research project management plan template

How to write a research plan: Step-by-step guide

Last updated

30 January 2024

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Today’s businesses and institutions rely on data and analytics to inform their product and service decisions. These metrics influence how organizations stay competitive and inspire innovation. However, gathering data and insights requires carefully constructed research, and every research project needs a roadmap. This is where a research plan comes into play.

There’s general research planning; then there’s an official, well-executed research plan. Whatever data-driven research project you’re gearing up for, the research plan will be your framework for execution. The plan should also be detailed and thorough, with a diligent set of criteria to formulate your research efforts. Not including these key elements in your plan can be just as harmful as having no plan at all.

Read this step-by-step guide for writing a detailed research plan that can apply to any project, whether it’s scientific, educational, or business-related.

• What is a research plan?

A research plan is a documented overview of a project in its entirety, from end to end. It details the research efforts, participants, and methods needed, along with any anticipated results. It also outlines the project’s goals and mission, creating layers of steps to achieve those goals within a specified timeline.

Without a research plan, you and your team are flying blind, potentially wasting time and resources to pursue research without structured guidance.

The principal investigator, or PI, is responsible for facilitating the research oversight. They will create the research plan and inform team members and stakeholders of every detail relating to the project. The PI will also use the research plan to inform decision-making throughout the project.

• Why do you need a research plan?

Create a research plan before starting any official research to maximize every effort in pursuing and collecting the research data. Crucially, the plan will model the activities needed at each phase of the research project.

Like any roadmap, a research plan serves as a valuable tool providing direction for those involved in the project—both internally and externally. It will keep you and your immediate team organized and task-focused while also providing necessary definitions and timelines so you can execute your project initiatives with full understanding and transparency.

External stakeholders appreciate a working research plan because it’s a great communication tool, documenting progress and changing dynamics as they arise. Any participants of your planned research sessions will be informed about the purpose of your study, while the exercises will be based on the key messaging outlined in the official plan.

Here are some of the benefits of creating a research plan document for every project:

Project organization and structure

Well-informed participants

All stakeholders and teams align in support of the project

Clearly defined project definitions and purposes

Distractions are eliminated, prioritizing task focus

Timely management of individual task schedules and roles

Costly reworks are avoided

• What should a research plan include?

The different aspects of your research plan will depend on the nature of the project. However, most official research plan documents will include the core elements below. Each aims to define the problem statement, devising an official plan for seeking a solution.

Specific project goals and individual objectives

Ideal strategies or methods for reaching those goals

Required resources

Descriptions of the target audience, sample sizes, demographics, and scopes

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Project background

Research and testing support

Preliminary studies and progress reporting mechanisms

Cost estimates and change order processes

Depending on the research project’s size and scope, your research plan could be brief—perhaps only a few pages of documented plans. Alternatively, it could be a fully comprehensive report. Either way, it’s an essential first step in dictating your project’s facilitation in the most efficient and effective way.

• How to write a research plan for your project

When you start writing your research plan, aim to be detailed about each step, requirement, and idea. The more time you spend curating your research plan, the more precise your research execution efforts will be.

Account for every potential scenario, and be sure to address each and every aspect of the research.

Consider following this flow to develop a great research plan for your project:

Define your project’s purpose

Start by defining your project’s purpose. Identify what your project aims to accomplish and what you are researching. Remember to use clear language.

Thinking about the project’s purpose will help you set realistic goals and inform how you divide tasks and assign responsibilities. These individual tasks will be your stepping stones to reach your overarching goal.

Additionally, you’ll want to identify the specific problem, the usability metrics needed, and the intended solutions.

Know the following three things about your project’s purpose before you outline anything else:

What you’re doing

Why you’re doing it

What you expect from it

Identify individual objectives

With your overarching project objectives in place, you can identify any individual goals or steps needed to reach those objectives. Break them down into phases or steps. You can work backward from the project goal and identify every process required to facilitate it.

Be mindful to identify each unique task so that you can assign responsibilities to various team members. At this point in your research plan development, you’ll also want to assign priority to those smaller, more manageable steps and phases that require more immediate or dedicated attention.

Select research methods

Research methods might include any of the following:

User interviews: this is a qualitative research method where researchers engage with participants in one-on-one or group conversations. The aim is to gather insights into their experiences, preferences, and opinions to uncover patterns, trends, and data.

Field studies: this approach allows for a contextual understanding of behaviors, interactions, and processes in real-world settings. It involves the researcher immersing themselves in the field, conducting observations, interviews, or experiments to gather in-depth insights.

Card sorting: participants categorize information by sorting content cards into groups based on their perceived similarities. You might use this process to gain insights into participants’ mental models and preferences when navigating or organizing information on websites, apps, or other systems.

Focus groups: use organized discussions among select groups of participants to provide relevant views and experiences about a particular topic.

Diary studies: ask participants to record their experiences, thoughts, and activities in a diary over a specified period. This method provides a deeper understanding of user experiences, uncovers patterns, and identifies areas for improvement.

Five-second testing: participants are shown a design, such as a web page or interface, for just five seconds. They then answer questions about their initial impressions and recall, allowing you to evaluate the design’s effectiveness.

Surveys: get feedback from participant groups with structured surveys. You can use online forms, telephone interviews, or paper questionnaires to reveal trends, patterns, and correlations.

Tree testing: tree testing involves researching web assets through the lens of findability and navigability. Participants are given a textual representation of the site’s hierarchy (the “tree”) and asked to locate specific information or complete tasks by selecting paths.

Usability testing: ask participants to interact with a product, website, or application to evaluate its ease of use. This method enables you to uncover areas for improvement in digital key feature functionality by observing participants using the product.

Live website testing: research and collect analytics that outlines the design, usability, and performance efficiencies of a website in real time.

There are no limits to the number of research methods you could use within your project. Just make sure your research methods help you determine the following:

What do you plan to do with the research findings?

What decisions will this research inform? How can your stakeholders leverage the research data and results?

Recruit participants and allocate tasks

Next, identify the participants needed to complete the research and the resources required to complete the tasks. Different people will be proficient at different tasks, and having a task allocation plan will allow everything to run smoothly.

Prepare a thorough project summary

Every well-designed research plan will feature a project summary. This official summary will guide your research alongside its communications or messaging. You’ll use the summary while recruiting participants and during stakeholder meetings. It can also be useful when conducting field studies.

Ensure this summary includes all the elements of your research project. Separate the steps into an easily explainable piece of text that includes the following:

An introduction: the message you’ll deliver to participants about the interview, pre-planned questioning, and testing tasks.

Interview questions: prepare questions you intend to ask participants as part of your research study, guiding the sessions from start to finish.

An exit message: draft messaging your teams will use to conclude testing or survey sessions. These should include the next steps and express gratitude for the participant’s time.

Create a realistic timeline

While your project might already have a deadline or a results timeline in place, you’ll need to consider the time needed to execute it effectively.

Realistically outline the time needed to properly execute each supporting phase of research and implementation. And, as you evaluate the necessary schedules, be sure to include additional time for achieving each milestone in case any changes or unexpected delays arise.

For this part of your research plan, you might find it helpful to create visuals to ensure your research team and stakeholders fully understand the information.

Determine how to present your results

A research plan must also describe how you intend to present your results. Depending on the nature of your project and its goals, you might dedicate one team member (the PI) or assume responsibility for communicating the findings yourself.

In this part of the research plan, you’ll articulate how you’ll share the results. Detail any materials you’ll use, such as:

Presentations and slides

A project report booklet

A project findings pamphlet

Documents with key takeaways and statistics

Graphic visuals to support your findings

• Format your research plan

As you create your research plan, you can enjoy a little creative freedom. A plan can assume many forms, so format it how you see fit. Determine the best layout based on your specific project, intended communications, and the preferences of your teams and stakeholders.

Find format inspiration among the following layouts:

Written outlines

Narrative storytelling

Visual mapping

Graphic timelines

Remember, the research plan format you choose will be subject to change and adaptation as your research and findings unfold. However, your final format should ideally outline questions, problems, opportunities, and expectations.

• Research plan example

Imagine you’ve been tasked with finding out how to get more customers to order takeout from an online food delivery platform. The goal is to improve satisfaction and retain existing customers. You set out to discover why more people aren’t ordering and what it is they do want to order or experience. 

