Even if you have a good idea, the correct personnel, and enough funds to complete a project, things can still go wrong. Tasks overlap. Deadlines move. Assumes another person is handling something. Then the team begins asking each other, “Who is doing what? When will it be done?
A project work plan should be designed to prevent that.
An important feature of a project work plan is that it collates important details in one place. It reveals goals, tasks, owners, dates, resources, costs and risks that help a project proceed.
What Is a Project Work Plan?
A project work plan is a document that summarizes all of the work that needs to be completed for a project, who will do it and when each piece of work will be completed. It usually includes:
- Project goals and objectives
- Scope and deliverables
- Tasks and milestones
- Task owners
- Start and due dates
- Dependencies
- Resources and estimated costs
- Risks and mitigation plans
- Project status
A project work plan is a document used to track the day-to-day progression of a project, assign work and track progress against the plan, according to the Project Management Institute.
In simple terms, your work plan provides answers to 5 questions:
- What needs to be done?
- Who will do it?
- When will it happen?
- What will it cost?
- What could go wrong?
Why Do You Need a Project Work Plan?
In the absence of a written plan, teams tend to communicate by messaging, meeting and memory. This can be for a very small job. When there are multiple people, deadlines and deliverables it can become risky.
A good project work plan helps you:
- Keep everyone aligned
- Make ownership clear
- Track deadlines
- Control project scope
- Estimate costs
- Spot risks early
- Monitor progress
- Reduce unnecessary back-and-forth
It also provides a tangible point for stakeholders to review prior to the project starting.
How to Write a Project Work Plan
Does not require a complicated system to create one. As a first step, follow these six steps.
1. Define the Goal and Objectives
Begin with the desired end result. Stick with the main goal, then include 3 to 5 measurable goals. For example:
Goal: Launch a redesigned company website.
Objectives:
- Complete 12 page templates
- Migrate 300 existing pages
- Finish testing before launch
- Launch the website by November 30
The SMART criteria can be used to help create objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
If you can’t judge if an objective is accomplished, then it likely needs more detail.
2. Define the Scope
Then determine what the project is and isn’t. This is one way to avoid scope creep. For example:
In scope: Homepage, About page, Contact page, responsive design
Out of scope: E-commerce store, ongoing SEO, blog content
Do not miss the second list. It can be a great time saver to jot down what’s not in scope.
3. Break the Project Into Tasks
It is hard to measure and manage a large deliverable. Do break it down into smaller steps, however. This might be the case for a website redesign:
- Create wireframes
- Approve page layouts
- Design homepage
- Build website
- Migrate content
- Test pages
- Fix issues
- Get final approval
That’s where a work breakdown structure or WBS can come in handy. PMI describes a WBS as a hierarchical way of breaking down the total project scope into increasingly detailed components.
Essentially, the trick is to break down tasks so that they can be reasonably estimated and done.
4. Assign One Owner to Each Task
Every task should have one clear owner. Avoid assigning something to simply “the design team” or “the marketing department.”
For example:
| Task | Owner |
| Create wireframes | UX Designer |
| Write website copy | Content Writer |
| Build pages | Developer |
| Test website | QA Specialist |
You can have several people contribute to a task, but one person should be accountable for getting it done.
5. Add Dates and Dependencies
Now decide when each task starts and ends. Also note dependencies. For example, the developer cannot start building the final page until the design has been approved.
A simple project schedule might look like:
| Task | Start | Due | Depends On |
| Wireframes | Oct 1 | Oct 5 | None |
| Page design | Oct 6 | Oct 12 | Wireframes |
| Development | Oct 13 | Oct 25 | Page design |
| Testing | Oct 26 | Oct 29 | Development |
| Launch | Oct 30 | Oct 30 | Testing |
Dependencies make your dates more realistic because they show which tasks need to happen first. PMI notes that breaking work into tasks and sequencing them helps teams understand the order of work and identify schedule constraints.
