One of the reasons this is true goes back to the point of project
importance. In many organizations, mega-projects get more
visibility and therefore more attention. Another reason is that
smaller projects have a smaller margin of error. In other words,
it doesn’t take much of an incident to throw a small project well
off target proportionately.
Amount of Uncertainty.When the level of uncertainty is
extremely high, detailed planning of the entire projectat the out-
set may not be advisable. In fact, it may be a waste of time, due
to amount of change likely. On projects where the level of
uncertainty is high, you’ll probably end up doing the same
amount of planning, but spread out periodically throughout the
life of the project. In other words, expect to spend a good deal
of time replanning, as you encounter change.
Project Management Software Selection.Your choice of project
management software (if you use it) will affect your planning
time. Obviously, the more user-friendly the software, the less
time you’ll have to invest in using it. However, be aware that
project management software products differ significantly in
cost, capability, and utility.
An Overview of Planning and Estimating 107Fitness for Use
When trying to figure out how much planning is enough,
keep in mind the general principle of fitness for use.“Fitness
for use” is a term used in quality management and in business law.The
application of the term to project management is very similar. In this
case, however, it simply means do what makes sense. For example, imag-
ine that your organization’s prescribed project process has 50 steps.
The fitness-for-use principle means that you should considerall 50
steps, but recognize that—for a variety of reasons—only 40 add value,
given your project circumstances.This will save you from losing time
and wasting effort mindlessly following procedures. Before skipping any
steps, however, be sure that the appropriate stakeholders are aware of
what you’re doing, know why you’re doing it, and agree with your
approach.