You identify the need for a research project that helps you understand what drives customer loyalty. But before you jump in and start calling past customers, you need to develop a research plan—the roadmap that provides focus, clarity, and realistic details to the project.

Here’s an example outline of a research plan you might put together:

Project title

Project members involved in the research plan

Purpose of the project (provide a summary of the research plan’s intent)

Objective 1 (provide a short description for each objective)

Objective 2

Objective 3

Proposed timeline

Audience (detail the group you want to research, such as customers or non-customers)

Budget (how much you think it might cost to do the research)

Risk factors/contingencies (any potential risk factors that may impact the project’s success)

Remember, your research plan doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel—it just needs to fit your project’s unique needs and aims.

Customizing a research plan template

Some companies offer research plan templates to help get you started. However, it may make more sense to develop your own customized plan template. Be sure to include the core elements of a great research plan with your template layout, including the following:

Introductions to participants and stakeholders

Background problems and needs statement

Significance, ethics, and purpose

Research methods, questions, and designs

Preliminary beliefs and expectations

Implications and intended outcomes

Realistic timelines for each phase

Conclusion and presentations

How many pages should a research plan be?

Generally, a research plan can vary in length between 500 to 1,500 words. This is roughly three pages of content. More substantial projects will be 2,000 to 3,500 words, taking up four to seven pages of planning documents.

What is the difference between a research plan and a research proposal?

A research plan is a roadmap to success for research teams. A research proposal, on the other hand, is a dissertation aimed at convincing or earning the support of others. Both are relevant in creating a guide to follow to complete a project goal.

What are the seven steps to developing a research plan?

While each research project is different, it’s best to follow these seven general steps to create your research plan:

Defining the problem

Identifying goals

Choosing research methods

Recruiting participants

Preparing the brief or summary

Establishing task timelines

Defining how you will present the findings

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Top 5 Research Project Plan Templates with Samples and Examples

Samradni Pradhan

Research projects are essential to any business or organization's growth and success. Whether you're planning a market research study, conducting a scientific experiment, or developing a new product, a well-designed research project plan is vital to ensure that your project stays on track and achieves its objectives. With so many types of research projects, it can take some time to figure out where to start, when developing a project plan. That's where our PPT Templates come in. Using a pre-designed research project plan template can save time, reduce errors, and ensure that your project stays on track. In this blog post, we'll introduce you to the Top 5 Research Project Plan Templates with samples and examples, to help you choose the right template for your project. 

Additionally, if you want to explore some research plan templates, you can check them out  here !

Template 1: 30-60-90-Days Plan for Proposing and Designing Business Research Project Proposal

Here’s a comprehensive solution for anyone who wants to create a winning research proposal for their business project. This PPT Template contains all information, from the first initial planning stages to the final presentation of the proposal. The template is organized into three sections, each representing a different phase of the research project: the initial 30 days, the next 60 days, and the final 90 days. Each section includes an area that outlines the key tasks and deliverables for that phase of the project initiation . This PPT Layout acts as an essential tool for anyone who wants to create a compelling and effective research proposal. With its comprehensive structure, customizable slides, and engaging visuals, this template will help you win support for your project and take your business to the next level. Go ahead and download it right away!

Download Now!

Template 2: Plan Of Action for Designing and Proposing Business Research Project Services PPT Slideshow

Introducing a comprehensive and customizable solution for businesses and organizations looking to design and propose a research project. The template is divided into four stages: project initiation, research, analytics , and presentation. You can focus on your tasks and stay on track by comprehending information for each of these four stages. The PPT Slide also includes a range of graphics, charts, and diagrams that can be used to illustrate key points in the proposal visually. These graphics are designed to be easy to understand and visually appealing, making communicating complex ideas to stakeholders and decision-makers easier. This template will help you effectively plan, research , analyze, and present your research project, ensuring its success and a positive impact on your business or organization. Go ahead and grab this template today!

Template 3: Project Management Research Phases with Planning

Introducing an essential tool for businesses and organizations, looking to manage their research projects effectively. This comprehensive PPT Set is designed to guide users through each phase of the research project, from initiation to closing, ensuring that every aspect of the project is planned and executed efficiently. The template comprises five phases: initiation, planning, execution, controlling/monitoring, and closing. The initiation phase focuses on project plan creation and stakeholders' recognition. The planning phase comprises plan creation, resource identification, and cost projection. The execution phase includes information on task completion and resource acquisition. In the controlling/monitoring phase, reliability and expense estimates are tracked. Finally, stakeholder and resource management are included in the closing stage of project completion. This ensures that your work is correctly divided and also ensures that you focus on specific stages at the right time.

Template 4: Planning Process of Research Project Dissertation Timeline

Here is an all-in-one solution for anyone planning, organizing, and presenting a research project or dissertation. This PPT Template is designed to guide users through the four key stages of a research project: preparation, proposition, research, and drafting. The first stage, preparation, involves defining the research question or problem and developing a plan to tackle it. This stage includes creating a timeline, identifying key stakeholders and resources, and setting goals and objectives for the project. The proposition stage involves developing a proposal that outlines the research question, methods, and expected outcomes. The research stage involves conducting the research according to the methods and timeline established in the preparation and proposition stages. The drafting stage involves writing and presenting the final report, thesis, or dissertation. This stage includes organizing and structuring the report, developing key arguments and insights, and presenting the research findings clearly and engagingly. This template is a must-have for anyone!

Template 5: Six Months Plan Timeline for a Marketing Research Project

Next up, we have a comprehensive template that is designed to guide users through the six key stages of a marketing research project: planning, research design, data collection, data analysis, report writing, and presentation . Each stage contains a set of customizable blocks that outline the key tasks and deliverables for that phase of the project. This allows users to plan and execute each stage of the project efficiently, ensuring that the project ensures to stay on track and meets its objectives. Overall, this template outlines a bird's eye view of the entire project. Go ahead and explore this template today!

EXPLORE THESE PROJECT RESEARCH PLAN TEMPLATES TODAY!

A research project is a time-consuming task, and it requires that you to stay on track every step of the way. While each department in a business organization may have its own ideas, ensuring to have a comprehensive template works wonders. This is where the professionally designed templates work the best. Download these premium PPT Slides through our monthly, semi-annual, annual, annual + custom design subscriptions  here .

These project research plan templates can help you plan better, and with better planning comes better outcomes. These templates also help in creating a lasting impression in front of your audiences. There is nothing more you need to ask for; download these templates today!

FAQs on Research Plan

What is a research project plan.

A research project plan is a preemptive stage where you document the goals of your research project along with the objective of your project, what methods you are going to use, and the legitimate resources.

The whole idea of having a plan for a research project is to sketch down the mind map step-by-step, which you could refer to further progress with the project. A research plan also asks for a time period and budget to be set before proceeding, which is an efficient way of getting on a research project.

How do you write a research plan?

A research plan needs to be written systematically and sufficiently. Your research plan should be self-explanatory to whosoever is reading, the plan should be in the exact order you want to proceed in, and only enough should be written.

A well-written research plan should start with articulating the research question and, from there, proceed to mention the purpose, how your project is going to work, what resources you will require, grand of special permissions from organizations ( if needed), setting the deadline for each part to ending with the finance limitations for that project. 

What are the four significant parts of the research plan?

Even though a research plan varies from one project type to another, there are four significant parts that you must structure your plan around for getting optimal ease and clarity:

• Attach a background of your research question where you highlight the purpose and the gaps in the existing field to be fulfilled via this research project.
• Evaluating the research structure, methods you will use, equipment needed, working procedure, and how you will present your research project.
•  Time format: This part is where you assign a dedicated time period for finishing each goal in your research project. Here, you can set deadlines for minute tasks to end tasks.
• Counting in the resources, this is one of the most significant parts of the research plan where you point out the funding, equipment, references, permissions, or any data and artifacts needed for your research project.

What are the seven steps for creating a research plan?

Creating a research plan can get tricky, especially when you are at a very initial stage with your idea for the project. Hence, to make that process more approachable for generating a research plan:

• First, you must briefly introduce your research question.
• Thoroughly conduct research on the study area to identify the gaps and gain the needed knowledge.
• Apply for the grants and permissions you will require to conduct your research project securely.
• Finalize the resources important for your project, from funding, finding mentors, types of equipment, and so on.
• The next step is to plan out the experiments you will be conducting in the process.
• Filtering through all the collected data to come up with the most authentic ones.
• Citing the used resources in a standard format that is accepted. Examples- APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.

