What makes a great planner?

Question

I would like to become better at planning in my role as PM and would like to know what makes a great planner?I was told efficiency is an important attribute and im not sure if this is correct.

Answer 1

I think the people who told you efficiency was important understood that the difference between being average and a great planner is that great planners are always planning- it never stops, even when you leave work. Nothing you do is random- everything has a purpose and you are constantly anticipating problems. If you look at this way you can see why being efficient or being able to create and update a plan quickly is important. I believe there are two major parts to planning: the initial plan and the updating. I have found that a having a process for both makes it easier. For the initial plan I use the following process: 1. Create a Deliverable Work Breakdown Structure (DWBS), DWBS Dictionary and Cost/Duration Model, Optimized Schedule, then a realistic Schedule. For updating I update the Cost/Duration Model and add those changes to the Schedule. Fundamentally my approach to design the project to uncover unknowns and turn them into knowns so I can add them to my plan. So adding iterations or Minimum Viable Products (MVP) to the plan to transform unknowns into knowns is one way I design the project. As for the Cost/Duration modeling, that's a whole lesson, but it helps me account for all of the costs: including known and unknown risks and with some practice it is very easy to maintain or update.

Answer 2

This is a great question that I believe many get wrong. Efficiency is one of those answers that really doesn't mean anything. It is similar to saying that being effective is what you should strive for. Sure... But what does it mean?

To be better at planning, you simply need to understand how to plan. In the PM world, this means that you have to understand how the project charter (or whatever other documents your organization is using to justify the project) sets the boundaries of the project. And from there, you have to understand the role of stakeholders. The real role of stakeholders. They are going to help you identify requirements. So you also want to become an expert on requirements. Know how to write them. How to document and manage them. How to close them out. And understand that requirements drive the project scope. This scope is documented in the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The WBS documents all the stuff, the things, the events, the documents, the products, and so on that will be developed or supported during the project. And finally, this all feeds the schedule. The schedule is structured around the WBS. And the WBS is based on the requirements. And the requirements came from the stakeholders. And the requirements are within the boundaries of the charter. And the icing on the cake is risk management. What uncertainties exist and how will they be managed...

So that is my thought on how to become better at planning. To become better at planning, you have to really understand the planning process...