Method123

Following a sample project plan can help guide a project manager to create a solid business plan. This is the easiest and best use of time to proceed with this task. This is because there are so many different sections that a business plan must cover, all of which needs to be documented. A good sample project plan will cover every aspect that is involved in building a successful plan from the beginning to the end. The very first part of this should be the introduction. This section has to include the purpose of the plan, along with any background information and which approach is going to be used or methodology. Following the introduction is where the goals and objectives of the project are defined for both the business and the project. The next section of the sample project plan will be where the scope of the project is defined. This is where the meat of the project is laid out. This includes the schedules, the resources that will be used, and when they will be utilized. Who is to ...

The reason a project plan template is used by a person in the business world is to eliminate unnecessary work by being prepared. In the past, many project managers made their own templates by hand to speed the process of developing a project plan along. With the introduction of project management software and utilizing the project plan template that is included with the program, the first step of preparing for a plan is already completed. This is the proven way to quickly and efficiently create a customized project plan that can save time and help bring a project to a successful conclusion while being in budget. By properly utilizing a project plan template , the project manager can create a plan in fewer steps while having a step by step guide to make sure all of the critical steps and procedures are included. This guide includes the identification of all the different phases, activities, and tasks that need to be documented as part of the plan. The project plan template will also ...

A project process is a part of an overall project management process program that assists a business manager assigned to complete a project. There are a number of different kinds of a project process this type of program can help a leader manage. This includes the project management as a whole, time management, cost management, quality control and quality assurance process, and risk management, issue management, procurement management, communication management, and change management process. Each of those process are part of a project that needs to be planned out and organized for a project to be initiated, executed, and concluded successfully. Each one also has certain elements involved with it that are vital to the overall success of the project. The cost management process is the documentation of the expenditures during the course of the project’s execution. There is a submission form, along with approval forms that must be signed so the budget of the project can be maintained and...

A project plan should be more than thought about at the beginning of a project. This is the path to success if done correctly and should be documented before the commencement of any work begins. How different organizations actually define a project plan vary a little but there is a general consensus. This is a documented procedure on how the specific goals and objectives of a project are to be achieved.  The specifics of this are where the variation comes into play with the different methodologies that are utilized. When a project plan is referred to in the information technology (IT) industry most think of a Gantt chart. This bar chart is used as an illustration of the activities in the project that will take place as compared to the time span when they will occur. A project plan is more that a set of activities that will be covered over a span of time. Other components include project schedules, risk assessments, feasibility studies, budget projections, what the deliverable is an...

In a project, communication is the single most important variable. Without it, a project can be a success but the time to overcome the pitfalls and corrective action that will be needed make it an unproductive endeavor. For this reason, a documented project communication plan should be designed before the commencement of any work begins. In this plan, it should those who will be involved in the project and what their responsibilities are. What needs to be remembered is that good communications and the interaction of project personnel will decide if the project is a success or failure. Setting out a clear path in plain language on how this is to be achieved will decide how smoothly a project will progress from its initiation stage till its conclusion. There are some businesses that use their project communication plans as a means to set the tone of a specific behavior within the workforce. This will influence how the different members of the project are motivated and take the lead to...

What a project management process actually is, can be found in its title. It is the complete management process of a project that includes the planning, controlling of the processes and their performance so the conclusion of the project will be a success. The inputs of a project management process include the documentation that is needed to progress with the project. This is the scheduling of tasks and the inspections to make sure they were completed correctly. The construction of the different templates that will be used during the course of the project are another input into this process. A project management process is just like anything else, past mistakes can be avoided if they are studied and a lesson learned from them. For this reason previous projects that are similar should be studied. This should include in-company projects and external projects if possible. The standards that regulate the project also have to be reviewed and documented as a reference. This is part of the ...

A project communication plan has many aspects to it. The main focus in the beginning of one is to have a written strategy to convey the correct information to the stakeholders of a project on time, so they will financially back the project. Without the proper funding of a project, it can never get off the ground. The next phase of a project communication plan should be setting its objectives so that during the progression of a project, all parties that have a need to know about the different aspects of the project are informed. In many of the project management software applications, there is a section on interactive scheduling. This allows those doing the actual work on the project to update in the computer what has been accomplished on a daily basis. This way, the information can be easily accessed by those with authorization to it. By keeping those that need to be informed updated, they are in a better position to make the necessary decisions to keep a project moving. This is why ...