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Project Management for Research

The tools you need to make your research project a success.

This toolkit includes a variety of tools for managing your research projects including recommendations for general project management software and tools to help you and your team manage activities from grant writing to implementation and project closeout.

Explore the toolkit below:

Grant Writing + Project Development

A Gantt Chart is a popular project management tool; it is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule. The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes.

Gantt Chart Template Gantt Chart Instructions Gantt Chart Example

Graphic display of the flow or sequence of events that a product or service follows; it shows all activities, decision points, rework loops and handoffs.

Process maps allow the team to visualize the process and come to agreement on the steps of a process as well as examine which activities are duplicated. Process maps are used to:

• Capture current and new process information
• Identify the flow of a process
• Identify responsibility of different business functions
• Clearly show hand-off between functions
• Identify value added and non-value added activities
• Train team members in new process

Process Map Template Process Mapping Guide Process Map Example 1 Process Map Example 2

The Data Management Plan (DMP) defines the responsibilities related to the entry, ownership, sharing, validation, editing and storage of primary research data.

A data management plan must not only reflect the requirements of the protocol/project but also comply with applicable institutional, state and federal guidelines and regulations. The DMP Tool details your agencies expectations, has suggested language for REDCap and exports a properly formatted plan.

DMP Tool NIH Data Management & Sharing (DMS) Policy

The Project Charter's purpose is to define at a high level what the Project Team will deliver, what resources are needed and why it is justified.

The Project Charter also represents a commitment to dedicate the necessary time and resources to the project. It can be especially useful when organizing a multi-disciplinary, internally funded team. The document should be brief (up to three pages maximum).   

Project Charter Template Project Charter Instructions Project Charter Example

Milestones are an effective way to track major progress in your research project.

A Gantt Chart is an effective tool for setting and tracking milestones and deliverables. It is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule.  

The proposal budget should be derived directly from the project description.

The proposal budget should follow the format specified by the sponsor. The Office of Sponsored Programs Budget Preparation webpages provide descriptions of the standard budget categories, lists of typical components of those categories, Ohio State rates where appropriate and other details to help ensure your budget is complete. Budget Preparation Resources from Office of Research The 398 grant form from the NIH is a template that includes standard categories required for an NIH grant (and many others) that you can use to develop a preliminary budget.

PHS 398 Forms PHS 398 Budget form for Initial Project Period Template PHS 398 Budget Form for Entire Proposal Project Template

The Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan first assists the research team in anticipating risk that may occur during the research project before it happens.

The plan then specifies when to act to mitigate risk by defining thresholds and establishing action plans to follow. As a fundamental ethical requirement research risks are to be minimized to the greatest extent possible for all research endeavors. This includes not only prompt identification measures but also response, reporting and resolution. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan Template Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan Example

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) organizes the research project work into manageable components.

It is represented in a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the research project team. It visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that the team can understand.  WBS Instructions and Template WBS Structure Example

Implementation

A Gantt Chart is a popular project management tool; it is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule.

The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes. A Gantt Chart can also be used for tracking milestones and major progresses within your research project.

The purpose is to define at a high level what the Project Team will deliver, what resources are needed and why it is justified.   

It is represented in a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the research project team. It visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that the team can understand.  WBS Instructions + Template WBS Structure Example

A communications plan facilitates effective and efficient dissemination of information to the research team members and major stakeholders in the research project.

It describes how the communications will occur; the content, security, and privacy of those communications; along with the method of dissemination and frequency.

Communications Plan Template Communications Plan Example

The Data Management Plan (DMP) defines the responsibilities related to the entry, ownership, sharing, validation, editing, and storage of primary research data.

A data management plan must not only reflect the requirements of the protocol/project but also comply with applicable institutional, state, and federal guidelines and regulations. The DMP Tool details your agencies expectations, has suggested language for REDCap, and exports a properly formatted plan.

DMP Tool DMP Tool Instructions Ohio State Research Guide: Data

The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes. Gantt Chart Template Gantt Chart Instructions Gantt Chart Example

This tool helps you capture details of issues that arise so that the project team can quickly see the status and who is responsible for resolving it.

Further, the Issue Management Tool guides you through a management process that gives you a robust way to evaluate issues, assess their impact, and decide on a plan for resolution.

Issue Management Tool Template Issue Management Tool Instructions Issue Management Example

A Pareto Chart is a graphical tool that helps break down a problem into its parts so that managers can identify the most frequent, and thus most important, problems.

It depicts in descending order (from left to right) the frequency of events being studied. It is based on the Pareto Principle or “80/20 Rule”, which says that roughly 80% of problems are caused by 20% of contributors. With the Pareto Principle Project Managers solve problems by identifying and focusing on the “vital few” problems. Managers should avoid focusing on “people” problems. Problems are usually the result of processes, not people.

Pareto Chart Template Pareto Chart Instructions Pareto Chart Example

Closeout, Transfer + Application

Completing a project means more than finishing the research. 

There remain financial, personnel, reporting, and other responsibilities. These tasks typically need to be completed within a timeline that begins 60 to 90 days before the project end date and 90 days after. Specifics will vary depending on the project and the funding source. The Office of Sponsored Programs “Project Closeout” webpage provides a description closeout issues, a list of PI Responsibilities and other details to help ensure your project is in fact complete.  Project Closeout Checklist Project Closeout Resources from Office of Research

A communications plan facilitates effective and efficient dissemination of information to the research team members and major stakeholders in the research project. 

It describes how the communications will occur; the content, security and privacy of those communications; along with the method of dissemination and frequency.

Project Management Software

An open-source project management software similar to Microsoft Project.

OpenProject  has tools to create dashboards, Gantt Charts, budgets, and status reports. Activities can be assigned to team members and progress monitored. OpenProject also has a tool for Agile Project Management. While the software is free, OpenProject must be installed and maintained on a local server and there will probably be costs associated with this. Talk to your departmental or college IT staff.

A secure, web-based project management system.

Basecamp  offers an intuitive suite of tools at a minimal cost: ~$20/month or free for teachers. Basecamp facilitates collaboration between research team members with features such as to-do lists, messaging, file sharing, assignment of tasks, milestones, due dates and time tracking.  

A project management tool that organizes tasks, activities, responsibilities and people on projects.

Trello can help manage research projects by keeping everyone on time and on task. It uses a distinctive interface based on cards and lists and may be especially useful for smaller projects.

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, please submit an email to [email protected] for assistance.

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World Leaders in Research-Based User Experience

Project management for user research: the plan.

November 20, 2016 2016-11-20

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In This Article:

Why plans matter, what to include in your research plan, important planning considerations, what to include in your final research plan, what to deliver.

Creating a project plan structures your thinking around the research activity. Plans keep stakeholders involved and informed, while reducing the need for calls and meetings. Documenting your research-project planning can help prevent misunderstandings, unwanted method variation, and unnecessary rework.

A research-project plan is a living document that is shared and updated as needed. After your study, edit the plan to serve as the record of your research method. Plans take the work away from your limited memory and provide a convenient place to keep track of the many documents generated by each project.

The benefits of checklists are well known to people doing complex tasks, such as surgical staff and pilots. Busy people in distracting situations often forget to do something important, despite having many years of experience with a procedure. This checklist is meant to ensure that you don’t overlook any important elements when planning research studies .

