Brian Cryer's
Project Planning Principles

The following are principles for project planning which I have learnt through my own experience.

These are principles and not hard and fast rules. For each principle there will be exceptions, but these are rare and break a principle at your peril!

1. If you don't plan then you plan to fail.
2. A plan is only as good as the estimates on which it is based.
3. Change in requirements necessitates a change in estimate.
4. Parallel tasks require parallel resources (tasks in series only need a single resource)
5. Plans can slip, but you never make up time against the plan.
6. The myth of the man-day/month.
7. A plan with unfinished tasks in the past, is a plan with an unachievable end date in the future.
8. Monitor a plan or expect failure.
9. Large tasks cannot be monitored.
10. Plans can change as they progress.
11. Don't be afraid to put contingency down as contingency.
12. Nothing is for free - other work always has a time impact.
13. One person's estimates cannot be transferred to another.
14. Projects need start-up time.
15. Testing takes time.
16. Fixing isn't the same as Testing.

I will expand upon these notes when time allows.

If you don't plan then you plan to fail

Notes to follow.

A plan is only as good as the estimates on which it is based.

Notes to follow.

Change in requirements necessitates a change in estimate.

Notes to follow.

Parallel tasks require parallel resources (tasks in series only need a single resource)

Notes to follow.

Plans can slip, but you never make up time against the plan.

Notes to follow.

The myth of the man-day/month.

Notes to follow.

A plan with unfinished tasks in the past, is a plan with an unachievable end date in the future.

Notes to follow.

Monitor a plan or expect failure.

Notes to follow.

Large tasks cannot be monitored.

Notes to follow.

Plans can change as they progress.

Notes to follow.

Don't be afraid to put contingency down as contingency.

Notes to follow.

Nothing is for free - other work always has a time impact.

Notes to follow.

One person's estimates cannot be transferred to another.

Notes to follow.

Projects need start-up time.

Notes to follow.

Testing takes time.

Notes to follow.

Fixing isn't the same as Testing

Notes to follow ... and of course if fixing isn't the same as testing then you probably need to allow time for retesting.