Project Plan - FREE project template
A plan provides a statement of how and when objectives are to be achieved, by showing the major products, activities and resources required for the scope of the plan. In PRINCE2, there are three levels of plan: project, stage and team. Team Plans are optional and may not need to follow the same composition as a Project Plan or Stage Plan.
1. Schedule
1.1. This may include or reference graphical representations of the following:
1.1.1. Gantt or bar chart
1.1.2. Product breakdown structure
1.1.3. Product flow diagram
1.1.4. Activity Network
1.1.5. Table of resource requirements – by resource type (e.g. four engineers, one test manager, one business analyst)
1.1.6. Table of requested/assigned specific resources –by name (e.g. Nikki, Jay, Francesca)
1.1.7. The Schedule may also be in the form of a Product Checklist as shown below
1.1.8. Product Checklist
1.1.8.1. Product Identifier
1.1.8.1.1. [...]
1.1.8.2. Product Title
1.1.8.2.1. [...]
1.1.8.3. Product Description approved
1.1.8.3.1. Plan
1.1.8.3.2. Actual
1.1.8.4. Draft Ready
1.1.8.4.1. Plan
1.1.8.4.2. Actual
1.1.8.5. Final Quality Check completed
1.1.8.5.1. Plan
1.1.8.5.2. Actual
1.1.8.6. Approved
1.1.8.6.1. Plan
1.1.8.6.2. Actual
1.1.8.7. Handed Over (if applicable)
1.1.8.7.1. Plan
1.1.8.7.2. Actual
2. Plan Description
2.1. [Include a brief description of what the plan encompasses (i.e. project, stage, team, exception) and the planning approach]
3. Plan Prerequistes
3.1. [Include any fundamental aspects that must be in place, and remain in place, for the plan to succeed]
4. External Dependencies
4.1. [Describe the external dependencies which may influence the plan]
5. Planning Assumptions
5.1. [Describe the planning assumptions upon which the plan is based]
6. Lessons Incorporated
6.1. [Detail relevant lessons from previous similar projects, which have been reviewed and accommodated within this plan]
7. Monitoring and Control
7.1. [Detail how the plan will be monitored and controlled]
8. Budgets
8.1. [Cover time and cost, including provisions for risks and changes]
9. Tolerances
9.1. [Document time, cost and scope tolerances for the level of plan (you may also include more specific stage- or team-level risk tolerances)]
10. Product Descriptions
10.1. [Cover the products within the scope of the plan (for the Project Plan this will include the project’s product; for the Stage Plan this will be the stage products; and for a Team Plan this should be a reference to the Work Package assigned). Define quality tolerances in each Product Description]
11. Sign-up to edit this map
12. Document information
12.1. Project Name
12.1.1. [name]
12.2. Date
12.2.1. [date]
12.3. Release
12.3.1. Draft/Final
12.4. Author
12.4.1. [author]
12.5. Owner
12.5.1. [owner]
12.6. Client
12.6.1. [client]
12.7. Document Number
12.7.1. [number]
12.8. Revision, Approvals & Distribution
12.8.1. Revision History
12.8.1.1. Revision # [....]
12.8.1.1.1. Revision Date
12.8.1.1.2. Previous Revision Date
12.8.1.1.3. Summary of Changes
12.8.1.1.4. Changes Marked
12.8.1.2. Revision # [....]
12.8.1.2.1. Revision Date
12.8.1.2.2. Previous Revision Date
12.8.1.2.3. Summary of Changes
12.8.1.2.4. Changes Marked
12.8.1.3. Revision # [....]
12.8.1.3.1. Revision Date
12.8.1.3.2. Previous Revision Date
12.8.1.3.3. Summary of Changes
12.8.1.3.4. Changes Marked
12.8.1.4. Date of next revision:
12.8.1.4.1. [....]
