Project Planning and

Control
Lecture: 1
Yasir Nasim
Project Management
A Project is defined as:
‘A unique set of coordinated activities, with
definite starting and finishing points,
undertaken by an individual or organization to
meet specific objectives within defined
schedule, cost and performance parameters.’
Project Objectives
A traditional view of IRON TRIANGLE
 Project Objectives
• In recent years, a fourth dimension has also been
added, specially when dealing with projects that
have a high concern for Safety… e.g. for industries
like:
− Aerospace
− Railway
− Nuclear Power Plants
− Mining
Project Objectives
A Contemporary View: The Diamond
Defining Project Success

Client
Budget Acceptance

Success

Schedule Performance
Project Planning
Project Planning
 Project Planning
There are nine major components of the planning phase:

1. Objective: a goal, target, or quota to be achieved by a certain time

2. Program: the strategy to be followed and major actions to be taken in order to
achieve or exceed objective
3. Schedule: a plan showing when individual or group activities or
accomplishments will be started and/or completed
4. Budget: planned expenditures required to achieve or exceed objectives
5. Forecast: a projection of what will happen by a certain time
6. Organization: design of the number and kinds of positions, along with
corresponding duties and responsibilities, required to achieve or exceed
objectives
7. Policy: a general guide for decision-making and individual actions
8. Procedure: a detailed method for carrying out a policy
9. Standard: a level of individual or group performance defined as adequate or
Project Planning Pitfalls
Project Planning Pitfalls
• The Common Pitfalls are:
− The planning level is uniform;
− The planning range is psychologically unsound
− The planning method discourages creativity, and
encourages bureaucracy
− The planning estimates of time and cost are over-
optimistic
− The planning of resources overestimates their
competence and capacity
− Some factors are easily ignored by planners
− Lack of knowledge and understanding of the
uncertainties involved
Parkinson’s Law
 Parkinson’s Law

If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do

Parkinson’s Law
Parkinson’s Law
• How to deal with it ?
− Set short term objectives and targets
− Focus on what is required rather than what else can
be done
Project Life Cycle
• According to PMI, there are four Phases of a
project that defines a Project’s Lifecycle
1. Initiation
2. Planning
3. Execution
4. Closeout
Project Lifecycle
• Projects often start slowly

• Build up speed while using considerable

resource

• Slow down as completion nears

Project Lifecycle

Initiation Planning Execution Close Out

Effort & Costs Risk Cost of Changes
Project Control
• Reporting is describing what has occurred and
what the situation is. Control is doing
something about what the reports show
− Requires Analysis to find the problem and measure
its severity
• Earned Value Method (EVM), Cost and Schedule
Variances are some examples of analysis methods that
help controlling mechanism
• Other inputs are PERT, Risk and Issue reports, Project
Audit reports, Financial Reports, Change requests,
Incidence & Accident reports etc.
Project Control Objectives
Project
Control

Safety

Time Cost

Quality
Project Control Areas
Project
Control

Safety

Scope
Quality
Creep

Timelin Change
e Control
Budgeti
ng
Project Control Functions
1. Resolve Issues and Mitigate Risks
2. Managing Schedules
3. Controlling Scope Creeps
4. Deciding Value Tradeoffs
5. Managing Resources (Financial, Human and
Technical)
6. Maintaining Standards and Procedures (Quality and
Safety)
Questions
& Comments