Created: July 24, 2013 at 9:37 AM | Updated: August 10, 2020 | By Community Resource Kit
Project management/planning refers to separate, distinct projects, events or programmes. These will link to the actions or activities in your operational plan for the whole organisation.
Project management applies to managing smaller, community-based projects as well as major projects. Any project can be divided up into four distinct phases.
This is where you work out what you aim to achieve, the resources you'll need to do it and how you'll know you've been successful. The project's terms of reference set out the overall reasons for, and scope of the project.
The terms of reference document includes the following:
This is the what, where, when, who and how stage of project management. In this stage you work out the detailed tasks to be done and map it out on a project schedule or GANTT chart.
To create a project schedule (or GANTT chart): On a whiteboard or large piece of paper, draw up the following template:
Project Schedule (or GANTT chart)
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You can also include the following plans and documents:
This is the action stage of the project. How much monitoring you do depends on the scale and complexity of your project. As you put your plan into action
On larger projects, or in larger organisations, it is common to have a formal change management process where changes to a project are introduced and approved. For this there are a range of other forms and registers, such as an Issues Register and Project Change Request forms that need to be signed off to approve changes.
The Change Management Toolbook has useful information and tools to help with managing change.
Tip: Be prepared to run into some unforeseen issues that might mean the project will take longer, cost more and/or not be up to the quality you'd hoped. You may have overlooked an important item when you defined the scope, and now need to include it. Don't panic - it's often just a case of keeping track of these issues and adjusting your actions accordingly.
This is the last stage of the project. In many situations there will be some ongoing work to do, such as offering continuing support to your community or maintaining a resource you have developed. This stage will quite often merge with your group's regular activities.
There are four things to do in the project closure stage:
1. Evaluate the project, checking:
2. Write a closure report to record the project's completion.
3. Tidy up any loose ends, making note of what needs to be carried over into regular business.
4. Celebrate - take a moment to celebrate the completion of the project. You've earned it!