With the right marketing communication plan in place, a company can reach their intended target audience and attract them to their products or services. To be able to achieve this as a goal, there must be a well-structured approach that will produce results. Before a business’ marketing communication plan can be devised, there are certain factors and pieces of information that must be acquired first. One of the most important should be in the feasibility study that was conducted as part of the business plan, before the products were produced, that the company currently wants to promote.  In this study, the target audience’s information should have already been identified. The needed information is their demographic and disposable income level. The marketing communication plan should also have a backup plan, so a secondary target audience should also have been identified. Both the primary and secondary targets have the same mechanisms to attract them to your product, if they are appl...

To make a successful sample communications plan , a project manager must know what they need to accomplish and who is going to be involved. These are just a couple of the key elements of a plan. To start constructing a sample communications plan that will be functional, there must be an outline. This should include a brief statement of who gave the order to have it constructed, along with their instructions. There should also be an analysis for the stakeholders in the sample communications plan . This should include what they are going to contribute and what they can expect from it. The objectives and goals must be clearly stated in plain language. The next part should be the strategy or methodology in the approach that will be used for the completion of this project. The part of a sample communications plan that most managers have the biggest problem with is the defining of the risks involved, along with all the possible issues that might arise during this project. Communication is...

All successful businesses have some kind of communications plan in place. With some smaller companies, this is very basic because of the size of business it is. As a company grows, so does the complexity of its communication needs. A documented communications plan should be in place no matter what size a company is. This is not only beneficial for all new employees to visually see how they are to properly communicate, but to deal with issues with the current staff. Communication between two parties is done to transfer knowledge or data in a meaningful manner that should be received as it is sent. Many people think that talking or conversing is communication, but this is not always true. For good communications to be established, the same message that is sent has to be received in its entirety and meaning. To make this a reality, a communications plan has to have certain protocols and procedures in place to define the different mediums of communication, and how they are to be used. T...

The number of different management methodologies that are currently being used in industry is staggering. There was a time not too long ago there were only two basic approaches. They were the Waterfall and Prototype Cyclic methodologies. As the industrial age came forth, so did new approaches to accomplishing businesses goals. Most of the management methodologies do still have a few key components alike. There is the initialization of the project, control during the project, and then the closure. The path at which this is achieved is what makes them different. Every project has the same starting point and that is with an idea. This idea can be a product, a service, or a new system of a business. Another commonality is that every manager wishes their project to be completed on time, under the budget, and for it to be successful in reaching the established goals that were set out in the business plan. Each of the management methodologies will take a different approach to achieving the...

A good communication plan will help to successfully transfer the knowledge and data from its source to its intended destination in a secure fashion. In this written document should be the objectives and goals of the plan, and the procedures on how the business will achieve them. In the communication plan , how you plan to achieve the objectives needs to be described in detail once the objectives are listed. Today, there are many different formats that can be utilized. Each one has advantages and disadvantages. There should also be a distinction on the different recipients of these communications. A client should be contacted differently than intercompany communications of a business. Part of this communication plan should be how periodicals are going to be published, and who will be the recipients. Online communications also needs to be defined and should be conducted within the company’s business policies. This needs to be clearly defined to prevent any appearance of unprofessionali...

Every business and government has at least one quality plan document in their arsenal of procedures. The reason is because of its importance to both a company’s reputation, and preparedness to deal with issues. A good quality plan document has only one purpose. This is a documented process on how a company is to supply their customers with the quality of a product or services that is expected. To fulfill this need, the quality plan should contain certain components in it. The quality plan document clearly defines the path on how customer expectations will be met. This path should be sufficient to achieve the required level of quality that is expected by the customer. The responsibilities of who is accountable for achieving this level of quality have to be included in this document. The composition of a quality plan document is important if it is to be effective. The top priority has to include what specifically are the customer’s quality expectations. There should also be what the ...

