The following article is part of the self-preparation for the modern BVOP® Project Management Certification program.
Reading time: 2 minutes, 15 seconds
- What is Project Planning in Agile practices such as Scrum
- Product research planning
- Major deliverables planning
- Product development planning
- The product development planning characteristics
- Product validation planning
What is Project Planning in Agile practices such as Scrum
Project planning in the context of BVOP often refers to Agile practices such as Scrum, but understanding the concept can go beyond these activities.
Planning in BVOP management practices includes, in addition to the standard understanding of the topic concerning the major deliverables, also product and research planning.
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.
The following issues related to chapter "Planning" are included in the certification exam. The sequence of questions is presented in the table.
The data is current as of December 4, 2023, 1:00 am
| ID | Issue | Time | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | What is Project Planning in Agile practices such as Scrum | 60 sec | PM, PDM |
| 1 | Product research planning | 60 sec | PM, PDM |
| 2 | The product development planning characteristics | 60 sec | PM, PDM |
| 3 | Product development planning | 60 sec | PM, PDM |
| 4 | Product validation planning | 60 sec | PM, PDM |
| 5 | Major deliverables planning | 60 sec | PM, PDM |
Comments from the BVOP™ community on “Planning”
Summary
Project planning in Agile practices like Scrum involves more than just standard deliverables. BVOP management also includes product and research planning, as well as time, cost, release, and project support planning. Product research planning involves collecting databases, finding users, scheduling sessions, and preparing tools.
Plan the major deliverables including product features, modules, dependencies, and stages of development. Also plan sub-products, services, external products, and related initiatives within the project scope. The plan should include high-level deliverable definitions and estimated completion times presented in quarters, months, or other relative time units. This plan can help schedule marketing campaigns, establish relationships with other parties, and estimate costs. However, using work breakdown structures and similar tools for accurate resource and time estimates can lead to errors. Detailed delivery, time, and cost plans should be considered estimates by all stakeholders, with a high probability of inaccuracies.
Product development planning involves choosing development methodologies and planning teams, meetings, and resources. The planning is recorded in brief documents that are easy to edit and maintain. All plans use standard and accessible language, and all team members read and are informed of any changes. Product validation planning includes an overview of how and when the product development process will be validated, as well as by whom. All aspects of the product require validation.
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