Project Plan Template
v2.2
Purpose. Provides the standard structure for planning a client or internal project under the Meridian project methodology, covering scope, schedule, budget, resources, quality, risk, stakeholders and governance.
1.Purpose of the plan
The project plan is the agreed baseline against which the project is delivered and reported. It is approved by the client sponsor and the Projects Office Manager before delivery starts and is updated only through the change control process.
2.Scope
State the objectives, the deliverables, what is explicitly out of scope, the assumptions and the constraints. Describe the acceptance criteria for each deliverable so that completion can be verified without argument.
3.Schedule and milestones
Break the work into stages and tasks, estimate durations, identify dependencies and set milestones with dates. Enter the milestones in the projects system so progress can be reported against them.
4.Budget and resources
Set out the budget by stage, the Meridian hours and rates, third party costs and contingency. Identify the project team, their roles and their availability, and any client resources the project depends on.
5.Quality, risk and communication
Describe how quality will be checked at each stage. List the risks with likelihood, consequence, owner and treatment, and enter significant risks in the risk and compliance register. Set out the stakeholders, what they need to know, how often and through which channel.
- Quality checks per stage
- Risk register entries
- Stakeholder communication plan
- Status report frequency
6.Governance and change control
Name the sponsor, the project manager and any steering group, and set the decision making authority for each. Describe how change requests will be raised, assessed for impact on scope, time and cost, and approved before the baseline changes.