Baseline Plan:
The result of the planning process is a baseline plan. Taking the time to develop a well thought out
plan is critical to the successful accomplishment of any project:
Many projects overrun their budgets, missed their completion dates, or only partially met their
requirements because there was no viable baseline plan before the project was started;
The baseline plan for a project can be displayed in graphical or tabular format for each time
period (week, month) from the start of the project to its completion:
The start and completion dates for each activity;
The amounts of the various resources that will be needed during each time period;
The budget for each time period as well as the cumulative budget from the start of the
project through each time period.
Executing the Project Plan
Once a baseline plan has been established, the plan must be executed. The executing process
involves performing the work according to the plan, monitoring and controlling the work, and
managing changes so that the project scope is achieved within the budget and schedule, to the
customer’s satisfaction:
1. Perform the work -- all activities are performed to produce the deliverables and meet their
acceptance criteria with regular communication with stakeholders and the customer;
2. Monitor and control progress -- monitor the progress to see whether it is going according to
plan, measure actual progress, take corrective action if activities are behind schedule;
3. Control changes -- changes to the work activities and to the project scope will occur for a
variety of reasons and need to be agreed upon by the sponsor and the contractor.
Benefits of Business Plan Project Management
The ultimate benefit of implementing project management techniques is having a satisfied
customer—whether you are the customer of your own project, such as remodeling your basement,
or a business (contractor) being paid by a customer to perform a project.
Completing the full project scope in a quality manner, on time, and within budget provides a
great feeling of satisfaction and/or referrals for more business;
Project managers have satisfaction, enhanced reputation, and expanded career opportunities;
Project team members have contributed to the project's success, expanded knowledge, and
enhanced skills;
When projects are successful, everyone wins!.