EMS 06 Implementing the Buffering Rule (Project Planning) While it is obvious that project plans are needed to provide execution priorities and early warning signals, many organizations struggle with creating useful and manageable project plans. This minute answers the frequently asked questions about project planning under the new rules: What comprises an execution ready-project plan A complete project plan contains the following data: Tasks, Task Duration and Resource Type/ Resource Units needed for the task Checklist below the tasks (optional) Dependencies between tasks Task Managers Buffers (feeding buffers; contractual milestone buffers and project buffers) Resource Types and the Maximum Units of a Resource Type available to the project Project-end and Contractual Milestone Dates How much detail is required in the plans? Too many tasks in a project plan induce multitasking, make analysis of plans and buffer consumption difficult and generally lead to loss of control. Not enough detail on the other hand encourages unnecessary safeties and Parkinson’s Law and also leads to loss of control. Based on our experience in a wide range of projects, more than 300 tasks in a complex project (a task that takes less than 2% of the project’s lead-time must have a very good reason to be in the plan) and less than 10 tasks for a simple project (a task that takes more than 5% of a projects’ lead time must also have a very good reason) are not recommended. If this thumb rule yields tasks that are too long (and thus not useful for Task Managers), then you can use subprojects to zoom into detailed tasks rather than adding tasks to the main project.
A process for creating good plans (In multi project situation) derive cycle time targets based on throughput goals. Communicate to all the managers that people will not be measured in execution against the task estimates used in planning. Assemble a team of project manager and (representative) task managers and conduct a workshop to get their buy-in into the three rules. Create basic project plans (without buffers)*. Convert basic project plans into buffered project plans (stagger tasks based on resource availability and insert buffers in the required places). Challenge and refine assumptions (data) whenever the calculated project cycle time does not match the expected/ desired result. Share the final project plan with all the task managers so that they understand their tasks as well as the overall plan. *In repetitive environments, the basic project plans can be stored as templates for future reference. And that's the Execution Management Minute for this week.