In the beginning, your research project plan should include not only the information needed during the actual study sessions, but also various information that the team may make use of beforehand. Most plans should cover:

• Purpose of the plan
• Information about what you will be conducting research on, such as basics about the product, method, and rationale
• Purpose and goals of the research study
• User tasks, metrics, and usability goals, such as maximum time on task and other success criteria (if applicable)
• User profiles (characteristics of target participants for the research)
• Screening questionnaire and recruitment plan (if applicable)
• Expectations about deliverables and timing
• Expectations and roles
• To-do lists
• Note-taking and question-asking guidelines for observers, including how to collaborate in effective data gathering without biasing the sessions
• Facilitator script with questions for participants, including user scenarios (if applicable) and consent forms
• Location information and contact details
• Test setup, including equipment and supplies
• Get stakeholders’ signoff on plans, so everyone understands what’s in scope and how you will meet the research goals . Provide written goals, user profiles, tasks, and participant scenarios as soon as possible, so any concerns and questions can be discussed well in advance.
• Research participants can sometimes be controversial, so keep stakeholders informed periodically by sharing the details of the recruits as they are scheduled. But don’t include participants’ names and identifying information in plans — use numbers (P1, P2, etc.) instead to preserve their privacy. If screening criteria need to be adjusted during recruitment, having this shared understanding can make rapid changes easier to accomplish.
• First, consider the schedule for research sessions, building in time for pilot session(s), lunches, and debrief and regroup time between participants, so you can have solid appointment times for recruitment.
• Choose the location where you will conduct the research. Gather logistic information (such as maps, nearest hotels, and travel contacts) to help the research team have a great experience.
• Arrange any needed onsite support , such as IT staff, equipment, chairs, desks, tables, catering, beverages, and snacks.
• Decide how to compensate study participants. If you will pay them directly at the time of the study, plan to obtain the needed cash, gift certificates, or checks.
• If you have observers , consider how many you can accommodate and how they can best help with data capture.
• Make a checklist of items needed for a user study.
• Share contacts , including everyone’s mobile phone numbers for urgent issues.
• Consider information sharing : when and how to disseminate information during and after the study.
• Consent forms are required for all participants in order to inform them of the purpose of the study and get their agreement in a way that protects everyone legally. The exact wording may require approval in advance by stakeholders and any businesses you may visit for the research. Include at a minimum: what the study involves, who is conducting the research, why you’re doing it, the date, any incentive paid (phrase this part to double as a receipt), which information will be collected and how (including recording details), and which information will be shared with whom (including any NDA requirement).
• Provide tips for observers . Coach people in what to look for, how to take good notes, and how best to participate without interrupting. Set expectations about what to do and not do, and explain why that’s important to the research. Print observer guidelines to help everyone stay on track.
• Plan data capture, analysis, and reporting . Consider carefully how you will analyze the data and report it. Then plan a data-capturing method (and a fallback method) that meets your needs. Consider the abilities of the observers, the situation, and concerns of your participants. Plan to keep data confidential, and identify who will be responsible for protecting it appropriately.
• Make a Plan B . What could possibly go wrong? Don’t assume that you’ll be able to record audio or video, even if that’s the plan. Plan around not being able to print, get text messages, or use your devices. Decide what to do if anyone runs late or cancels at the last minute.
• Thank the participant.
• Introduce yourself and explain why you are doing the study.
• Set expectations for how the session will proceed.
• Get consent from the participant in writing.
• If applicable, give the participant the compensation for the study.
• Go over any instructions and, if you’re using a think-aloud method , read the think-aloud instructions to the participants and maybe show them a quick demo of what’s expected . Alternatively, ask people to read the instructions to you, and then ask if they have any questions about the process.
• Depending on the type of research you’re doing, you may want to ask some questions at the beginning of the session. For example, you might want to ask open-ended questions about the person’s role, experience with the task domain, industry, product, competitors, and so on. It might be helpful to ask what participants expect and what they hope for when using a system like yours.
• Depending on your research, you might be asking structured interview questions or watching people do tasks. Your script should contain planned wording for you to read as needed, so that you won’t accidentally introduce variations that might bias the answers.
• It’s often necessary to change wording, or to add or remove questions in the script between sessions. Some situations could require you to invent probing questions on the spot, as well, when interesting things occur. Set expectations with stakeholders that some variation will occur.
• If your research will have a hands-on component, ask participants to read scenarios (one at a time) and show you how they would do the activities, while you watch quietly and take notes.
• Optional: After each scenario is complete, you might want to ask people to rate how easy or difficult it was for them. The Single Ease Question is designed for this purpose. The best reason to use rating questions in qualitative research is to ask, “Why did you give it that rating?” afterward, so be sure to ask that each time too. You might also want to compare ratings over many research projects having the same scenarios. People are notoriously inconsistent at assigning numbers to ease of use, however, so you may find that the numbers or the reasons people state for their rating are at odds with what you observed in the session. Even so, the rationale for the rating may point to top-of-mind concerns.
• What did you like the most and the least about [X], and why?
• How do you normally do [Y activity] today; what’s easy and difficult about that? What could make that easier to do?
• Do you have any questions for me?
• Leave time for any observer questions and answers.
• Consider asking for permission to follow up with an additional question later. Ask people to contact you if they think of something else they want to tell you. You could also ask if the participant would like to be contacted for future research projects. If you used an outside recruiter , however, you should talk with the recruiter about that, not the participant.

The final version of your project plan should serve as a record of the research at the level of detail required to replicate the study in the future. Start with the plan you used for the study and remove unneeded detail or add new sections as needed. Be sure to update anything that changed, such as script and scenario wording.

Include information about:

• Team and product basics
• Research purpose, method, and goals
• User profiles and anonymized participant profiles
• Checklists, schedule, script, documents, and forms
• Anything that might be helpful to know about the location and travel
• Any tested prototypes, any photos, screenshots, or other important artifacts from the research study
• Deliverables list (file names, formats, responsible person, location), for the raw data, recordings, and report, if any
• Preliminary findings list
• Bug list (for the developers)
• Report, slide deck, or end prototype
• Recordings and other raw data
• Final research plan

Research-project plans are essential tools that help keep stakeholders informed. Planning helps you to remember what to do and to keep track of where you are in the research process. Each research project is a little different, so plans differ in structure and content. Make a research-plan template that you can modify as needed to save time in the future.

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Research Plan Template

What is a Research Plan?

A research plan outlines the goals, objectives, and actions of a research project. It provides a roadmap for conducting research and offers a framework for establishing and achieving research objectives. The research plan template is designed to help research teams plan and execute research projects, including data collection, analysis, and dissemination.

What's included in this Research Plan template?

• 3 focus areas
• 6 objectives

Each focus area has its own objectives, projects, and KPIs to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive and effective.

Who is the Research Plan template for?

The research plan template is designed to help R&D and research teams plan and execute research projects. It is a useful tool for those who are looking to streamline the research process, improve data collection and accuracy, and enhance data interpretation and knowledge sharing.

1. Define clear examples of your focus areas

A focus area is the overarching theme or purpose of a research project. It is the primary goal or objective that the research is trying to achieve. Examples of strategic focus areas that could fall under a Research Plan could be: Research Project Management, Data Analysis, and Dissemination of Results.

2. Think about the objectives that could fall under that focus area

Objectives are specific goals within the focus area that contribute to the overall success of the research project. They should be measurable and actionable, and should be based on the research goals and objectives. Examples of some objectives for the focus area of Research Project Management could be: Increase Research Efficiency, and Improve Data Collection.

3. Set measurable targets (KPIs) to tackle the objective

KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are measurable targets that are used to measure the progress of a research project. They should be set based on the objectives and should be achievable within a certain timeframe. An example of a KPI for the focus area of Research Project Management could be: Reduce time spent on project from 30 days to 20 days.

4. Implement related projects to achieve the KPIs

Projects, or actions, are the specific initiatives that are required to achieve the objectives and KPIs. These should be practical and achievable, and should align with the overall focus area and objectives of the research project. An example of a project related to Research Project Management could be: Streamline research process.

5. Utilize Cascade Strategy Execution Platform to see faster results from your strategy

The Cascade Strategy Execution Platform helps research teams plan, execute, and track the progress of their research projects. With Cascade, researchers can easily create research plans, track progress, and monitor performance, allowing them to achieve faster results from their research strategy.

Research Plan Templates

Our research plan templates provide a structured framework for organizing and conducting research projects. Define objectives, outline methodologies, and visualize data collection techniques effortlessly to ensure successful research outcomes.

Other plan templates

• Succession planning
• Professional development
• Communication
• Corrective action
• Performance improvement
• Project communication
• Implementation
• Ux research
• Classroom management
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Popular template categories

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• See All Templates

Project Management: Introduction to Tools and Templates

By: melissa harris, mpa, ccrp director of interventional resources & clinical trials unit pennington biomedical research center at lsu.

