters are interrelated and
interactive

Cost Time

Scope
 In management literature, this equilateral
triangle is also referred as the “Quality
triangle” of the project

Performance = f(Scope, Cost, Time)

 Any change in any one of dimensions would
affect the other
(interrelated/interconnected)
 if the scope is enlarged, project would
require more time for completion and the
cost would also go up
 If time is reduced the scope and cost would
also be required to be reduced
 Similarly any change in cost would be
reflected in scope and time.
 Project is seen as a product of planning. The
project and the plan can be seen as two
sides of the same coin.
 A plan is a set of interrelated projects. The
project gives life to the plans.
 Project implementation is an act of the
realization of the plan.
 The plan should provide the following Projects:
❑ Residential areas which can be divided into high,
low and medium densities
❑ Community facilities: Water, electricity, telephone,
etc.
❑ Community services: Schools at all levels, health
centres, security, fire service, shopping centres.
❑ Circulation: roads, walkways
❑ Recreation and open space: children play ground
and open space.
 World Bank Identified four stages of project:
❑ Project Identification
❑ Preparation and appraisal
❑ Negotiation
❑ Supervision
 These stages are very critical to the world
bank as a lending institution
 Three stages are very critical to any kind of
project, they include:
❑ Project Ideas
❑ Project appraisal
❑ Project operation
 These three are referred to as bench mark or
standard for project cycle.
 Itis still possible to break it down into
details which includes:
❑ Project Ideas
❑ Identification/Brief
❑ Preparation
❑ Appraisal
❑ Implementation
❑ Operation
❑ Evaluation
 Conceptualization Phase: Conception phase,
starting with the seed of an idea, it covers
identification of the product / service, Pre-feasibility,
Feasibility studies and Appraisal and Approval
 Planning Phase: In this phase the project structure
is planned based on project appraisal and approvals.
Detailed plans for activity, finance, and resources are
developed and integrated to the quality parameters.
• Identification of activities and their sequencing
• Time frame for execution
• Estimation and budgeting
• Staffing
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) specifying various aspects of the project
is finalized to facilitate execution in this phase
 Execution Phase: This phase of the project
witnesses the concentrated activity where the plans
are put into operation. Each activity is monitored,
controlled and coordinated to achieve project
objectives.
Important activities in this phase are:
• Communicating with stakeholders
• Reviewing progress
• Monitoring cost and time
• Controlling quality • Managing changes
 Termination Phase: This phase marks the
completion of the project wherein the agreed
deliverables are installed and project is put in to
operation with arrangements for follow-up and
evaluation
Project life path –
“S” shape

Project life path –

“J” shape
 In “S” shape path the progress is slow at the
starting and terminal phase and is fast in the
implementation phase.
 In “J” type cycle path the progress in
beginning is slow and as the time moves on
the progress of the project improves at fast
rate.
 You will have goal clarity and measurement
 Your resources will be coordinated
 Your risks will be identified and managed
 You will increase the possibilities of time
savings
 You will increase the possibilities of cost
savings
 You will increase the possibilities of
achieving the agreed outcome
 You will increase the possibilities to deliver
projects successfully