If I take this question seriously, planning allows you to learn from the failures. Saving Changes...
John TiesoAuthor, Lecturer in Business Management| The Catholic University of America, Busch School of Business & EconomicsArlington, Va, United States
Apr 10, 2017 9:45 AM
Replying to Eduard Hernandez
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We plan because planning is needed in order for the project to succeed. Nevertheless, it is not sufficient – it’s only a part of a whole.
I must quote Antoine de Saint-Exupéry “A goal without a plan is just a wish”
One of the deficiencies, in my view, of the PMBOK is that it does not adequately describe the overlapping step -- organize-- which is needed between initiation and planning. Initiation describes the requirement, and begins to assess the resources of all types needed for success, at least as far as it is known at the beginning.
Planning performs many of the organizing steps, but there is a 'space' in between on dealing with several questions:
- What types of people and resources are needed to engage the requirements? (i.e. admin, technical, subject-matter expert)
-What type of team can best execute project? (i.e. co-located, functional, distributed, etc.)
-What type of PM can best address the requirements, and the skills needed?
Getting the resource categories and steam categorization right as Initiation proceeds then allows the development of goals and objectives that are practical, and on which the team selected by answering some of the above questions can then proceed into more comprehensive planning activities. Saving Changes...
John TiesoAuthor, Lecturer in Business Management| The Catholic University of America, Busch School of Business & EconomicsArlington, Va, United States
Apr 10, 2017 10:08 AM
Replying to Ruben Dario Abello Medina
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You can work in a project and finish it successfuly without plan, but it a big risk becouse you aren sure what to do, how to do it, what tod do in risk event, you could not to know whats the real scope. Everything would be improvisation
Let me respectfully disagree here. While i write books that sometimes do not have an ending defined as I initiate work, I could never afford to do that with a project. My philosophy, expressed frequently to my consultants, and still to this day to my students, is there is a conceptual stake in the ground (Point 'A' - The Requirements, and another logical or physical stake in the ground (Point 'B' - The expected result or outcome). if you arrive at Point 'C', due to imperfect planning, or the absence thereof, you are cheating yourself, the client, and those who relied on your professionalism to get it right.
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1 reply by Ruben Dario Abello Medina
Apr 11, 2017 7:43 PM
Ruben Dario Abello Medina
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Hi John, Im sorry if the phrase or comment confused you and the others, I just say that you can finish a project without a plan, but thats not means that is a good ways, and always you must avoid it. A plan its always the best way to reach an objetive
With a plan you can check if the project is in right way, if you are on time, if you are within the budget, and so on
Saving Changes...
John TiesoAuthor, Lecturer in Business Management| The Catholic University of America, Busch School of Business & EconomicsArlington, Va, United States
Apr 10, 2017 10:24 AM
Replying to Wade Harshman
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Planning DOES stop problems.
Or at least, it helps mitigate the risks you identify, and it prevents the problems you'd have if you had failed to plan.
To use the oft-quoted line from President Eisenhower:
"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
Sometimes, however, we project managers get so wrapped up in our predictive cycle plans that we waste time and resources which could be dedicated to actually completing project work. There are a lot of variables in determining how much detail your project plan needs.
Agreed Wade. I've found over the years that a simple template (Containing initially nothing more than the list of plans and reports that are common in our calling (i.e. performance, risk, quality, staffing, etc) are great paragraphs to consider as we begin to understand the requirement(s). They may never progress to separate plans, but they do contribute to an integrated understanding needed for success.
Planning is what you make of it. For myself, I guess it would be possible to simply roll over and say that after thirty years, I have probably seen most of the major types of projects. However, each is distinct and separate, each with its own unique characteristics and potential problems or risks. Always better to address those in an organized way, and plan for success. Saving Changes...
Mark EckmanSenior Project Manager, PMP| VeoliaEmporia, Va, United States
A plan is only as solid as the due diligence we provide prior to planning. Our planning as PM's is based on the goals/desired outcomes of the project and on the requirements that we gather and define prior to the planning phase.
I would argue that most plans don't fail to stop problems but rather a failure on our part to either properly define project goals and outcomes -or- properly gather, process and integrate requirements. Saving Changes...
Philippe SchulerSenior Instructor/Lecturer in Project/Program/Account PMO Management| Independant ConsultantLes Choux, France
Planning stops problems. If not it is because planning is used for documentation only and not as a management tool to anticipate and to provide visibility..
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2 replies by George Lewis
Apr 11, 2017 2:53 PM
George Lewis
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Philippe - I totally agree with your statement, I should say I STRONGLY agree...
How many times planning is just used as documentation gathering and files generated are never to be seen, never to be updated, nerver to be remembered.... Some times they're just generated because was asked by someone...
Apr 11, 2017 3:17 PM
George Lewis
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Let me also add.... Documentation should reflect Planning and not that Planning to be substituted by Documemtation...
Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Apr 11, 2017 2:15 PM
Replying to Philippe Schuler
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Planning stops problems. If not it is because planning is used for documentation only and not as a management tool to anticipate and to provide visibility..
Philippe - I totally agree with your statement, I should say I STRONGLY agree...
How many times planning is just used as documentation gathering and files generated are never to be seen, never to be updated, nerver to be remembered.... Some times they're just generated because was asked by someone...
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1 reply by John Tieso
Apr 11, 2017 4:44 PM
John Tieso
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Let me suggest that planning BY ITSELF, without a really organized and focused effort, changes nothing. Properly organized planning, based on real understanding of the requirements and the tools and techniques available to solve the problem and produce the desired result enablers success.
Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Apr 11, 2017 2:15 PM
Replying to Philippe Schuler
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Planning stops problems. If not it is because planning is used for documentation only and not as a management tool to anticipate and to provide visibility..
Let me also add.... Documentation should reflect Planning and not that Planning to be substituted by Documemtation... Saving Changes...
Edward DanielsProject Manager| IndependentGlen Burnie, Md, United States
I love this question!
I have had to explain to people who don't see the value of project management or PMs in the past. I used the analogy that we can all relate to. If i am going to the grocery store, it may behoove me to have a list of items that i need. It is not a must have to come prepared with a list but without a list, i may end up buying things i don't need, spend more time walking the aisles, spend more than i budgeted for and to crown it all, i may even not remember to buy what i really came to the store for. Most people on this forum can relate on some level to that.
With planning, it is similar, if we don't plan, we end up investing in products or services that we don't need and taking a lot of time and resources to scrap it later.
Good planning helps organizations, i repeat good planning, not just planning helps organizations to minimize project risks, give a clear direction of what initiatives to invest in, reduce waste and maximize opportunities that lead to successful projects.
