I have been working with my web developer for several years. One of the things she did for us was to develop a project work plan. After carving out and documenting what services we needed, she then took the contract and turned it into a project work plan.
It’s important to have a plan. There are all types: public relations plan, business plan, marketing plan, communications plan, IT plan…You name it. The most important thing is to have a plan, and try to stick to it. A plan is like a map on your GPS system. It leads and guides you to your destination. Sometimes you may get off course, but you can always get back on course.
Some basic elements of a project work plan are:
~Dates: When an item is scheduled to begin, how long it may take, when it should be completed
~Task: What is to be done. This should be as comprehensive as possible
~Responsibility: Who is responsible for completing a particular task? Who will sign off?
You may add other elements as needed. For example, some plans include budgets.
Remember, the work plan is not meant to be a static document. It can be revised as needed. As you move along with the project, you may see other tasks that should be added or deleted. It may take a particular task longer or shorter to complete, thereby changing the due dates.
The project work plan, like any plan, is meant to assist and guide all parties in completing the project. No project is meant to go on forever. If there is no project work plan, you run the risk of never completing it.
With many people handling many responsibilities at once, project work plans are a good tool to stay focused, on task and ready to check the “project completed” box.