Project Name

Planning Questions Guide

PLANNING QUESTIONS GUIDE TEMPLATE
PLANNING QUESTIONS GUIDE TEMPLATE DEFINITION
Use these Planning Questions during work session planning to determine the objectives, finalize the Work
Session Agenda, confirm the number of attendees, validate all necessar logistical arrangements
and discuss materials that need to be created or gathered to distribute to the team as preparator
reading, or copied for the work session!
POTENTIAL USES:
"o assist in the planning of a work session
"o assist in identifing the objectives of the work session
"o identif an potential #hot button$ items that the facilitator needs to be aware of prior to the
work session
"o ensure that the project sponsor%s&, project manager, and facilitator mutuall agree on the
deliverables of the work session

# PLANNING GUIDE QUESTIONS
' What is a brief description of the Project Initiative?
( What is the history behind this initiative?
What is the problem statement or reason for pursuing this effort?
Why now?
) What, if any, ey decisions have been made about this project to date?
* What do you want to accomplish in the wor session? !objectives"
+ What are the specific deliverables !and their formats" that you e#pect from this session?
, Please describe the $boundaries% of the effort& what is in scope? !e'g' customer segments,
products or services, geographic regions, sales or distribution channels, etc'"
- (btain a brief overview of how things are woring today' )ow do the people * processes * technology
wor in the current environment?
. (btain a brief overview of the target environment' )ow do the Project +ponsor!s" and Project
,anager envision people * processes * technology woring as a result of the project initiative?
/ What are the critical $hot spots% for this wor session?
'0 What would you lie to call or name this wor session?
'' What are the dates you-d lie to target?
.ate /ast 0pdated1 Template Copyright 2004, Resource Alliance. Used by Permission.
2ersion1
Project Name
Planning Questions Guide
# PLANNING GUIDE QUESTIONS
'( 3eview 4ntry criteria with Project +ponsor!s" and*or Project ,anager' .etermine if all entry criteria
have been met' If not, determine how to accomplish the missing entry criteria prior to the wor
session' !,ight this cause the wor session dates to move out?"
') .o you have a proposed list of attendees or areas that need to be represented? If so, who*what are
they?
3e5uest the Project ,anager to fill out the Participant 6ontact /ist template
'* What is the location of the largest number of participants? .oes it mae sense to arrange the face7
to7face wor session in that location?
Is this a secured location? If so, arrange for security clearance and escorts for off7site
participants'
'+ 8re there bacground materials available regarding this project effort? If so, please forward to the
9acilitator at this time'
', 8re there terms !terminology" that are specific to your environment that it would be helpful to define
before the wor session? If so, define'
'- 8re there terms !terminology" that it would be helpful to avoid using during the wor session? If so,
list these'
'. 3egarding the logistics of the wor session itself&
What would you lie the start*end times each day to be?
Who will handle reserving a room and scheduling catering?
+end /ogistics 6heclist and room layout to Project ,anager
Project ,anager will define and send catering re5uirements to appropriate person!s"
Project ,anager will send out invitation : attachments to the attendees
9acilitator to send draft $save the date% and $wor session invitation% templates to Project
,anager for distribution
'/ Is there a project number or G/ 8ccount to which the participants should bill their time or e#penses?
If so, Project ,anager should include this information in the invitation to participants'
(0 Who is the main contact !Project +ponsor!s", Project ,anager, other&" for the 9acilitator in order to
continuing wor session planning?
.ate /ast 0pdated1 Template Copyright 2004, Resource Alliance. Used by Permission. 2
2ersion1