What is Planning?

In my everyday work life I’m explaining what is Planning and talking about its meaning in public. Every person has a perception of what is planning and of what is needed to do some kind of plan, but usually they are thinking on different things. In my readings I’ve come across a 2 pages very good helper on this meaning, from The AACE (American Association of Cost Engineers). It presents a broad scope of what is planning and afterwards defines what is schedule planning and also schedule development.

“Project planning in general consists of:

· Identifying project stakeholders and their roles, responsibilities and their effect on the scheduling planning process.

· Identifying contract requirements including project delivery methods under the terms of the contract. The contract delivery method will determine the extent of the planning effort by the project team.

· Identifying the constraints, and variables that will allow the project team to begin the planning process.

· Establishing a planning process to determine the scope of work, client requirements, schedule hierarchy, division of responsibility, project plan review and approval requirements and distribution.

· Identifying major work activities (phases) and deliverables (goals) and the preferred sequence in which they are to be accomplished.

· Establishing an integrated time phased plan to achieve project completion as required.

· Identifying project management coordination necessary to establish cost/schedule areas for the further definition of the scope of work.

· Development of non-schedule related planning methodologies such as logistics planning including but not limited to: site access plan, heavy lift plans, placement of cranes, long lead material/equipment procurement plans, owner provided material/equipment planning, and other such specific purpose plans.

 

Schedule Planning and Schedule Development

Planning and scheduling are distinctively different but related processes for capital construction projects. Schedule planning and schedule development usually require a different set of skills and knowledge.

Planning consists of planning the work, the resources, and the estimated cost over time to complete the scope of work defined in the early phases of project. Schedule planning includes the identification of many elements that are associated with the scope of work which is developed into work packages, sequenced into phases and then discrete activities. The means, methods and resources have iterative planning processes as the project plan is developed prior to the project execution phase. Schedule planning continues evolving during the life of the project and puts emphasis on the experience and knowledge gained from previous project successes and failures.

The purpose of planning by a project management team is to establish an acceptable course of action ("plan") to perform the defined scope of work of a project in an efficient, coordinated manner based on a review of project requirements and responsibilities. Included in this planning effort is the identification of stakeholders, contract requirements, and the project delivery method that are key elements in the initial planning effort.

The purpose of scheduling by a project management team is to develop a time phased management tool that will help implement the approved plan and guide the project toward the desired results using the outputs of the planning process. Planning should precede the scheduling effort and while it may become less formal in later stages of the project, planning is a continuous process that never stops until the project is completed. The project schedule is detailed during the schedule development phase of the project. There is a relatively seamless transition from project planning to schedule development while the project plan document is finalized and reviewed by the appropriate stakeholders.”

(From 39R-06: Project Planning – As Applied in Engineering and Construction for Capital Projects, of AACE® International)