Essentials to Get You Started
There are so many moving pieces when you’re planning a project that it can be challenging just figuring out where to start – especially for beginners. After all, there’s a lot riding on your project plan.
Not to worry though, because I’ve distilled my project management expertise into a list of project planning essentials to get you started on the path to project success.
Project planning tip #1 – initiate first
So many new project managers make the mistake of jumping right into project planning. What they don’t realize is there’s a crucial pre-planning step that comes first.
Initiation happens right after you get your marching orders. It’s where you go to your project sponsor or executive team to confirm the what and why of the project, as well as the project’s ins and outs and expectations.
You need that information before you start planning because the last thing you want to do is start planning in the wrong direction.
Project planning tip #2 – know the what
Step two involves understanding what you’re trying to do on the project. This is where you start mapping out a breakdown of the work your project will aim to achieve.
As I teach my SLAY Project Management students, the best place to do this is in a work breakdown structure, or WBS. That’s a document that details everything that needs to be done for your project to reach the finish line.
Getting a baseline of your project’s what is crucial, and it should happen before you start talking to your team members.
4 more project planning tips for beginners
I have several more tips that are essential for project planning – especially if you’re a beginner – and I want to make sure I explain them all clearly. Check out the video I made that dives into them in detail.
Follow me over to YouTube and we’ll keep chatting about project planning essentials for beginners!
I go way more in-depth on project planning in my SLAY Project Management online course. Not only do I show you step-by-step how to successfully manage a project, but you also get every template you will need, along with detailed video instructions on how to fill them out.
Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management™