6. Add Resources, Costs, and Risks
Your plan should also show what the project needs to get done. List the people, software, equipment, and other resources required. Then estimate the cost.
For example:
- Designer: 40 hours
- Developer: 80 hours
- Content writer: 30 hours
- Software: $300
- Contingency: $500
Finally, list the biggest risks. Don’t write vague statements like “There could be delays.”
Be specific:
- Risk: Client approval takes longer than expected.
- Impact: Development starts late.
- Response: Schedule approval meetings in advance and add buffer time to the timeline.
A few realistic risks are more useful than a long list of generic ones.
Project Work Plan Template
You can use this simple work plan template as a starting point:
| Phase | Task | Owner | Start | Due | Depends On | Status |
| Initiation | Define project scope | Project Manager | Oct 1 | Oct 3 | None | Not Started |
| Planning | Create project schedule | Project Manager | Oct 4 | Oct 6 | Scope | Not Started |
| Execution | Complete main deliverable | Project Team | Oct 7 | Oct 20 | Schedule | Not Started |
| Review | Review and make edits | Stakeholder | Oct 21 | Oct 25 | Deliverable | Not Started |
| Closure | Final approval and delivery | Project Manager | Oct 26 | Oct 30 | Review | Not Started |
This plan of work format can be adapted for marketing campaigns, website projects, product launches, events, and other types of work.
Sample Work Plan
Let’s take a simple website redesign project.
- Goal: Launch a redesigned corporate website by November 30.
- In scope: Homepage, About page, Contact page, responsive design.
- Out of scope: E-commerce functionality and ongoing SEO.
- Main risk: Content delivery is delayed.
- Mitigation: Add a buffer week and assign a backup writer.
The team can then convert this information into tasks assigned to team members, assigned deadlines, dependencies, and estimated hours. This provides everyone with a very clear understanding of the project’s transition from planning to delivery.
Project Work Plan vs Project Plan
Although these terms sound alike, they aren’t synonymous. A project plan may address the management of a project in general terms such as communication, governance, stakeholders and change management.
A project management work plan is more specific than a project management overview and will deal in detail with the work, such as tasks, owners, dates and cost.
An action plan is typically more focused and intended for the action steps necessary for accomplishing one particular objective. Consider them as various levels of detail and not entirely distinct thoughts.
Tips for Creating a Better Work Plan
1. Keep Tasks Specific
“Complete website” is too broad. “Build homepage” is much easier to assign and track.
2. Give Every Task One Owner
Shared responsibility can quickly become no responsibility.
3. Write Down What Is Out of Scope
This makes scope changes much easier to handle later.
4. Use Realistic Dates
Don’t create a perfect-looking schedule that your team cannot actually meet.
5. Review the Plan Regularly
Compare planned work with actual progress and update dates, tasks, and risks when something changes.
For teams managing a lot of customer and sales activity alongside projects, a CRM such as LeadVix can also help keep lead activity and team work organized in one place.
To Sum Up
A good project work plan does not need to be complicated. It simply needs to make the work clear.
Define the goal. Set the scope. Divide the job into small jobs. Assign owners. Include dependencies and dates. Measure and calculate materials and expenses. Then try and find out what can go wrong.
Apply the above-mentioned sample work plan and customize it to suit your project and update it as you proceed.
The best plan is not the one that’s as detailed as possible. It’s the one which your team can use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to write a work plan for a project?
Define Objective, scope, break down into tasks, assign owners, add dates and dependencies, estimate resources and costs, and identify risks.
What is working plan?
A project work plan is a document that lists all the work, owners, deadlines, resources, costs and risks required to complete a project.
What are the 7 elements of a project plan?
The seven key elements are
- Goals
- Scope
- Tasks
- Owners
- Timeline
- Resources & costs
- Risks
What are the 7 steps of project planning in order?
The seven steps are:
- Define the goal and objectives
- Define the scope
- Break the project into tasks
- Assign task owners
- Add dates and dependencies
- Allocate resources and costs
- Identify risks and mitigation strategies