Most organisations recognise the importance of project planning. The greater challenge is applying these practices consistently throughout delivery.
Common themes include:
Plans are created but not always maintained
A project plan may be well developed at the beginning of the project but gradually becomes outdated as priorities, schedules, resources, or risks change.
Estimates rely heavily on judgement
Expert judgement is valuable, but estimates become more reliable when they are supported by historical information, documented assumptions, and recognised estimating methods.
Progress is reported without comparison to the plan
Teams may provide regular status updates without clearly comparing actual performance against the approved scope, schedule, effort, or commitments.
Actions are reactive rather than proactive
Corrective action is sometimes taken only once an issue has already affected delivery, rather than when early trends or variances first become visible.
Lessons are captured but not reused
Lessons learned may be documented at project closure without being used to improve estimates and plans for future projects.