The main focus of a quality management plan is to meet the quality requirements of the intended customer or client. This is done by having a plan in place that is approved by or meets the standards set forth by the clients or intended customers. With a quality management plan in place, the work on a project can commence in an efficient manner. The quality of the product will then be inspected according to the plan, with all of the procedures used and their results documented so a permanent record can be established. The quality control portion of the quality management plan is there to monitor and verify that the deliverables that are produced by the project meet the set standards of quality that have been agreed to. The quality assurance portion of the plan is to monitor and verify that the procedures and process of the plan are in place and are effective to ensure the deliverable is of the standards set forth by the plan. There are many different components of the quality manageme...

The reason a quality assurance plan is needed is to have a documented set of procedures to help instill quality into a method, process, or product that is being produced by a company. This is the aim of this plan, but if not correctly followed and implemented, then chances are it will not be effective. A quality assurance plan has two major characteristics to it. The first is to describe in detail the intended purpose of the product in document form, so it can be clearly understood. This is called “fit for purpose”. The second is to have a set of procedures to get the task done the first time with minimal mistakes and errors. This is referred to as “right the first time”. The design of a quality assurance plan has to start with the knowledge of what people, who are actually going to use the product, are expecting from the product. This includes the end-users and the merchant middle-men that will be selling the product. The way a quality assurance plan is constructed is to include f...

All of the different project management methodologies have one thing in common. This commonality is that each methodology is designed to have its processes that follows a specific discipline in assigning tasks and procedures that guide the inter activities from the initialization of a project until its conclusion. The right approach for your company is dependent on what type of business you are in. The different project management methodologies that are in use today are Adaptive Project Framework, Agile Software Development, Crystal Methods, Dynamic Systems Development Model, Extreme Programming, Feature Driven Development, Flexible Project Development, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, Joint Application Development, Lean Process, PRINCE2, Project Life Cycle,  Prototype Development, Rapid Application Development, Rational Unified Process, Scrum, Spiral, Tenstep Project Management Process, and Waterfall Methodology. There are several types of project management methodolog...

Having a quality control plan is necessary in today’s business world. Management does understand this but are still hesitant to invest heavily into it. Most quality control departments are considered a necessary evil because the value they add to a company’s product is not evident. What most production managers do not understand is that a quality control plan is more than just a system to make sure they did their job correctly. This is a plan that is the check-and-balance of the inner workings of a business. No part of a company is fool-proof and free of mistakes 100% of the time. In many cases, the quality control department is the last check before a customer receives a product. If there is a problem, it is their job to rectify it or the company’s image may become tarnished. There are systems and procedures in a quality control plan to make sure the deliverable is of the standards set forth by the business. Many feel this department is really working for the customers and not the ...

A quality plan has two different sections. There is the quality assurance section and the quality control section. The responsibility of the quality assurance part of the plan is to set in place all the proper documents and procedures to support the quality control plan. The quality control plan is the actual inspections and the carrying out of procedures to make sure the product has a high level of quality, with no defects in it. Each quality plan has to have many attributes to it. These should include usability, efficiency, testability, portability, reliability, understandability, and modifiability. In essences, when quality in a product is concerned, it is for use by a customer. A good quality plan will have clearly defined goals that are set out in documents so those involved can have access to them. This way, the quality plan is more than just a written procedure, but one that is implemented. The costs that are associated with a quality plan are many, but the cost of not havin...

The project charter is the section of a project management where the scope, goals, and resources are clearly defined. Some companies call this the Project Definition, Initiative for Policy Dialogue, or Terms of Reference. No matter what you call this, its roll is the same. In the project charter , what needs to be accomplished, by whom, in what time span, where the money to support the project is going to be coming from, and the resources that will be available all need to be documented. There will also be a section on all responsible parties that are involved with the project. This is to include the project manager assignment and any passive members, like shareholders or stake holders to whom the progress of the project will be reported to. For some companies, the project charter is more of a table of contents, along with a general agreement. This way, the specific details of the project can be formally documented in the “New Offering Request” or “Request for Proposal”. In a project...

