Use this project planning template to align with key stakeholders and leadership on the goals and scope of a project before kicking it off with the whole team. This template will help project and product managers define the critical points of a new project to understand the big picture.
The project planning template helps you:
- Build consensus on project goals and milestones
- Align stakeholders with competing priorities
- Boost productivity and reduce circular conversations
- Create a single source of truth for a project to improve teamwork
How to use the project planning template
Start by filling in each of the sections below to get your project off to a solid start. Invite other team members or stakeholders to collaborate as you define the different pieces of your project.
1. Establish project goals
What problem are we trying to solve? Use this space to add positive examples of similar projects for inspiration. This helps you define the scope of your project and set realistic expectations.
2. Define how you will measure success
What metrics or project milestones will define success? Try to be as specific as possible, and ensure you have the tools needed to measure your success.
For example: “Increase one-day retention by 15%” instead of “Better user retention”
3. Identify key participants & contributors
Outline who will be participating in the project and what their roles are. List all the relevant stakeholders and document how they’ll be involved.
4. Determine the project cost & budget
How long it will take, what budget you have, and what additional resources you’ll need are all questions that should be answered in this section.
5. List the resources you already have
What necessary ingredients for your project do you already have? Are you able to reach out to other teams to share resources?
6. List what resources you still need
Consider what resources will be needed for the project. Is there a clear path for obtaining those resources, or is that a necessary step in the project? If necessary, create a resource allocation plan.
7. Potential obstacles
What prerequisite tasks need to be completed or roadblocks might you run into? List out any potential risks, dependencies, or roadblocks that might be relevant so the project team can be prepared.
8. Establish action items & next steps
Ask the following questions to solidify the action plan:
- What are the next steps to get started?
- Who is responsible for doing them?
- What are the deadlines or hard due dates for each step?
- How will deliverables be shared?
9. Create a project timeline
Organize your project goals into a clear roadmap and prioritize what needs to get done in chronological order to make it easier to track progress. Segment out each phase of the project and be sure to include key starting points and end dates so team members can be aligned on when deliverables are needed.
For steps that can be done at the same time, create a gantt chart to visualize the project schedule and all of its moving parts.
In an agile project management environment, be mindful of how sprints will factor into the project timing and start dates.
Tips for improving your project planning process
- Regularly review and update: Project plans are not set in stone. Track project progress, review, and update your project plan as new information becomes available or the project scope changes. This will help you adapt to evolving requirements and make informed decisions.
- Keep it visual: Use color-coded sticky notes to define key project phases, highlight important steps, or assign tasks to project team members.
- Include all relevant resources: If this is the project’s single source of information, include any dashboards, project management tools, docs, and apps that the team will be using. This helps ensure the team can access everything they need during the entire project.
- Communicate and align: Create a transparent and consistent communication plan with your team members and stakeholders. Regularly share updates, progress reports, and changes to ensure everyone is aligned and informed about the project's status and timeframes.
- Track your tasks for a successful project: Pair this template with the kanban board template to track the progress of smaller tasks throughout the project life cycle.
