A Simple Method To Plan & Control A Project!
1. A WBS is First Created for The Project –
This is the most essential and crucial step. An acceptable WBS must meet these minimum requirements:
A) The 100% rule – Every level should have 100% scope (or breakdown) of any level below it.
b) You stop the breakdown (or decomposition) at a level that you can estimate time and cost; you don’t need to break down more minor elements.
c) You should be an able to estimate at this level easily
2. Arrange for Drawings, Materials, and Manpower
Next, get drawings, specifications, and approvals from the relevant authorities to start the planning process. Also, you will need to prepare for the money, material, and manpower requirements.
These will all be the outcomes of the WBS essentially.
3. Prepare the Master Schedule
The Master Schedule, also known as the Master Plan, consists of the WBS and the Milestone Chart. It also includes the Project Budget. The Milestone chart lists the main events and dates that must be completed for the project. A milestone is an event and not a task completed (Eg. In construction, milestones are the completion of foundation work or superstructure.
You can calculate the budget by adding up the costs of each element at the lowest level of WBS and then adding them all together to get the final project cost.
4. Make a Monthly Schedule for 1 to 3 months.
The Monthly Schedule can be created from the time between Project Start and the First Milestone. As the month progresses, additional monthly plans can be added to cover the periods between milestones.
It should also list the details of the activities and determine the duration & sequence of the activities.
To plan, use Collaborative Planning techniques like planning workshops with all parties.
Every month, perform the Constraints & Risks Analysis.
5. Click Here to Get The Weekly Schedule or Plan –
Depending on the size and complexity of your project, you may need to perform micro-planning for 2-4 weeks.
Make every effort to eliminate any obstacles and closely monitor issues using an Issue List.
Every week, revisit to remove any lingering problems or constraints.
List the activities included in your plan in terms of number, cost, or no.
6. Daily Planning –
Now it is about monitoring and controlling the project, with daily activities determined by the micro-planning made at the weekly planning stage.
Every day, hold a 15-minute stand-up meeting where each trade representative comes and presents their activities for the day.
Make sure that each activity has a make-ready (or preparatory).
Check that the Daily plan complements the Weekly plan.
End of the day recording the completion or reason not to complete.
The next day should bring out the best from your lessons.
These are the essential steps to take in the HLPM model. It is essential to have someone who is familiar with this model assist you.
This method does not require advanced tools and is only suitable for scheduling or the WBS. To resolve issues, tools such as Root Cause Analysis and Value Stream mapping can be beneficial. All activities are performed in collaboration. It is not about “who,” but “how” things can work without assigning blame. To be more efficient, the Project Manager learns “Coach” skills. We can help you implement this model in your projects and also improve teamwork through workshops that are either held physically or via online webinars.