With the introduction of project management programs a few years back, the tools a project manager has at their disposal has been greatly increased. Since this type of software is still in its infancy, there are many different versions and variations to what is available. Before any purchase of a project management program should be made, determining what will actually be beneficial to you and your team should be properly defined. Is there a need for scheduling, planning, issue tracking, task tracking, collaboration within scheduling, report and documentation creation, and risk management? For most organizations, the project planning software portion of a program is very useful. This portion of the program is where the scheduling is located. The construction of the business plan with the feasibility study should also be in this section is and needs to be addressed. These are very important steps in the formation of a project and to its success. The tasks will also be broken down in d...

One can look at a project methodology as a philosophy for a company’s approach to business. This is how the employees are instructed to accomplish the goals of the company. A methodology is a systematic approach to fulfilling a business need. This is generally used when a project is to be accomplished. Once the project methodology is known, then the correct type of Project Management Template can be used. These are utilized in the planning stages of a project. There are templates for scheduling, forecasting, feasibility studies, budgetary reason, quality control, risk assessment, issue resolution, and the tracking of a project’s progress. If the project methodology that is used involves the continuous redesign and improvement of the product, then the cyclic methodology is the correct one for your project. For those that have a distinct starting point and ending point of a product that has already been proven, then the Waterfall methodology is the proper one to follow. Following it,...

At first glance, the words “ terms of reference ” appear to be a vague description of an informational source. This could not be farther from the truth. This is a specific description of the set purpose for a committee, negotiations between different parties, meeting, or project of a group of individuals that have decided on achieving a goal together.  In a business plan, this is referred to as the Project Charter. In the terms of reference , how the scope of a project will be defined is described, along with how it will progress until the conclusion is verified. Every step of this process should be properly documented so reference to it can be accomplished in the future. This is where attention to detail is crucial. Specific definitions that need to be defined are to be created, the overall objectives in creating this project, and how it is to be achieved. This is to be fully documented with no ambiguity on any point.  If during the review there are any questions or confusion, it shou...

There are free project management templates available on the internet, if you know where to look. This can be very useful if adapted to a particular project in the correct manner in line with your business model. The free project management templates and their use are very well known by project managers. They use these handy tools to assist them with producing the different schedules needed during the course of a project to bring the needed manpower in and match it up with the available resources. These free project management templates are also used to plan out and guide the quality control measures that will be taken during the life cycle of the project. This way, any issues or problems that arise can be discovered before they make too big of an impact on the project.   What is not included in many of the free project management templates are the risk assessment templates. When this type of assessment is done properly, fewer issues will arise during the course of a project. This ...

There are free project management software packages available online for those looking for help. A good number of them are very competent with many templates and other things present in their package that can help the project manager do their job more efficiently. What differentiates the different programs is their approach to risk management. The free project management programs that have in-depth sections on risk management are the ones that are of utmost beneficial use to a project manager. The reason this is so important is due to what it actually does. Risk management involves having the correct process in place to properly assess the risks that are inherent to any project. With all things that identify a problem, there should also be a solution included. The strategies to finding a solution should include how the risk can be transferred out of the project, avoiding the risks all together, reducing the impact of the risks on the project, and accepting the price or consequences o...

There are many different methodologies used in the business world today. The correct one for your specific application is dependent on what discipline you are in. A few of the different approaches are the Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, and Lean methodologies . Each one has advantages and reasons for their development in the business world. One fact does stand out - there is not one methodology that is right for every situation. The Waterfall methodology is one that is applicable for many manufacturing settings. Just like in a car manufacturing line. The different components are made, and then assembled in a pre-determined order until the car is completed, and driven off the line. This process is a steady progression from one step to the next. The most efficient of the different methodologies deployed in the world today is the Lean methodology. This was developed after World War II in Japan, out of need. Because of the shortage of manpower and raw materials, the most had to be made out of w...

Equipped with a project management book of knowledge about business, a person trying to learn more about business and the way a successful one is run now has a guide. In a project management book of knowledge , a person will learn what the different components of a project are and how they should be prioritized. This will help them better understand the actual makeup of how a project should be run. While all parts of a project are important, there are certain areas that require more attention than others. This can be because of the frequency of issues that arise with this particular area of a project or the complexity this area naturally has. Also, a project management book of knowledge should have outlines on what the easiest ways to accomplish certain tasks are. When developing the scheduling of a project, there is a particular order in which they should be done. This will save you time by not having to go back to completed schedules and make adjustments because they were done out ...

