7 Proven Planning Techniques For Better Projects

7 Proven Planning Techniques For Better Projects


A project without a plan is like a car without a driver. The project plan is the guide that gets a project manager from concept through execution, and a finished product at its destination. Critical path analysis is a planning technique designed to address projects with many tasks, especially when there are those that are done at the same time and are dependent on one another. It follows a timeline that shows where tasks are in the schedule and what must be done when. Brainstorming is a tool that uses the collective experience and skills of the project team to give project managers the full picture before they attempt to frame it in a plan.

brainstorming should be the first step in any planning technique, as it is a creative and lateral way of thinking that can help identify project risk and other concerns. It is a highly revealing planning technique, but it can be difficult to get people to think outside the box. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a way to rank tasks in the project, which helps to get a handle on it. It is like putting something in a crucible and breaking it down to its primary elements.