Project Planning Template

About the Project Planning Template

Project planning helps you prepare for any project. The first step is getting approval from a key decision-maker like upper management. Once you get permission to move forward, you’ll need to map out the project's who, what, when, where, and how.

Keep reading to learn more about project planning and the Project Planning Template.

What is a project plan

A project plan is a single source of truth that helps teams visualize and reach project milestones..The plan typically includes:

• Goals defined, and tasks you need to complete to achieve them

• Scope of the project

• Outlining task schedules

• Delegating task management to your team members

• Cost estimates for each phase of the project

• Planning for unexpected events

• Project timeline

• Deliverables expected at the end of the project 

When you’re in the production phase of any project, planning documents will save you time and money by encouraging teams to consider hidden costs and the tasks involved from start to finish.

When to use a project plan

Project plans are most useful when you outline the project’s “what” and “why” to anyone who needs to give you project buy-in. Use it to proactively discuss team needs; expectations; and baselines for timeline, budget, and scope. The plan will also help you clarify available resources before you kick- off a project, as well as expected deliverables at the end of the project. 

Create your own project plan

Making your own project plans is easy. Miro’s whiteboard tool is the perfect canvas to create and share them. Get started by selecting the Project Planning Template, then take the following steps to make one of your own.

1. Invite other stakeholders to help define your plan. Before you start filling in the different sections, invite your team, clients, and other stakeholders to join you on a voice or video chat (up to 25 participants can join at any given time).

2. Define project goals. Align with your team on the problems you’re trying to solve. Document these pain points in the relevant sections. 

3. How will your team measure success? The more specific your metrics, the better chances for your team to reach them. Try agreeing on specific numbers or percentage changes you’d like to see in certain areas of your business.

4. Confirm who else needs to be involved. Everyone on your project should have a defined role. Even if they’re not available to participate in the meeting, you should include them in the planning document. 

5. Get an estimate of project cost. This includes your financial budget and can also extend to time and resources for your team. 

6. Identify what resources already exist. Are you starting from scratch or piloting a new initiative? Figure out what assets you already have access to, and note how they can boost your project.

7. Know what obstacles stand in the way of success. Prepare for roadblocks or time lags throughout your project timeline. Stay proactive and anticipate how you can stay on track.

8. List your action items. Outline your next steps after the meeting, and allocate responsibilities to each team member.

9. Confirm your project timeline. Deciding on dates and deadlines will keep your project on track. If you’re already using an Online Monthly Planner [], you can copy over important milestones to this template. Revisit the plan regularly to ensure that you’re working together toward your goals, and revise as needed.