1. 3 Steps to a More Effective Work Plan (for your next #project) Based on the expert insights of Kevin Korterud, Accenture, originally shared on PMI’s Voices on Project Management blog. 2. "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy." -Colin Powell 3. You can dramatically reduce the gap between plan and reality by taking 3 simple steps. 4. STEP 1: Design the work plan around the project goal. 5. What is the project goal? 6. Do you want to: 7. Implement a new process across teams? 8. Develop a new project or feature? 9. Manage a large scale event? 10. Define the desired outcome as specifically as possible so you keep your eye on the prize. 11. Task completion Orchestration of resources Some possible outcomes may be defined as: Task completion, Orchestration of resources, or Creation of deliverables. 12. Why does this matter? 13. If your project objective is to implement a newly defined process across multiple teams… 14. then team acceptance is the critical component to success. So, organize the work plan around teams and their needs, not around the process itself. 15. Makes sense, right? 16. STEP 2: Measure what you need to know. No more, no less. 17. For simpler projects, a straightforward percent complete scheme is great for measuring progress. 18. For more complex projects use: 19. Gantt charts (that show dependencies) 20. Resource management dashboard (to show and allocate team availability) 21. $ Earned value tracking (to ensure precise measurement of progress) 22. This keeps your reports clean, straightforward, and relevant. 23. STEP 3: Practice resource management. 24. Projects are powered by people. 25. So tracking team availability is critical to sticking to the work plan. 26. Project A requires 30 people, only 18 people are available, so your project will be late. 27. Avoid resource shortfalls; schedule a fixed time commitment for each person you will need on the team. 28. This ensures you will have the right people to complete the work plan on time and on budget. 29. Good resource management tools show you who’s busy, who’s not, and help you reallocate resources accordingly. 30. Conclusion: Elements of an effective work plan are 1. Align the work plan to the project goal. 2. Match reporting complexity to project scope. 3. Use resource management for team scheduling. Thank you to Kevin Korterud of Accenture & PMI’s Voices blog for sharing these insights. 31. Join the millions of project managers who use Smartsheet’s powerful, flexible online spreadsheets to keep projects on task and on time. www.smartsheet.com @Smartsheet #projectmanagement

1. 3 Steps to a More
Effective Work Plan
(for your next #project)
Based on the expert insights of Kevin Korterud, Accenture,
originally shared on PMI’s Voices on Project Management blog.
presented by
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2. No battle plan survives
contact with the enemy.
Colin Powell
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3. You can dramatically
reduce the g a p
between plan and reality
by taking 3 simple steps:
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4. STEP 1
Design the work
plan around the
project goal.
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5. What is the project goal?
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6. Do you want to:
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7. Implement a new process across teams?
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8. Develop a new project or feature?
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9. Manage a large scale event?
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10. Define the desired
outcome as specifically as
possible so you keep
your eye on the prize.
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11. Task
completion
Orchestration
of resources
Some possible
outcomes may be
defined as:
Creation of
deliverables
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12. Why does this matter?
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13. If your project objective
is to implement a
newly defined process
across multiple teams…
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14. then team acceptance
is the critical component
to success.
So, organize the work plan
around teams and their needs,
not around the process itself.
Follow Us:

15. Makes sense, right?
Follow Us:

16. STEP 2
Measure what
you need to know.
No more, no less.
Follow Us:

17. For simpler projects,
a straightforward percent
complete scheme is great
for measuring progress.
Follow Us:

18. For more complex projects use:
Follow Us:

19. Gantt charts
(that show dependencies)
Follow Us:

20. Resource management dashboard
(to show and allocate team availability)
Follow Us:

21. $
Earned value tracking
(to ensure precise measurement of progress)
Follow Us:

22. This keeps your reports
clean, straightforward, and relevant.
Follow Us:

23. STEP 3
Practice
resource
management.
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24. Projects are powered by
people.
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25. So tracking team availability is critical
to sticking to the work plan.
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26. Project A
requires 30
people
{
}
Only 18 people
are available
Your project will be late.
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27. Avoid resource shortfalls;
schedule a fixed time commitment for
each person you will need on the team.
Follow Us:

28. This ensures you will have the right people to
complete the work plan on time and on budget.
Follow Us:

29. Good resource management tools show
you who’s busy, who’s not, and help you
reallocate resources accordingly.
Follow Us:

30. Conclusion
Elements of an effective work plan
1. Align the work plan to the
project goal.
2. Match reporting complexity
to project scope.
3. Use resource management
for team scheduling.
Thank you to Kevin Korterud of Accenture & PMI’s Voices blog
for sharing these insights.
Follow Us:

31. Join the millions of project managers who use
Smartsheet’s powerful, flexible online spreadsheets
to keep projects on task and on time.
www.smartsheet.com
@Smartsheet
#projectmanagement
Follow Us: