PMPC Week 3-CLO 1

Project Management, Planning and
Control
Lesson 3
The Planning and Control Cycle
by Ir. Ts. Azri Adi B Arbai
Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 1

Learning Outcomes
• Understand the need for and value of systematic

planning and control.
• Describe the processes and stages in systematic project
planning.
• List and describe the key contents of a typical project
plan.
• Describe the main elements of project control.
• Outline a project reporting system.

Read (Burke’s book):
Chapter 7 – Planning and Control Cycle

Project
The distinguishing characteristics and definition of a project is:
• a unique set of co-ordinated activities,
• with definite starting and finishing points,
• undertaken by an individual or organization to meet specific

objectives,
• within defined schedule, cost and performance parameters.

Effective planning & Control
Effective planning and control are

important elements in the management of
any organization or activity.

Integration Management
• PMBOK defines integration management as: “the processes

required to ensure that the various elements of the project are
properly coordinated.”
• It consists of :
• Project plan development – Integrating and coordinating all
project plans to create a consistent, coherent document.
• Project plan execution – Carrying out the project plan (make it
happen)
• Integrated change control – Coordinating changes across the
entire project.

‘Triple Constraints’ or
‘Triangle of Forces’
Projects are carried out to achieve specific objectives, in terms of
Overall objective is to
finish the project within
the time, cost and
quality constraints set
by the client

Triangle of Forces
• The triangle of forces can be used as a framework in making

trade-offs between the main parameters of time, cost and
quality.
• Time - If the emphasis is on time, the completion date will be
the dominant factor. E.g., the refurbishment of a hotel would
be time influenced if it had to meet the holiday season.
• Cost - When cost is the main consideration, contracts are
awarded to the lowest bidder.
• Quality - In high technology projects quality requirements
often have priority over time and cost.

Triangle of Forces
• In making tradeoffs, it is important to understand the

relationships between the 3 parameters. E.g.:
• Reduction in time might lead to an increase in costs for overtime
or recruiting more staff.
• Increase in specification might lead to higher costs and/or more
time to complete.
• A project cannot be considered a success simply because it is
completed on time.
• The essence of effective project management lies in
balancing the triple constraints and meeting the 3 goals
simultaneously.

5 stages of effective PM
The British Standards Institution Guide to PM suggests five

stages for effective PM:
• Planning
• Organizing
• Motivating
• Implementing
• Controlling

Ineffective project
• One of the major causes of ineffective project performance is

inadequate planning, which can lead to changes that push up
costs and cause delays.
• Failure to exercise proper control results in mistakes and
slippage, which can lead to increased costs, compromising on
quality and failure to complete on time.
→ Therefore, a good system of planning and control is essential.

Practice
1. How does the Project Management Body of knowledge

define Integration Management?
2. What are the three parameters of the Triple Constraint?

Answer
1. Integration Management is a subset of project management

that includes the processes required to ensure that the
various elements of the project are properly coordinated. It
consists of:
• Project plan development – Integrating and coordinating all
project plans to create a consistent, coherent document.
• Project plan execution – Carrying out the project plan (make it
happen)
• Integrated change control – Coordinating changes across the
entire project.

Answer
2. The three parameters of the Triple Constraint are:
1. Time with respect to project start and finish dates.
2. Cost with respect to cash flow and the project budget.
3. Quality with respect to pre-defined standards and

specifications laid down by the client.

Planning Framework

Planning Framework
• At the start of the project, the only information available to the

project manager may be an outline specification or outline
project.
• When customer and supplier are in different organizations,
the customer would issue a specification and the supplier
would respond with a project proposal.
• The project specification provides the terms of reference for
the supplier and people employed on the project.

Project Specification
Freeman-Bell and Balkwill (1996) suggest to include the

following for the Project Specification:
• Title – should be clear that everyone knows what the project
is about.
• Scope – defines the scale of the project.
• Objectives – state what will be achieved on successful
completion of the project.
• Conditions – under which the project is to be carried out,
including deadlines, funding arrangements, personnel
policies, reporting requirements, etc.

(continued from previous slide)
• Priority in relation to other projects – to ensure that it has the

appropriate level of support and commitment.
• Authority – The authorization for the project should be stated
and the authority of the people working on the project defined.