A project management book is a systematic breakdown of what will actually work to make a project be successful. Inside each one is a list of processes and procedures the author has used to guide past projects to a successful conclusion. While most are pretty general in nature, there are a few that are made for specific sectors of business. What a project management book has to offer the reader is how to use practical tools for success when applied to a project. Inside, you can find the four basic phases that make up any project. This includes the initiation phase, followed by the planning of the project. Then, you are ready for the execution of the plan, which will lead to the final conclusion of the project. How each of these phases are carried out and monitored will determine how successful the project will be. Inside the project management book is a breakdown of what has to be accomplished in each of these phases, for a project to have a chance at being a success. Knowing how to g...

Knowing how to properly identify a good project guide can save a project manager a great deal of time.  This is an instructional manual that, if written properly, takes a complex issue and makes it easy to understand. This is done by breaking down the different components of the issue and examining each one step by step. A project guide is a general explanation of how to properly start, guide, and finish a project from its initiation to its conclusion, in the best possible manner. It can help show a manager the benefits of tracking the progress and where it can be used most effectively in a project. Resource management is a rather complex and difficult issue to learn and understand. Knowing how to organize this critical element can really help a project progress on time and in budget. Another good piece of content a project guide should include is the choice of management software that should be used. Deciding on this can help the project along greater than any other management tool...

There are several key components to a lean methodology approach to business. It is not as easy as trimming the fat off a steak. The process of being lean in a project is to use a business method that needs fewer workers with minimal capitalization by utilizing less material is a shorter amount of time during every phase of the project. The lean methodology has been known by several different names since it was first developed at the end of World War II. The most universal of these names is the “Just in Time System”. Just like the name says, nothing is done too far ahead of when it is needed, but the pieces of the project must mesh correctly or the system will not function. Everyone in the project must be doing their part correctly all the time. The important parts of a lean methodology approach have 5 factors. The first one is that the value to the customer is identified and then met. The second is the value stream in which the work flows. If a step of the process does not add value ...

A project book is somewhat better known as a project management book. This is a collection of instructions on how to properly manage people in the work place that are part of your team. Knowing how to get the most of your team with the talents they already posses are the key to being a good manager. This includes what motivates them and what discourages them. The project book that is followed can make the difference in the outcome of the project, if it is followed correctly. When looking at the different ones available, peek into the table of content to see what is really in it. There should be a section on people management, managing time, financial and budget management. Other issues that should be covered are communications, risks, issues, problem solving, reports, and how to properly structure a project from beginning to end. There should be, within a project book , a section on what is basic on managing a project. This would be best covered if there is a step-by-step approach to...

With the right project tool in the hands of an experienced project manager, the tasks laid out before them can be accomplished in the least amount of time. the tools that are in a project management software program are there to help the manager properly define, plan, monitor, control and bring to a successful conclusion the project they are in charge of. Each project is different in what the plans are to achieve and how it is to be accomplished. The application of a project tool from the management software package is used differently with each application.  This is because a project is a temporary function of a business. It is true that business nearly always have a project underway. There is rarely a project that last the life cycle of a business. A very often used project tool is the one that guides the team members thru management change. There are times in a project where the project manager is replaced during the course of a project. Unless there is a plan in effect, this coul...

Using the right project management tool for its designed purpose can help a project manager do a better job in a more efficient manner. The software programs that are available are generally not geared towards a specific sector of business. Instead they are made to be used by nearly any business in almost any field of commerce. The project management tool that is right for your manager and staff to use should then be the one that is easiest to install and use. To determine which one of the many programs available best fits this description a company would first need to know what their computer systems capabilities are at the present time. Not every project management tool requires space on a person’s hardrive for them to use it. If your space is limited then the options with the web based systems might be the right choice. This type of system allows the users to log in on any computer, anywhere and use the program. This is also the type of program that many mobile project managers p...