Abstract: Project management involves many complex components and moving parts. Prior to initiating a clinical trial, various types of project tools and templates can be used to successfully plan and execute a clinical trial. This article highlights tools that are readily available for project management, including Microsoft Excel, Access, Visio, Outlook, and SharePoint, as well as Web-based applications. Monitoring progress through various tracking mechanisms ensures successful clinical trial execution from recruitment through retention and follow-up.

Project Management

The project management life cycle for clinical trials is comprised of:

• Study start-up
• Team management
• Clinical assessment
• Intervention.

The project management tools covered in this article are described in relation to the project management life cycle. Examples are from clinical trials in academia; however, the tools can be used in any research setting.

At any given time, the project manager is shuffling plates and trying not to drop one. Project management can be considered similar to riding a bike. The project manager should be able to get on the bike or project and do the same thing on each ride, or in this case, from research project to research project. Unfortunately, in clinical research, the bike is “on fire,” the project manager is “on fire,” and everybody working on the clinical trial is “on fire.” This article provides tools to help douse the fire and continue to move forward on the research project. 

There are many components of a study, from the research idea through analyzing the data and publishing results (Table 1). The most difficult parts of a project are study start-up and keeping the study going when recruitment is not going well. The project manager and study team try to complete the first four components of a study (research idea, protocol, grant, and institutional review board review) in as compacted an amount of time as possible. Sometimes this requires having a very strong foundation. Tools and processes can be rotated from study to study, enabling the project team to move through the cycle fairly quickly.

The clinical trial lifespan includes:  

• Trial initiation and timeline management
• Creating and managing the budget
• Protocol/consent preparations, institutional review board (IRB) submissions, and revisions
• Development of processes and the manual of procedures (MOP)
• Liaison for contracts, subawards, and community partnerships
• Identifying and managing resources (staffing)
• Training/certification plans and tracking
• Ongoing communication and clinical trial oversight.

Tools help project managers calm the chaos of clinical trials. There are many project management tools, including:

• Microsoft Office Excel, Word, Access, Outlook, and SharePoint

Office 365 is not covered in this article, outside of Outlook, however, Office 365 offers a multitude of online apps.

Tools for Study Start-up

Tools for study start-up include organizational charts, timelines, and process flows (Table 2). A research program organizational chart documents a clear chain of command. It can create camaraderie and outlines responsibilities so that staff know to whom to report. The organizational chart also identifies people who have specialized positions, such as blinded staff. Visio is an easy tool to use in developing organizational charts.

Timelines provide milestone time points for various stages of start-up to be completed. They are crucial and should be revised constantly to align with the pace of the study. When developing a timeline, the author starts with the expected date of the first randomization or site activation and works backwards. The timeline maps the amount of time necessary for each step involved in study start-up. The timeline establishes clear goals for study staff so that each staff member knows the due date for assigned tasks.

Process flows, also known as flowcharts, allow a process and the steps in the process to be viewed at a glance. The author uses flowcharts for all extensive processes within a protocol, investigator brochure, or manual of procedures. It is much more efficient to refer to a flowchart when working with a study participant or working on other study tasks than to have to pull out a large document and search for the necessary information. 

Cross-functional flowcharts, also known as swim lanes, demonstrate the process steps in sequential order and show who does each task. Decision channels (yes/no) can also be included in a cross-functional flowchart.

The cycle of implementing the project and maintaining it is extremely important. Implementation must constantly be re-evaluated to determine whether it is working. A project may be working; however, it could be more efficient. Without monitoring, the project manager will never know if project efficiency could be improved. Monitoring includes identifying inefficiencies, assessing the cost-benefit ratios, and monitoring expenses against the budget.

Tools for Team Management

Team management is a major component of running a clinical trial. The author spends much of her day reading emails from people who are updating her on the work that they are doing on a study. This makes it difficult for her to accomplish her tasks for that day. Regular team meetings are an important form of communication. Team meetings can minimize the need for many emails. They can be done electronically, through teleconferences, Web conferences, online reporting systems, etc.

Effective team management also requires ongoing communication with internal affiliates (other departments) and external affiliates (community partners). A 10-minute telephone call twice a month may be sufficient to communicate with internal and external affiliates. Ongoing communication on the study’s outcomes/progress is also necessary with regulators, funders, and other external affiliates.

Document libraries, calendars, and action items are good tools for team management (Table 3). Document libraries provide a central location for all departmental or project-specific files. They may be housed on shared drives such as Google drives or Dropbox. Since these shared drives do not comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, some universities do not allow their use. Universities often use tools such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Basecamp, which staff can access from anywhere. A document library automatically backs up the documents every night. 

Basecamp allows the project manager to set up study teams and provide different levels of access to documents for different team members. Assignments, schedules, and bookmarking of certain materials can also be done using Basecamp. In SharePoint, the project manager can create folders and list documents. SharePoint and Basecamp both track edits to documents.

Project managers and study staff use calendars, such as Outlook, extensively for scheduling appointments or responsibilities, participant scheduling, and study-specific calendars. Appointment reminder alerts are a key benefit of calendars. The author maintains a personal calendar and a department calendar to oversee staff activities via a central destination to book participant visits and other study related meetings. 

The department calendar is color-coded so that people can easily see the type of visit: green for assessment visits, purple for remote data monitoring, and yellow for phone call visits to name a few examples. Red indicates something important, such as not scheduling participants for visits requiring online RedCap surveys on a day that Internet access will be shut off or when the center will be closed. Calendars also show when staff will be out of the office. Patient identifiers and notes can also be put into calendars so that staff can reference the invite for patient information.

Action items are a key component of team management. Pennington Biomedical Research Center does action items with the Interventional Resources Unit for administrative activities and study specific tasks for every study. Action items clarify tasks to be completed by members of the study team. Each action item is associated with a responsible person and the deadline. If study team members cannot meet their deadlines, they need to notify the author because her deadlines are contingent on team members meeting their deadlines. Action items also increase accountability by providing clear expectations. 

Using SharePoint, the responsible staff member can update action items as she/he completes them so that the author does not to have to receive emails documenting this. SharePoint can also send notifications, emailing a staff member when she/he is assigned to a task. SharePoint can be used to prioritize tasks. This author has experienced a major challenge with Generation X and Z team members is who may have difficulty prioritizing. In the author’s experience, these generations may more often work on the last task assigned to them instead of the most important task.

Tools for Recruiting

Recruitment is the costliest part of clinical trials. Table 4 highlights tools for recruitment:

• Advertising timeline
• Recruitment goal tracking
• Recruitment budget tracking
• Participant flow diagram 
• Enrollment predictions.

The author develops an advertising timeline that is separate from the overall study timeline. The advertising timeline has recruiting and advertising tasks, with color coding for tasks that have been completed, and yield rates of completed events. Pennington Biomedical Research Center does a great deal of community-based recruitment. The yield rates (number of participants randomized) of completed events show the most effective recruitment methods for each quarter or year. This enables staff to repeat the most effective recruitment methods. 

Tracking recruitment goals is very helpful. Many of the clinical trials conducted at Pennington Biomedical Research Center are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or another government agency or department. These trials have quarterly recruitment goals. The author usually uses more aggressive goals than the NIH’s goals, since it is easier to recruit participants earlier in the grant when the project is novel and exciting to potential study participants that may be reached during the recruitment process.

Achieving recruitment goals requires providing the study team with clear expectations. Tracking enables project managers to assess monthly/quarterly randomization goals to see when the clinical research site was most successful and to identify effective recruitment methods that can be used again.

Tracking spending on recruitment is also helpful. The most expensive recruitment methods, such as television and radio advertising, may not be providing the most participants. Tracking spending and sources of participants enables the project manager to assess the cost effectiveness of advertising campaigns and adjust them as needed. Pennington Biomedical Research Center has different departments for recruitment and advertising. The departments have designated budgets over the study year yet coordinate marketing and outreach activities to maximize recruitment reach. 

The participant flow diagram is one of the author’s most important tools. A participant flow diagram tracks what is happening in real time, allowing project managers to see where participants are in any part of the study flow. It also lets study team members see when potential research participants and enrolled participants are lost due to exclusionary criteria or dropouts. A participant flow diagram documents the ratio of phone screens to randomization and the number of participants in the pipeline.

