The following article is a sample from the full BVOP™ Ultimate Guide and is part of the preparation for the BVOP™'s modern Agile Project Management Certification Program.
Planning a project in the context of the BVOP is focused on the following major topics:
- Product research planning
- Major deliverables planning
- Product development planning
- Product validation planning
- Time planning
- Cost planning
- Project release planning
- Product support planning
- Project support planning
Product research planning
Product research planning may include:
- Collecting all databases or resources from previous projects and initiatives related to user research practices and analyzing the information.
- Finding proper users for user research practices.
- Scheduling research sessions.
- Preparing tools and environment needed for the product research.
Major deliverables planning
May include planning of the product features or modules, their dependencies, and stages of development.
It may also include a plan of possible sub-products, services, external products, and other related initiatives that may be included in the scope of the project.
Planning includes high-level definitions of the deliverables and approximately their desired or estimated completion time presented as quarters of the year, months, or other relative time units.
This plan may be helpful for scheduling other activities related to the product, such as marketing campaigns, establishing other parties' relationships, or estimating high-level cost.
The use of work breakdown structures and other similar tools should not be taken as a method of helping accurate estimates of resources and time needed for project completion, as it may lead to errors.
Detailed delivery, time, and cost plans need to be considered as an estimate by all stakeholders, and everyone must be aware of a high probability of inaccuracies.
Product development planning
Product development planning may include:
- Choosing development methodologies
- Planning teams
- Planning meetings
- Planning resources
The product development planning characteristics
The planning of the development is recorded in brief documents, which may need to be introduced, discussed, approved, or used for future reference.
Planning documents should be easy to edit and maintain when needed.
All plannings are brief and understandable by anyone involved in the project.
Standard and accessible terms and language are used in plans. If team members involved in the project do not understand a term, they should quickly get familiar.
All teams and key roles read all documents.
When new team members join the project, they become acquainted with the planning documentation.
Teams are informed about planning changes.
Teams have quick access to all plans.
Product validation planning
Product validation planning includes an overview of how and when the product development process will be validated, as well as by whom.
Any idea, wireframe, feature, already developed functionality, and the entire product needs validation.
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