• The project specification will be used by the project manager

to develop a project proposal, which include:
• Specification
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Resource requirements
• Outline plan
• The specification should be as precise as possible.

Project Plan
• A ‘plan’ → a blueprint of the specifies the resource

allocations, schedules, and other actions necessary for
attaining goals.
• Project Plan:
• Signals the start of the project manager’s
involvement.
• Providing the means of satisfying the requirements of
the sponsor or client.

Planning Steps
• Burke identifies a list of steps in project planning.
• Although the steps are set out as a sequence of discrete

operations, it is likely that there will be some movement back
and forth between the steps until an optimum plan is
developed.

Planning Steps
Here are the planning steps suggested by Burke:

1. Project Charter
2. Feasibility Study
3. Scope Management
4. Build Method
5. Execution Strategy
6. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
7. Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)
8. Critical Path Method (CPM)
9. Schedule Barchart

Planning Steps
10. Procurement Schedule

11. Resource Histogram
12. Budgets and Project Cash-Flow
13. Communication Plan
14. Project Quality Plan
15. Risk Management Plan
16. Baseline Plan

1. Project Charter
• Project name
• Acknowledge the start of the project
• Outline the purpose of the project
• Beneficial changes
• Key objectives
• The means of achieving the objectives

2. Feasibility Study
• Develops the project charter and project brief into a

project proposal.
• Identifying the stakeholders and assessing their needs.
• Reviews closeout reports
• Investigating other option and alternatives to support the

project’s business viability.

3. Scope Management
• The scope of work defines what the project includes, and

what is not included.
• For example, an engineering project would include a list

of drawings, bill of materials (BOM), specification.
• Also include closeout report to document achievements

and opportunity to learn from mistakes.

4. Build Method
• Outlines how the product will be assembled or

implemented.
• Example:
• position of the crane and storage on a high rise building.
• methods of communication and data storage on an IT

project.

5. Execution Strategy
• It considers the ‘buy or make’ decision.
• If the product is to be purchased → procurement issue.
• If the product is to be made in-house → resource issue.

• Subdivide the scope of work (as outlined by the build

method and the execution strategy) into manageable
work packages that can be estimated, planned, assigned
and controlled).

7. Organisation Breakdown Structure
(OBS)
• OBS or responsibility matrix is setup to manage the
project as outlined in the execution strategy.
• The OBS links the WBS work packages to the company,

department or person who is responsible for performing
the work.
• The OBS can be further developed to include delegated

responsibility, level of authority and lines of
communication.

• CPM uses a network diagram to present the work

packages and activities in a logical sequence of work
that is developed from the build method and other
constraints.
• Activity duration and work calendars are estimated.

• The barchart is one of the most effective and commonly

used means of communicating schedule information.
• It enables the project participants to easily walk through

the sequencing of the project’s work.

• It depends on the execution strategy – buy or make.
• The procurement function is to supply all the bought–in

items at the best price, to meet the project schedule.

11. Resource Histogram
• The resources required to complete the work outlined in

the schedule barchart are forecast and compared with
their availability.
• The resource smoothing needs to consider other

company projects and outside contractors.

12. Budget & Project Cash-Flow
• Establish and assign budgets to all the work packages.
• Determine the project’s cash-flow.
• The costs can be integrated with time to produce the

budgeted cost for work scheduled.

13. Communication Plan
• It includes the process required to ensure proper

collection and dissemination of project information.
• It consists of communication planning, information

distribution, a schedule of project meetings, progress
reporting and administrative closeout.

• It outlines the quality management system (quality

assurance and quality control), designed to guide and
enable the project to meet the required condition.
• It may include pre-qualifying project personnel and

suppliers, developing procedures, quality inspections
and quality documentation.

• It includes the process of identifying, analyzing and

responding to project risk.
• It consists of risk identification, risk quantification and

impact, response development and risk control.
• It should also include a disaster recovery plan to

accommodate the worst possible scenario.

16. Baseline Plan
• It outlines how to achieve the project’s objectives.
• The level of detail and accuracy will depend on the

project phase and complexity.
• It should be a coherent document to guide the project

through the execution and project control cycle.

Planning and Control Cycle

Planning and Control Cycle

Practice
• List the main sections of a project specification.

