Using Projects Docs
A summary of how best to use the Project Documents
One of the most time consuming parts of managing a project is putting together the documentation. Using our toolkit gives you immediate access to a wide range of free templates; allowing you to start building your project documents immediately. Access to the full toolkit simply requires a one-off low cost fee – there are no subscription fees and no hidden or additional costs. Alternatively, either purchase one-off templates as required, or download one of the free templates available.
Every project document is unbranded, has a consistent layout, and is produced in a familiar format (either Microsoft® Word or Excel).
Guidance Notes
Each heading contains detailed guidance notes (as illustrated below) to assist the author in completing the document. These provide guidelines as to what information should be included in that particular section, including examples where relevant.
Who would benefit from our templates?
What sort of Project? Our templates have been designed to apply to a wide range of project types and sizes. They are scalable, and use generic language, allowing you to tailor the document to fit your situation.
If you are managing a smaller project, the toolkit may seem like overkill. In this instance, it might be wise to limit the number of documents used depending upon your requirements. It’s easy to combine information from various documents in the toolkit, and create hybrid documents. For example, you may wish to combine the following documents in to the Project Plan: Benefits Plan; Change Management Plan; Communications Plan; Options Analysis; Product Breakdown Structure & Work Breakdown Structure; Project Budget and Quality Assurance Plan.
Not all projects follow the same pattern. For example:
- Some projects do not follow a structured Planning phase
- Some projects go through iterations, repeating Planning, Execution and Monitoring phases multiple times.
- Some projects adopt an “agile” approach.
- Some projects have a lightweight methodology and governance structure.
- Some projects follow an industry framework.
- Some projects follow an ‘in-house’ methodology.
We appreciate that these differences exist, and have built a toolkit of documents that cater for these variances. These documents are not rigidly linked to one particular methodology. Our consultants have combined their knowledge and experience to bring you a set of documents that are designed to be flexible, allowing you to adapt them to suit the methodology of your choice. The documents are based upon sound project management principles, with many of our consultants using them in conjunction with industry-standard methodologies such as PRINCE2 and PMBOK.
Project Phases
We have structured our site on generic Project Phases
(Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitor & Control, and Finalisation).
How these phases interact and the flow of project documents is illustrated in the diagram below:
Planning / Execution / Monitor & Control can be an iterative approach. The Project plans should be seen as living documents that can change throughout the lifecycle of a project. These changes are managed through the change management process (refer to the Change Management Plan in the Planning Phase for further details).