An Overview of the Planning Processes

Planning
Purpose
Process
Scope Planning To create a document that will guide project decisions.
Scope Definition To breakdown the project deliverables into manageable elements. The sum of the
smaller elements equate to the project scope.
Activity
To define the required activities, and only the required activities, to complete the
Definition
project scope.
Resource
To ascertain the resources required to achieve the defined activities for completing the
Planning
project work. Resources include people, equipment, and materials.
Activity
To determine the best sequence of planned activities within the project work.
Sequencing
Activity Duration To determine the estimated required work units to successfully complete the defined
Estimating
activities.
Cost Estimating To determine an estimated amount of monies to complete the project work using the
defined facilities, services, and goods.
Risk
To determine the risks within the project and how to react to the identified risks.
Management
Planning
Schedule
To determine the project schedule based on the sequence of activities, the required
Development
resources, and the required monies. The Schedule Development process reveals an
estimated reflection of when all of the required work can be completed with the given
resources.
Cost Budgeting To determine the estimated cost of the activities to complete the project work.
Project Plan
To create a coherent compilation of the other planning processes to guide the project

Development
execution.
Quality Planning To determine the Quality Assurance standards used by the organization. The Quality
Assurance standards that are relevant to the project must be planned into the project.
Communications To determine who needs what, when they need it, and in what modality (paper or
Planning
electronic, for example) they need it.
Organizational
To determine the project roles and responsibility. This also determines the reporting
Planning
structure between the project manager, the project team, and management.
Staff Acquisition To acquire the needed people to complete the determined project work.
Risk
To identify the risks, rewards, and penalties associated with the project.
Identification
Qualitative Risk To prioritize the impact of the risks on the project (typically in a high, medium, and low
Analysis
ranking).
Quantitative
To measure and consider the probability and associated impact of the risks on the
Risk Analysis
project.
Risk Response
To avoid, eliminate, reduce, or create a planned reaction to the identified risks within
Planning
the project.
Procurement
To determine what goods and services must be procured and when they will need to
Planning
be procured in the project lifecycle.
Solicitation
To determine the possible vendors to provide the goods and services for the project.
Planning