How to Write a Project Plan: Explanation and Roadmap

What is a project plan?

A project plan turns an idea into a concrete project with clear steps, deadlines, actions, risks, and responsibilities. Most projects go through several phases—initiation, planning, execution, adjustment, and completion. In your project plan, you describe what needs to be delivered in each phase, by whom, and when.

Why write a project plan?

Whether you’re self-employed or part of a large organization, a project plan helps you avoid vague ideas and miscommunication.

You’ll know exactly:

• who is responsible for what,
• when something needs to be finished,
• and how to measure success.

Especially in teams involving multiple people or departments, a project plan keeps everyone aligned and accountable.

It also helps you spot potential risks in advance, so you can prepare for challenges instead of being surprised by them.

How to write a project plan?

Step 1: Define your (SMART) goals

Start by identifying what you want to achieve. Why is this project important? What specific goals are you working toward?

Examples:

• External goals: double your profits, increase market share, improve customer retention.
• Internal goals: hire three new team members, automate your workflow, improve collaboration.

Make sure your goals are SMART:

• Specific – clear and focused
• Measurable – trackable with data or results
• Acceptable – aligned with your team and values
• Realistic – achievable given your time and resources
• Time-bound – linked to a deadline

Suppose a government organization wants to encourage residents to bike more often. A SMART goal for this might be:

The municipality aims to increase the number of residents who commute by bike daily by 20% within 12 months. To achieve this, we will build three new bike lanes, launch a local media campaign, and organize a monthly bike challenge via social media.

Why is this SMART?

• Specific: The goal focuses on increasing daily bike commuting.
• Measurable: The target is a 20% increase.
• Acceptable: The goal is supported by all involved parties.
• Realistic: The project fits within the available budget.
• Time-bound: The deadline is 12 months.

Step 2: Define the scope

The scope of a project outlines what is included and, just as importantly, what is not. If you’re launching a new website, creating new content might be within scope. But adding a webshop? That could fall outside the scope—something for a future phase.

Having a clear scope is crucial, especially when things change along the way. If everyone knows what’s not part of the project, you avoid misunderstandings and scope creep.

Let’s look at an example.

Unclear project scope:

We want to do something with sustainability in the neighborhood.

Great idea, but far too vague. Everyone might interpret it differently, leading to confusion, mismatched expectations, and chaos.

Clear project scope:

Within six months, we aim to build two green roofs on elementary schools in area X, as a pilot for our sustainable neighborhood program.

What’s within the scope:

• Construction of two green roofs
• Only on elementary schools
• Only in district X
• As part of a pilot

What’s outside the scope:

• Green roofs on other buildings (e.g., community centers or apartment blocks)
• Educational programs or sustainability lesson plans
• Projects in neighborhoods outside area X
• A broader rollout of the project after the pilot
• Structural maintenance after project completion (this will be handled separately)
• Community meetings about climate adaptation in general

Step 3: Establish indicators of success

In addition to setting goals and defining the scope, it’s important to determine how you’ll measure whether your project has been successful.

After all, how do you know if a project really worked? What determines whether it succeeded or failed?

Some outcomes are easy to see and measure. Others are more subtle or long-term.

Examples of measurable success indicators:

• The project was delivered on time
• The project stayed within budget
• All agreed deliverables were completed as planned
• Key goals were achieved (e.g., 20% revenue growth)
• The final result is actually used
• Internal or external users are satisfied
• Customer satisfaction has improved
• Stakeholders (such as managers, users, or customers) responded positively
• Internal support was built for a new way of working
• The project contributes to the organization’s broader mission or vision

Let’s say an NGO like the Plastic Soup Foundation runs an awareness campaign about plastic use.

The goal is to make people more conscious of how much plastic they consume. That’s less visible than building a product, but still measurable.

Possible indicators of success:

• 10,000 people reached via social media
• 1,200 participants signed up for the challenge
• 85% of participants reported being more aware of their plastic usage
• Strong cooperation with volunteers and partners
• The campaign will be reused next year

Step 4: Create a list of deliverables

What are the tangible results you want to deliver at the end of the project? These are your deliverables—anything you hand over, complete, or produce. It could be a product, report, training, website, event, app… whatever the outcome is.

Let’s go back to the example of the municipality building two green roofs on elementary schools in area X. Possible deliverables might include:

• A selection and intake report for the two schools
• Two fully constructed green roofs
• A photo report documenting the construction (for communication and reporting)
• An evaluation report on the process and results
• A proposal for a follow-up project (optional)

Deliverables should be clearly defined, concrete, and agreed upon in advance.

Step 5: Determine budget & resources

To make your project a success, you need to know what resources you have and what you’ll need. What tools, people, and funds will help you achieve the goals in your project plan?

Think about the following:

• Manpower: project managers, coordinators, team members, specialists, volunteers, external partners, suppliers — and how many hours or days each person is expected to be available
• Budget: materials and services, freelance fees, promotional costs, travel and location expenses, printing, and more
• Materials (physical or digital): venues, laptops, beamers, cameras, project management software, flyers, etc.

Step 6: Factor in risks

Every project comes with uncertainties. In your project plan, it’s important to outline potential risks, how likely they are, and what you’ll do to prevent or manage them.

Think of anything that could affect the timeline, budget, or outcome of your project, such as:

• Bad weather (for outdoor projects)
• Suppliers who deliver too late
• Illness or absence of a key team member
• Costs that turn out higher than expected
• Low engagement from your target audience
• Dependency on external approval (e.g. permits from the municipality)

By identifying risks early on, you increase your chances of staying in control, even if things don’t go exactly as planned.

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