12.8.2. Approvals
12.8.2.1. Approval # [....]
12.8.2.1.1. Name
12.8.2.1.2. Signature
12.8.2.1.3. Title
12.8.2.1.4. Date of Issue
12.8.2.1.5. Version
12.8.2.2. Approval # [....]
12.8.2.2.1. Name
12.8.2.2.2. Signature
12.8.2.2.3. Title
12.8.2.2.4. Date of Issue
12.8.2.2.5. Version
12.8.2.3. Approval # [....]
12.8.2.3.1. Name
12.8.2.3.2. Signature
12.8.2.3.3. Title
12.8.2.3.4. Date of Issue
12.8.2.3.5. Version
12.8.3. Distribution
12.8.3.1. Distribution # [....]
12.8.3.1.1. Name
12.8.3.1.2. Title
12.8.3.1.3. Date of issue
12.8.3.1.4. Version
12.8.3.2. Distribution # [....]
12.8.3.2.1. Name
12.8.3.2.2. Title
12.8.3.2.3. Date of issue
12.8.3.2.4. Version
13. How to use this template
13.1. How to share this template with your team
13.1.1. Send an email
13.1.1.1. 1. Click Share this map
13.1.1.2. 2. Select Invite People
13.1.1.3. 3. Write a message
13.1.1.4. 4. Click Invite
13.1.2. Send a link
13.1.2.1. 1. Click Share this map
13.1.2.2. 2. Tick Link to share
13.1.2.3. 3. Copy the link to share it
13.1.3. Export
13.1.3.1. 1. Click down arrow, bottom right
13.1.3.2. 2. Select the export option you want
13.2. How to complete this template
13.2.1. Complete the sections in square brackets
13.2.1.1. [....]
13.2.2. Read these sections for help on this template
13.2.2.1. Purpose
13.2.2.2. Advice
13.2.3. Navigate using the links in Contents
13.2.3.1. Contents
13.3. Attribution
13.3.1. Copyright © AXELOS Limited 2009. All rights reserved. Material is reproduced with the permission of AXELOS
13.4. Get this template here
14. Overview
14.1. Purpose
14.1.1. A plan provides a statement of how and when objectives are to be achieved, by showing the major products, activities and resources required for the scope of the plan. In PRINCE2, there are three levels of plan: project, stage and team. Team Plans are optional and may not need to follow the same composition as a Project Plan or Stage Plan.
14.1.2. An Exception Plan is created at the same level as the plan that it is replacing.
14.1.3. A Project Plan provides the Business Case with planned costs, and it identifies the management stages and other major control points. It is used by the Project Board as a baseline against which to monitor project progress.
14.1.4. Stage Plans cover the products, resources, activities and controls specific to the stage and are used as a baseline against which to monitor stage progress.
14.1.5. Team Plans (if used) could comprise just a schedule appended to the Work Package(s) assigned to the Team Manager.
14.1.6. A plan should cover not just the activities to create products but also the activities to manage product creation - including activities for assurance, quality management, risk management, configuration management, communication and any other project controls required.
14.2. Contents
14.2.1. The Plan should cover the following topics.
14.2.2. Plan Description
14.2.3. Plan Prerequisites
14.2.4. External Dependencies
14.2.5. Planning Assumptions
14.2.6. Lessons Incorporated
14.2.7. Monitoring and Control
14.2.8. Budgets
14.2.9. Tolerances
14.2.10. Product Descriptions
14.2.11. Schedule
14.3. Advice
14.3.1. The Plan is derived from the Project Brief, Quality Management Strategy (for quality management activities to be included in the plan), Risk Management Strategy (for risk management activities to be included in the plan), Communication Management Strategy (for communication management activities to be included in the plan), Configuration Management Strategy (for configuration management activities to be included in the plan), Resource availability, and Registers and logs.
14.3.2. The Plan can take a number of formats including: A stand-alone document or a section of the Project Initiation Documentation; Document, spreadsheet, presentation slides or mindmap; Entry in a project management tool.
14.3.3. The schedule may be in the form of a product checklist (which is a list of the products to be delivered within the scope of the plan, together with key status dates such as draft ready, quality inspected, approved etc.) or the output from a project planning tool.
14.3.4. The following quality criteria should be observed:
14.3.4.1. The plan is achievable
14.3.4.2. Estimates are based on consultation with the resources, who will undertake the work, and/or historical data
14.3.4.3. Team Managers agree that their part of the plan is achievable
14.3.4.4. It is planned to an appropriate level of detail (not too much, not too little)
14.3.4.5. The plan conforms to required corporate or programme standards
14.3.4.6. The plan incorporates lessons from previous projects
14.3.4.7. The plan incorporates any legal requirements
14.3.4.8. The Plan covers management and control activities (such as quality) as well as the activities to create the products in scope
14.3.4.9. The plan supports the Quality Management Strategy, Configuration Management Strategy, Risk Management Strategy, Communication Management Strategy and project approach
14.3.4.10. The plan supports the management controls defined in the Project Initiation Documentation