Activity Definition, Activity Sequencing, and Schedule Development

Once we have approved the Work Breakdown Structure, the team can identify how the project deliverables will be produced. With activity identification and definition, the team is determining "how" the project's scope (i.e. Work Breakdown Structure elements) will be delivered. At this point in the project planning, the team should not be concerned with how long, who, or how much specific activities will take to complete. This process is more concerned with the activities and tasks (actions) required to deliver the committed project work. To accomplish this phase of project planning, use techniques such as brainstorming, seeking expert judgment and gathering historical and background information.

Teams can now decide the order of the activities and their associated durations. These steps will help teams determine the overall project schedule (when) and its associated critical path (how long). By definition, the Critical Path is the longest time path on the project's network diagram, thus representing the minimal amount of time required to complete the project. At the conclusion of these steps, a project team can understand when the project can be optimally completed based on relationship of activities, dependencies, sequence and duration.

Allocate Resources

It is now time to identify, allocate, and align the team members with the Work Breakdown Structure of the project. During the resource planning processes, the team is answering the "who" questions associated with the project's work. Depending on the skill level and number of the resources that are available, this step could either increase or decrease the amount of time needed to get the project done. At this point, it is necessary to revisit the Critical Path and overall duration of the project, and adjust where necessary.

Conclusion

Most of the hurdles and roadblocks that occur during a project arise due to poor or inadequate project planning. Putting the cart before the horse and jumping head first into a project can be tempting, but that haphazard approach will almost always lead to future headaches. Taking a strategic approach to project planning - from the Work Breakdown Structure to the timeline - will help to ensure that you, and your colleagues' hard work aligns with the scope of the project, ultimately ensuring successful completion of the project at hand.