Screening yields can also be reviewed through the participant flow diagram. Pennington Biomedical Research Center always assesses why the clinical research site is losing potential subjects. This sometimes enables the project manager to make changes. For example, by tracking screening yields, Pennington Biomedical Research Center has found that people were being excluded from a study in the phone screen because they did not understand a question. In response to this problem, the question was clarified. Enrollment predictions can also be done with a participant flow diagram, and the pending pipeline can be assessed. Finally, retention rates can be assessed with the same diagram by looking at the number of completed, anticipated, and pending visits at each follow-up time point. This could allow for the project manager to identify whether a particular follow-up visit is problematic in return rates for study participants. This could lead to more intensive staff contact for said visits to work to improve these rates for future visit windows.

Tools for Clinical Assessment

Electronic case report forms (CRFs), visit scheduling, and visit windows are tools for clinical assessment (Table 5). The world is moving toward electronic CRFs. Some sites and PIs may be reluctant to eliminate paper especially with specific clinical trial populations such as the elderly. However, technology is moving clinical and research practices towards paperless data entry. In this author’s experience, many industry and pharmaceutical clinical trials are paperless or at least using electronic data capture options in many of their trials.

RedCap, built at Vanderbilt University, is a secure Web application for electronic data capture. Various levels of access can be set up for different staff members. Participant self-reported forms captured via surveys are part of RedCap. These surveys can be sent by email. Rather than call participants to collect information such as adverse events and weight, RedCap can send out automated emails on a timer to collect this information. Pennington Biomedical Research Center sets these up in advance and only has to contact participants when they do not complete the surveys.

Visit scheduling windows can be set in various electronic platforms. Pennington Biomedical Research Center uses Outlook or Sharepoint for visit schedules for some trials. The visit schedules show the start and stop time, preventing double booking of staff. If the visit includes laboratory testing, the system can send an alert to the laboratory with an appointment reminder. RedCap also does visit scheduling. The visit schedule can be printed for study participants or for the study folder.

Tools for Intervention 

Real-time data capture, adherence and compliance reporting, and retention tracking are tools for intervention (Table 6). Pennington Biomedical Research Center does many large multi-site exercise clinical trials or trials with many participants. In one study, 300 participants came to the center three times a week. Instead of writing all of the exercise prescriptions and data capture on paper, staff created the Exercise Database for Intervention (EDIN) to capture the exercise data in real-time using laptops on rolling carts. iPads can also be used to collect data in real time.

With real-time data capture, the data are automatically entered into a website or clinical trial management system. Real-time data capture also allows compliance reports to be generated instantly.

Other data capture tools include Fitabase, heart rate monitors, and body trace scales. When Fitbits are used in a study, its Fitabase can be used to look at data for all participants together. Fitabase provides more data than the data that are available on the app. Participants do need to sync their Fitbits in order for researchers to use Fitabase. 

PolarÔ Heart Rates Monitor and Zephyr can be used to monitor heart rates, including monitoring the heart rates of a group of people at once. Body trace scales are sent home with the participants, where they transmit weight wirelessly to Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Study staff can review trends and share individual data with each participant.

Adherence and compliance reporting is necessary because it is important for participants to stay in the study and to comply with the intervention. Project managers and study teams need to monitor compliance. Pennington Biomedical Research Center extracts adherence and compliance information and puts it in a format that will resonate with investigators. Staff create monthly or weekly participant compliance reports depending on the speed of the study. These reports can show what is happening between groups or within a group. 

Since all of the information is in the system, staff can generate reports for participants such as score cards or report cards. Participants often enjoy receiving these reports. If a participant is not doing something well, this is an opportunity for study staff to discuss any challenges and ways to overcome those challenges.

In order to facilitate intervention retention, Pennington Biomedical Research Center does case assessment to identify thresholds for adherence or compliance. Any participant who reaches the threshold for poor compliance is assigned to a study staff member who acts as a case manager and troubleshoots problems.

Staff also assess reasons for poor compliance to identify trends. They adjust screening and/or retention methods based on assessment results. 

The author is often asked how Pennington Biomedical Research Center tracks contacts with research participants. It is important to know why participants miss visits and the number of times that study staff call them. Clinical research sites must have a retention/participant contact system in place such as a SharePoint list. Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s retention/participant contact system lets the author see the visit window and when to call. She assigns a study staff member to call participants on the specified dates.

Take-Home Messages

Clinical research sites should not rely solely on the successes or failures of past programs or models. It is often necessary to tailor tools to a specific study. In order to be successful over time, clinical research sites must establish:

• A strong infrastructure
• Clear operational procedures
• A variety of tools to monitor research programs, study teams, and research participants. 

Continual evaluation and revision of the research program is necessary. If something works very well, keep doing it. If something does not work, reevaluate it and shift to a more effective strategy. Project managers and study staff must be willing to adapt and change. Some study staff members may require more micro-management than others. The author uses electronic platforms to manage study staff, which is less confronting than managing them face to face. 

Project managers should create a versatile study team that matches the needs of the research program and has a great deal of information. Team members will be different. Some may be very technologically savvy while others may not be technologically savvy.

Increasing efficiencies by saving minutes a day does matter. This can reduce staff burden, burnout, and turnover. Project managers and study staff should work smarter, not harder.

Study Components 

• Choose a topic
• Create a hypothesis
• Develop a plan
• Submit a grant for funding
• Submit the protocol for approval
• Market the study to the target population
• Screen potential participants by telephone
• Orient participants
• Obtain informed consent
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria
• Compliance assessment
• Perform initial assessments 
• Conduct study group
• Monitor progress 
• Test outcomes for changes 
• Prove/disprove hypothesis
• Assess outcomes
• Publish findings 
• Outlines chain of command
• Outlines responsibilities
• Helpful for all study staff to appreciate where they fall and where other’s fall
• Provides pre-identified time points for completion of various stages of start-up 
• Establishes clear goals for study staff
• Ever-changing with the pace of the study
• Also known as flowcharts
• Allows process and steps to be viewed at a glance
• Identifies actions within a process in a sequential order
• Provides specifics of process steps with relevant “if, then” scenarios
• Central location for all departmental or project-specific files
• Increases accessibility 
• Increases dissemination of information
• Archived history of all documents, processes, data, etc.
• Document security with automatic nightly backups
• Staff scheduling for designated appointments or responsibilities
• Participant scheduling for appointments or procedures
• Study-specific calendar for meetings, visits, etc.
• Clear assignment of staff to participant visits
• Appointment reminder alerts
• Ease of identifying other staff members’ availability
• Reduces double booking staff and appointments
• Color coding to easily identify appointments
• Clarify tasks to be completed by the study team
• Provide study team pending action items with associated deadlines
• Assign actions items to designated staff
• Increase accountability through clear expectations

Tools for Recruitment

• Timeline of recruitment and advertisement events
• Yield rates of completed events
• Identify and track study recruitment requirements
• Assess monthly/quarterly randomization goals
• Monitor progress
• Adjust advertising campaigns as needed
• Identify and track study recruitment budget
• Assess cost effectiveness of advertising campaigns
• Determines screening yields
• Assess where participants are lost due to dropouts or exclusionary criteria
• Determine ratio of phone screens to randomization
• Stage of the process for pending participants
• Management of N in each arm of the trial
• Follow-up visit completion rates
• Assess pending pipeline
• Use throughput rates to predict enrollment
• Predict quantity needed to reach goals
• Paperless electronic data capture systems
• Participant self-reported forms captured via surveys
• Auto-generated timed survey requests for completion
• Calculated visit windows for follow-up testing
• Tracking scheduled and actual visit dates
• Pending visit reports

Tools for Intervention

• Real-time data
• Easily accessible compliance reports
• Assess participant compliance monthly
• Identify discrepancies and any areas of concern
• Generating reports for participants
• Tracking participants’ attendance and reasons by the individual, group, cohort, month, etc.
• Tracking retention procedures
• Tracking contact attempts during dropout recovery

2 thoughts on “Project Management: Introduction to Tools and Templates”

where is the tools template？

Hey, fellow readers! I just finished reading the article on project management tools and templates, and I couldn’t resist leaving a comment here. First off, I want to thank the author for putting together such a comprehensive and informative piece. As someone who’s relatively new to the project management world, this article was like a goldmine of practical tips and resources.