(There are 6)
• List the planning steps suggested by Burke.

(There are 16)

Answer
• The main sections of a project specification are

• Title
• Scope
• Objectives
• Any conditions under which the project is to be

carried out.
• Priority in relation to other projects
• Authority

Answer
The planning steps suggested by Burke are:

1. Project Charter 11. Resource Histogram
2. Feasibility Study 12. Budgets & Project Cash-Flow
3. Scope Management 13. Communication Plan
4. Build Method
5. Execution Strategy 16. Baseline Plan
7. Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)

Project Control

Practice
In real life, no matter how well a project has

been planned, the project still deviates from the
plan. Identify three main reasons.

Answer
The main reasons that a project deviates from its plan are:
• Unexpected events will occur
• Some planning assumptions will prove to be invalid
• Errors and omissions will become apparent.

Project Control
• When things go off-track:

• It needs changes to bring the project back on course, or
even modify the goals of the project.
• The project plan will help the project manager with many
decisions and resource re-allocations.
• To determine quickly how people and organizations are
involved, and how the project is progressing.
• The purpose of project control is to ensure that the
plans are executed as originally intended.

Project Control
Harrison (1995):
• The manager must be able to highlight the problem areas and
deviations from plan and budgets, and be able to take action to
maintain efficiency and achieve objectives.
• This is achieved through the collection and analysis of information
and comparison of actual progress and performance with the
baselines of schedule, cost and resources established in the project
plan.
• Reports on progress and performance should be prepared and the
project manager can then take action to deal with the problems
identified, that is, troubleshoot.
• In other words, the project manager must be able to ‘control’ the
project.

Project Control
• Launch planning is the dominant function of project management for

perhaps 20% of the life cycle.
• As soon as the project is launched, control becomes the dominant
function for the remaining 80% of the project life cycle.
• Effective controls extends to all the organizational units and
activities and include:
• Cost management
• Materials management
• Design information
• Quality
• Safety
• Changes to the project, etc.

Project Control Cycle

Project Control Cycle (PCC)
• Project Control Cycle (PCC) → is presented as a

sequence of steps to guide the project to a successful
completion.
• Baseline plan → outline the course to steer, and how to
achieve the project’s objectives.
• But once the project starts, sure things will deviate
- late deliveries, sickness, absenteeism or scope creep.
• PCC monitors project performance and compares it
against the baseline plan.

Work Authorization:
• Project manager (single point of responsibility) is responsible
for delegating and authorizing the scope of work.
• The method of authorizing work, reporting and applying
control should be discussed and agreed at the handover
meeting.
• A record of all decisions and instructions should be kept to
provide an audit trail, which is a sequence of steps supported
by proof documenting the real processing of a transaction flow
through an organization, a process or a system.

Expedite:
• Once instruction, orders and contracts have been issued,
project expediting takes a proactive approach to make the
instructions happen.
• It involves:
• Orders received from subcontractors
• Internal planning issued
• Material have been procured
• Skilled labour available
• Work started as planned
• Scheduled completion dates will be achieved

Tracking and Monitoring progress:

• Data capture system records the progress and current status
of all the work packages and activities.
Change control:
• It ensures that all changes are captured and approved by the
designated people before being incorporated in baseline plan.

Evaluation and Forecasting:

• The project’s performance is analyzed by comparing actual
progress against planned progress within the CPM model,
and extrapolating the trends, and
• Use ‘what-if’ analysis to forecast the project’s position in the
future.
Problem Solving:
• It generates a list of possible solutions, options and
alternatives, through interactive brainstorming session and
quality circles.

Decision-Making:
• It collate information and decides on the appropriate
corrective action.
• A typical decision-making process include:
• Define project objectives
• Define the problem
• Collect information
• Develop options and alternatives
• Evaluate and decide course of action
• Decide project team
• Implement the decision

Revise Baseline Plan:

• If there are any changes within the project, the baseline plan
must be revised to reflect the current scope of work and
incorporate any corrective action.
• The control cycle is now complete and the next cycle will
authorise the changes and corrective action.


Practice
How can project planning and control help to

establish the power and authority of the project
manager?

