Overview: Planning Process Group
The Planning Process Group establishes the total scope of the project, refines objectives, and defines the course of action to achieve those objectives. It produces the bulk of the project management plans, aligning strategy with execution through detailed, coordinated documentation.
Purpose
The Planning Process Group is where the project’s blueprint is created. Its goals are to:
- Define scope, schedule, cost, quality, and resources
- Identify and assess risks
- Develop stakeholder and communication strategies
- Establish baselines for performance measurement
- Create integrated plans across all knowledge areas
This group transforms the high-level vision from the Initiating processes into an actionable strategy.
Key Characteristics
- Iterative and evolving—updated throughout the project as needed
- Heavily collaborative—requires input from subject matter experts and stakeholders
- Sets expectations and defines success criteria
- Essential for managing uncertainty and complexity
Primary Processes
| Knowledge Area | Key Planning Processes |
|---|---|
| Integration Management | Develop Project Management Plan |
| Scope Management | Plan Scope Management, Collect Requirements, Define Scope, Create WBS |
| Schedule Management | Plan Schedule Management, Define Activities, Sequence Activities, Estimate Activity Durations, Develop Schedule |
| Cost Management | Plan Cost Management, Estimate Costs, Determine Budget |
| Quality Management | Plan Quality Management |
| Resource Management | Plan Resource Management, Estimate Activity Resources |
| Communications Management | Plan Communications Management |
| Risk Management | Plan Risk Management, Identify Risks, Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis, Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis, Plan Risk Responses |
| Procurement Management | Plan Procurement Management |
| Stakeholder Management | Plan Stakeholder Engagement |
Common Inputs
- Project Charter
- Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs)
- Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)
- Preliminary requirements and constraints
Typical Outputs
- Project Management Plan
- Subsidiary plans (e.g., scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk)
- Requirements documentation
- Scope baseline, cost baseline, schedule baseline
- Risk register, stakeholder register, communication plans
Why the Planning Process Group Matters
- Establishes Control – Provides a structured path for decision-making and performance measurement.
- Reduces Risk – Enables proactive risk identification and mitigation.
- Improves Accuracy – Increases predictability in scope, time, and budget.
- Aligns the Team – Ensures everyone understands the project’s approach and expectations.
Related Knowledge Areas
Planning touches all 10 knowledge areas and serves as the central hub for developing strategies, defining deliverables, and sequencing work across the project lifecycle.