The way the author explained various project management tools, from Gantt charts to PERT diagrams, was incredibly helpful. I always found these concepts a bit overwhelming, but the article managed to break them down into digestible chunks, making it easier for me to understand their applications. The best part is that they provided links to free templates and software, which is a lifesaver for anyone on a budget.

Moreover, the insights on how to choose the right tools for different types of projects were enlightening. Understanding that not all projects are the same and tailoring our approach accordingly is crucial for success. I’ve already bookmarked this article for future reference and plan to explore the recommended tools further.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude for the tips on how to collaborate effectively with teams using these tools. As a project manager, fostering good communication and collaboration is essential, and the author’s suggestions will undoubtedly prove invaluable in my journey.

Great job on this article! I can’t wait to dive deeper into project management armed with these newfound knowledge and resources. Keep up the fantastic work, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting more insightful pieces from this blog. Cheers!

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How to Create a Realistic Project Plan with Templates & Examples

As a project manager, a huge part of your role is to write project plans that help you keep projects on track. But that’s not all a project plan should do. 

A project plan is arguably the most important document you’ll create for a project. At its core, a plan should communicate your project approach and the process your team will use to manage the project according to scope.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can develop a rock-solid planning process that guides your team and projects to success.

What is a project plan?

Project plan example: what to include, why you should always write a project plan, 5 steps to an effective project planning process, how to create a project plan in teamgantt, free project plan templates.

A project plan is a document that maps out the tasks, effort, timing, and resources needed to meet project goals within a predefined scope. It’s often presented in the form of a gantt chart because it’s easy to visualize the project timeline and ensure work stays on track.

Any solid project management plan should answer the following questions:

• What are the major deliverables?
• How will we get to those deliverables and the deadline?
• Who’s on the project team, and what role will they play in those deliverables?
• Which stakeholders need to provide feedback on deliverables, and when?
• When will the team meet milestones?

A project plan communicates this information in a simple, straightforward way so everyone clearly understands the objectives and how they contribute to project success. It may also be accompanied by other planning documents, such as a project charter , risk assessment , or communication plan .

While no two project plans are alike, they all share the same common building blocks. Be sure to include the following components in any project plan you create:

• Project tasks : A detailed list of work to be done organized by project phase, process step, or work group
• Project schedule : A visual timeline of task start dates, durations, and deadlines, with clear progress indicators
• Key milestones : Major events, dates, decisions, and deliverables used for tracking forward progress
• Dependencies : A line connecting tasks that need to happen in a certain order
• Resources : Assignments that indicate the person or team responsible for completing a task

Here’s a simple example of what a project plan looks like with these basic elements highlighted:

Some people don’t understand the power of a good project plan. If you feel pressured to skip the plan and jump right into the work, remind your team and stakeholders that having a plan benefits everyone by making it easier to:

• Build consensus before work begins : A detailed project plan ensures everyone has a clear understanding of—and agrees on—the overall process, scope, staffing, and even communications from the outset. That goes a long way in keeping project confusion and pop-up requests from gumming up the works.
• Avoid scheduling conflicts : Project plans enable you to organize tasks so it’s clear who's responsible for what and when. If your team is juggling multiple projects, you can cross-reference other plans to see who’s available to take on new work before committing to a timeline.
• Monitor project goals and scope : When new tasks creep in, it’s easy to lose sight of the original objectives. Spelling out the work you need to complete in a time-based plan keeps project goals front and center so you can ensure project scope stays intact.  ‍
• Hold your team and stakeholders accountable : A good project plan sets expectations around the process and pacing you'll follow each step of the way. When plans are shared with teams and stakeholders, it keeps folks honest about what is—or isn’t—happening and forces you to resolve issues in a timely way.

Easy drag and drop features with templates for faster scheduling. Plan a project in minutes, collaborate easily as a team, and switch to calendar and list views in a single click.

Poor planning can lead to some pretty ugly consequences—from missed deadlines and budget overages to team burnout and client frustration. That’s why it’s important to establish a solid process you can use to plan any project. 

Planning a project doesn’t have to be difficult. These basic project planning steps can help you write a plan that’s both realistic and on target.

• Start with project discovery & definition
• Draft a rough outline of your plan
• Formalize your project management plan
• Present & confirm your plan
• Execute your plan & adjust as needed

Step 1: Start with project discovery and definition

A project plan is more than a dry document with dates. It’s the story of your project, and you don’t want it to be a tall tale! So make sure you know all the facts before you start creating a project plan.

Understand the project scope and value

Understanding the ins and outs of the project will help you determine the best process and identify any snags that might get in the way of success. Conduct your own research to dig deeper on:

• Project goals and outcomes
• Partnerships and outlying dependencies
• Potential issues and risks

Review the scope of work , and dive into any documents or communications relevant to the project (maybe an RFP or notes from sales calls or client meetings). Be thorough in your research to uncover critical project details, and ask thoughtful questions before you commit to anything. 

Interview key stakeholders

If you want to dazzle stakeholders with a stellar project delivery, you’ve got to know how they work and what they expect. Schedule time with your main project contact, and ask them some tough questions about process, organizational politics, and general risks before creating a project plan. 

This will give project stakeholders confidence that your team has the experience to handle any difficult personality or situation. It also shows you care about the success of the project from the start.

Be sure to discuss these things with your stakeholders:

• Product ownership and the decision-making process
• Stakeholder interest/involvement levels
• Key outages, meetings, deadlines, and driving factors
• Related or similar projects, goals, and outcomes
• The best way to communicate with partners and stakeholders

See a list of sample interview questions to ask stakeholders so you can develop better project plans.

Get to know your team

The last step in the research phase is to take time to learn more about the people who’ll be responsible for the work. Sit down with your team and get to know their:

• Collaboration and communication styles
• Availability and workload

Understanding these basics about your team will help you craft a thoughtful plan that takes their work styles and bandwidth into consideration. After all, a happy team delivers better projects.

Step 2: Draft a rough outline of your plan

Now that you’ve gathered the basic project details, the next step is to knock out a rough draft of your plan. Take some time to think about the discussions you had in the pre-planning phase and the approach your team might take to meet the project goals.

Sketch out the main components of your project plan

Sit down with a pen and paper (or a whiteboard), and outline how the project should work at a high level. Be sure you have a calendar close by to check dates.

If you’re at a loss for where to begin, start with the who, what, when, and how of the project. A first outline can be very rough and might look something like a work breakdown structure . Make sure your project outline includes the following components:

• Deliverables and the tasks required to create them
• Your client’s approval process
• Timeframes associated with tasks/deliverables
• Ideas on resources needed for tasks/deliverables
• A list of the assumptions you’re making in the plan
• A list of absolutes as they relate to the project budget and/or deadlines

Considering these elements will help you avoid surprises—or at least minimize them. And remember, you’re doing this as a draft so you can use it as a conversation-starter for your team. It’s not final yet!

Get input from your team on process, effort, and timing

You don’t want to put yourself or your team in an awkward position by not coming to a consensus on the approach before presenting it to your client. That's why a project manager can’t be the only one writing a project plan.

Once you’ve created a basic project outline, take those rough ideas and considerations to your team. This enables you to invite discussion about what might work rather than simply dictating a process. After all, every project must begin with clear communication of the project goals and the effort required to meet them. 

Be sure to get input from your team on how they can complete the tasks at hand without killing the budget and the team’s morale. As a project manager, you can decide on Agile vs. Waterfall approaches , but when it comes down to it, you need to know that the team can realistically execute the plan.

You can also use this review time to question your own thinking and push the team to take a new approach to the work. For example, if you’re working on a digital product, could designers start creating visual concepts while the wireframes are being developed? Or can you have two resources working on the same task at once?

Running ideas by the team and having an open dialogue about the approach not only helps you build a more accurate project plan. It gets everyone thinking about the project in the same terms. This type of buy-in and communication builds trust and gets people excited about working together to solve a goal. It can work wonders for the greater good of your team and project.

Step 3: Formalize your project management plan

You should feel comfortable enough at this point to put together a rock-solid project schedule using whatever tool works for you. 

Build out a detailed project schedule that’s easy to read

Any good online project planning tool will help you formalize your thoughts and lay them out in a consistent, visual format that’s easy to follow and track. (Ahem, TeamGantt works nicely for a lot of happy customers. ) 

Make sure tasks have clear start and end dates so there’s no question when work needs to happen to hit project deadlines. Organize work into phases, and use labels and/or color-coding to improve scannability. The easier your project plan is to understand at a glance, the better!