Answer
Project team members are often drawn on a part-time

basis from other departments or companies. This can
lead to difficulties in establishing the authority or power
of the project manager. Project planning and control can
be used to enhance the power of the project manager.
This is because commitments agreed to in the planning
process, effectively give power to the project manager to
enforce them.

Project Control Cycle
• Project Control cycle:

• Monitoring progress against the baseline plan,
• Taking corrective action and revising plans as necessary.
• Project manager
• Has to monitors the project progress.
• He requires up-to-date and detailed information of the

status of all the tasks that are being carried out.

Necessary Information
4 main ways in which necessary information can be gathered:

• Progress reports
- show work done, deviation from the plan, work for the next
period, and any known problems.
• One-to-One progress meeting
- assess progress and discuss problems.
• Group/project progress meetings
- ensure all members are aware of what is going on.
• Wandering about
- talking to those actually doing work.
- provides valuable insights into what is actually going on.

Reporting Frequency
• Frequency of reporting cycle reflects the needs of the

project.
• Short reporting periods:
• when there is a high level of change and uncertainty in the
project.
• Example, during project start up and during the
commissioning phase, reporting cycle can be daily or even
hourly
• Long reporting periods:
• when there is little or no change.
• Example, weekly or monthly.

Reporting Frequency
• Reporting cycle should leave sufficient time to implement

corrective action to bring any project deviation back on
course without delaying any critical activities.

Main Problems
Project planning and control are difficult. Some of the

main problems are:
• Each project is unique.
• No two projects are ever identical in their planning and
control.
• Different people, groups and companies will be involved.
• Information systems will have to be designed and
introduced for that particular project.
• Problems encountered will be different.

Main Problems
Other problems:
• Problems can be caused by a poor or inadequate

definition of the project’s objectives and scope.
• Planning and control are difficult functions for some

people to carry out.
• Effective planning is difficult to carry out and puts much

more emphasis on a manager’s conceptual skills.

Main Problems
• Many problems in project planning and control are caused by

the sheer complexity and size of the projects.
• Projects normally involve a high degree of uncertainty;
insufficient information to plan the project.
• It can take considerable time to plan a large project and
this can put managers off.
• The planning and control of certain project requires
specialized and sophisticated techniques, methodology
and systems with which some people are unfamiliar.

Summary
• The planning and control system provides a framework for the

many decisions and actions that are vital to the successful
completion of projects.
• The substantial planning effort takes place early in the project.
• Control starts later but is the dominant activity for the majority
of the project life cycle.
• Good planning and control brings many benefits.
• Ineffective planning and control are amongst the most
significant causes of project failure.

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Project Management, Planning and

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 1

• Understand the need for and value of systematic

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 2

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 3

The distinguishing characteristics and definition of a project is:

• a unique set of co-ordinated activities,

• with definite starting and finishing points,

• undertaken by an individual or organization to meet specific

• within defined schedule, cost and performance parameters.

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 4

Effective planning and control are

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 5

• PMBOK defines integration management as: “the processes

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 6

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 7

• The triangle of forces can be used as a framework in making

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 8

• In making tradeoffs, it is important to understand the

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 9

The British Standards Institution Guide to PM suggests five

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 10

• One of the major causes of ineffective project performance is

→ Therefore, a good system of planning and control is essential.

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 11

1. How does the Project Management Body of knowledge

2. What are the three parameters of the Triple Constraint?

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 12

1. Integration Management is a subset of project management

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 13

2. The three parameters of the Triple Constraint are:

1. Time with respect to project start and finish dates.

2. Cost with respect to cash flow and the project budget.

3. Quality with respect to pre-defined standards and

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 14

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 15

• At the start of the project, the only information available to the

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 16

Freeman-Bell and Balkwill (1996) suggest to include the

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 17

(continued from previous slide)

• Priority in relation to other projects – to ensure that it has the

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 18

• The project specification will be used by the project manager

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 19

• A ‘plan’ → a blueprint of the specifies the resource

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 20

• Burke identifies a list of steps in project planning.

• Although the steps are set out as a sequence of discrete

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 21

Here are the planning steps suggested by Burke:

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 22

10. Procurement Schedule

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 23

• Acknowledge the start of the project

• Outline the purpose of the project

• The means of achieving the objectives

Last Updated:4 September 2023 © LMS SEGi education group 24

• Develops the project charter and project brief into a