Choosaing the right  project methodology is a very important step undertaken before a project can commence. This step in a project plan must be decided on so the rest of the plan can take place. The right project methodology has several different determining factors. One of which is what is going to be the deliverable. A software program can not follow the same methodology as the production of an automobile part. This is the part of a project where the foundation is put in place to make the project run smoothly until its completion. The correct project methodology can help solve many problems. One of these is to help explain to the team members of the project what to expect in each stage of the project. It can also define a common terminology to be used during the project. This way, the different members can understand and communicate effectively during each stage of the project. The scale of the tasks being undertaken has to be considered when determining the project methodology, ...

With project management tools , a manager of a project can do more in less time with more efficiency. This is the reason they are being deployed in so many business. The business world is very competitive place and speed and efficiency are keys to gaining the competitive edge. The use of project management tools is done so that the organization of a project can be accomplished with minimal time. These tools also help with the planning of the projects by properly preparing the scheduling of the man power and available resources. This is the best way to achieve the goals of the project and help bring in a revenue source for the company. Different project management tools are used by the manager in charge during different stages of a project. One that is used in nearly all phases is the project management software. This type of program gives the manager access to templates and resources to develop schedules and keep track of the project while it is underway. This helps advance the proje...

In a sample feasibility study , there are certain key components that should be present no matter what type of business the document is intended for. Slight variations from any sample document are generally needed to fit the specific business for which it is used. A sample feasibility study must start off with a cover page that includes the projects name, the company for which it is being presented to, and the date. The next page should be a record of the revisions the report has been through. The third page is the authorization memorandum. All parties responsible for the approval of the document should have a space for their signature, and the date in which it is signed. The table of contents is the next part of this sample feasibility study . The list is to include all pages that exist beyond the table of content page(s).  The sections or chapters of the document are listed, along with their subtopics, with the appropriate corresponding pages. This sample feasibility study is broke...

An example feasibility study that is available online is from another business that might have used it before. The reason this sounds so cautious is that no business is willing to share vital information on how they conduct their business affairs for free. This would only cost them money in the long run. Companies are only in business to make money. No one works for fun unless they are already rich. An example feasibility study can be very useful as a guide when matched up with a template from a management software program. This way, the user can formulate what might have worked in the past and what is standard practice in certain sectors of business. The key focus of most feasibility studies are the economics of the project in question. Logistics, marketing, labor cost, and consumer confidence all have an effect on whether a company can make money in the chosen market with their project. An example feasibility study should clarify each of these and even break them down further for ...

A project feasibility study is conducted after the business idea is created, but before any actual prototype is produced. This allows for the idea to be tested in the particular target area with only a minimal investment. What a project feasibility study is capable of uncovering for the project manager is insights to what will work and be readily accepted by the consumers of the target audience. Some managers call this constructive input that can actually make the difference if a product will produce the revenue stream it is designed to generate. Since the design phase of the project has not yet taken place or is in its infancy, incorporating these newly discovered ideas is vastly easier than if the process has already been concluded. This process and the scheduling of the different components of a project can all be coordinated with the implementation of a project plan. In the project plan, the project feasibility study is part of the initialization phase of the plan. In the part o...

The life cycle methodology that your project will undertake could take several different forms. The right one for you might not be the one that is used. Many businesses that are rigid in their business plan can sometimes do more harm than good. It is the job of the project manager to state what is needed when he presents the business case before the upper management. Because of the differences in life cycle methodology , the knowledge of the project manager and his experience is vital to understand what will work. This knowledge is generally gained through experience on the job. Some projects would be best to follow the waterfall methodology, while the spiral may be better suited in others. More than just being aware of them but also knowing the differences between them, can help the project manager guide his work to a successful completion. With software, the best known life cycle methodology is the Agile approach. This has many different team members placing input into the project ...

In a feasibility study report , the economic viability of a project or business can be examined. This is a tool that is used by project managers to identify any possible problems with their business proposals. This important step in the decision making process on whether a business proposition is economically feasible to make an investment in should be done. This is done generally during the development of a business plan. A cost analysis of the logistics involved is one of the factors a feasibility study report will bring to light for the reviewers. With all parts of a plan, there are options. This report should examine all possible avenues with advantages and disadvantages on each item that is discussed. This includes the transportation costs, the renting of property of needed, the location of the business or where the product is to be sold. The objectives of the business case will also be objectively looked at in a feasibility study report . In some cases what sounds like a great m...