According to John Rakos “The success of any project is crucially dependent on the documents produced for it.”
It is very essential for any project manager to keep proper documentation for the project for effective management. These documents help to know the various aspects of the project whenever needed during the life of the project.
The following are the some of the important uses
- Helping to create very detailed Work Breakdown Structures which result in drafting realistic, achievable schedules.
- Reduction in unnecessary surprises and risks.
These documents are as follows:
Business case
It is a kind of agreement or contract or a decision analysis report which signifies that the project has been approved for commencement.
It is managed between two parties for offering of services. In the business case, the resources involved in the project along with its cost and schedule are mentioned.
Project plan
It is essential for effective management of the project. While the business case provides only the basic information, a project plan provides more extensive information about the project.
It helps to know the allocation of resources to the project, the objectives of the project and the project schedule created through Critical Path Method and CPM Scheduling techniques.
It also provides information that the project manager and the client have agreed to work with each other on certain parameters.
Project charter
It is a statement that defines the objectives, requirements, and targets of a project. It also provides a preliminary delineation of roles and responsibilities of the members of the project team, identifies the main stakeholders, and defines the authority of the project manager. It is prepared by the project manager or the senior management of the project company.
Requirement definitions
It is an important project document in which requirements of the project are specified and are used to update the plan and the schedule of the project. This document basically aligns the information provided in the business case and the project plan.
In case of discrepancies in the information provided in the two documents, the requirements are reviewed. After reviewing and defining the requirements of the project, they are approved and the project gets started.
Design specification documents
These documents are important to meet the standards related to design specification. These documents establish cohesion among team members regarding the project specifications like the type of product, packaging, and design of project, etc.