See how to create a project plan in TeamGantt

Consider how your team likes to work

Be as flexible as possible when it comes to how your project plan is presented. There's no absolute when it comes to how to format your plan as long as you and your team understand what goes into one.

Remember, people absorb information differently. While you might be partial to a gantt chart, others might prefer to view tasks in a list, calendar, or even a kanban board. You can make all of those variations work if you’ve taken the steps to create a solid plan.

For example, here’s an Agile project plan we built that lists each sprint as its own task group with milestones for sprint planning and deployment.

And here’s what that same project plan looks like if you turn it into a kanban board in TeamGantt. Simply click the Board tab and set up your columns so your team can manage their daily workflows more easily.

If your team currently prefers spreadsheets and isn’t quite ready to use TeamGantt yet, try our free Excel gantt chart template .

Step 4: Present and confirm your plan

You’re almost finished! Now it’s time to do your due diligence. It’s easy to throw stuff in a plan, but you have to make sure you get it right.

Run your final plan by your internal team

Your team needs to know the reality of your plan as it stands after you’ve built it out in TeamGantt. And you want to be sure they’re comfortable committing to the details. If they don’t, things will quickly fall apart!

Always review your final plan with your team before delivering it to stakeholders. Why? Because things like dates and tasks—and even assignments—will shift as you formalize the rough sketch of your plan. 

Here are a few things you’ll want to discuss with your team as you review the final plan together:

• Review times
• Team work times
• Dependencies
• Time off, meetings, and milestones
• The final deadline
• Any assumptions you’ve made
• Major changes since your last talk

There’s nothing more embarrassing than delivering a plan with an error or a promise you can’t keep. Taking a few minutes to get buy-in from your team will give everyone peace of mind about your plan.

Review your project plan with stakeholders

Once you’ve confirmed the plan with your team and have their full sign-off, you’re ready to share your project plan with stakeholders . 

When delivering your project plan, make sure you provide an executive summary. This might come in the form of a project brief . A short recap of the overall methodology, resources, assumptions, deadlines, and related review times will help you convey what the plan means to the project and everyone involved.

Project plans can be daunting, so schedule time to present your project plan to stakeholders at a high level. Here are some things you’ll want to point out about your plan during this review:

• Overall process and pacing
• Major deliverables and timing
• The time they’ll have to review deliverables
• Overall timing for task groups or phases
• How far off you are from the deadline
• Wiggle room on the final deadline

If a stakeholder is interested in the day-to-day details, feel free to walk them through the plan line by line. Otherwise, start by explaining overall sections or phases, and be sure to come back to your plan at intervals throughout the project to remind them of tasks, next steps, and overall progress.

Step 5: Execute your plan and adjust as needed

Some projects are smooth and easy to manage, and others are a complete nightmare that wake you up at 3 a.m. every other night. Thankfully, having a solid project plan is your best defense against project chaos once work gets underway.

Keep in mind that project plans are living documents. Projects change constantly, and someone has to stay on top of—and document—that change. Remember to:

• Update your plan regularly as work progresses and things change
• Communicate changes to your team, partners, and stakeholders
• Monitor and communicate risks as your project evolves

Ready to plan your project in TeamGantt? Follow these easy steps to build a plan that’s structured well and includes the elements you need for project success.

1. Enter your basic project details.

To create a new project plan in TeamGantt, click the New Project button in the upper right corner of the My Projects screen. Then enter your project name and start date, and select the days of the week you want to include in your plan. Click Create New Project to move on to the next step.

2. List out your project tasks and milestones.

Now the real planning fun begins! Enter all the different tasks it will take to get the job done. If there are any key meetings, deliverable deadlines, or approvals, add those as milestones in your project plan.

3. Organize tasks into subgroups. 

Scrolling through one long list of tasks can be mind-numbing, even to the best of us. Break tasks down into phases or sections to ensure your project plan is easy to read and understand. 

4. Add task durations and milestone dates to the project timeline.

A visual project plan makes it easy to see exactly what needs to get done by when. Make sure every task has a start and end date so nothing falls through the cracks. TeamGantt’s drag and drop feature makes this planning step quick and easy.

5. Connect related tasks with dependencies.

Adding dependencies between tasks ensures work gets done in the right order and also helps you plan for delay risks. If your plan shifts and you need to move tasks around, dependencies speed up the process.

6. Assign responsible team members to tasks.

That way there’s no confusion about who’s doing what, and your team can update and manage their daily tasks . Don’t forget to check team availability along the way to avoid overloading anyone with too much work.

7. Use the RACI chart to define task roles more clearly.

This feature takes accountability one step further by letting you assign more specific roles to each task: Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed . Learn how RACI charts work and what each role means.

8. Add hourly estimates and/or points to each task. 

This makes it easy to see the lift each task involves at a glance. Including hourly estimates in your project plan also enables you to manage workloads and track overages more accurately.

9. Color-code tasks for better scannability.

You can use colors to categorize tasks by project phase, priority, department, or team member—whatever makes visual sense to you and your team.

10. Add notes to clarify tasks or spell out important details.

There’s no such thing as too much information if it means your team has what they need to deliver quality work on time. Use the Notes section of your Discussion tab to enter any pertinent details your team will find helpful.

11. Upload important documents to the project.

This ensures project files are accessible to everyone in a centralized hub.  For example, you might attach your creative brief to the project so your content and design teams have clear direction for completing their deliverables.

If you’re planning a project for the first time or taking on a totally new type of project, you might be struggling to get your plan off the ground. We created a simple project management plan template to help you get started.

TeamGantt gives you the ability to quickly and easily build and adjust your plan using drag and drop scheduling. Plus, it comes with customizable views to fit every team member’s work style. 

Try our basic project plan template for free!

Looking for more specific project plan examples to jumpstart your process? Use these project planning templates to generate ideas and save time building out your plan:

• Construction project plan template
• Event planning template
• Strategic marketing plan template
• Tactical marketing plan template
• Software development plan template
• Video production schedule template
• Website project plan template

Plan your next project in minutes

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Free Project Management Templates

Project Management Plan Template

A successful project requires a detailed and well-planned Project Management Plan. Start planning with our Project Plan Template. This Project Management Plan template is a good starting point for planning your project; however, be sure to check out our Subsidiary Management Plans for areas which need more focused management. If you want to know what is a project plan, be sure to go to our blog and read the blog entry titled, “What is a Project Plan?”. This template, along with all templates on our site, is based on our experience managing projects in accordance with the standards set by the Project Management Institute .

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Introduction.

The Introduction provides a high level overview of the project and what is included in this Project Management Plan. This should include a high level description of the project and describe the projects deliverables and benefits. Excessive detail is not necessary in this section as the other sections of the project plan will include this information. This section of the project management plan template should provide a summarized framework of the project and its purpose. Look back at the Project Charter for information to include in this section.

Total Software Incorporated (TSI) has recently approved the SmartVoice project to move forward for project initiation within the research and development (R&D) group. This project will result in the development of new voice recognition software and supports TSI’s corporate strategy of providing progressive solutions to clients which improve productivity in both the workplace and home environment. While voice recognition software is currently available, TSI believes that new technological developments will enable our team to develop a solution far superior to what is currently available.

TSI has been successful in gaining market share because of its aggressive pursuit of product quality, ease of use, flexibility, and customer service. Additionally, customers understand that our products may be applied to a wide range of uses for business and personal functions. By leveraging our reputation for superior quality and user-friendly products, and capitalizing on new technology, TSI can position itself as the premier provider of effective and easy to use voice recognitions software in today’s marketplace.

Project Management Approach

This section of the Project Plan template is where you outline the overall management approach for the project. This section should describe, in general terms, the roles and authority of project team members. It should also include which organizations will provide resources for the project and any resource constraints or limitations. If there are any decisions which must be made by specific individuals—for example authorizing additional funding by the project sponsor—this should also be stated here. It should be written as an Executive Summary for the Project Management Plan.

The Project Manager, Joe Green, has the overall authority and responsibility for managing and executing this project according to this Project Plan and its Subsidiary Management Plans. The project team will consist of personnel from the coding group, quality control/assurance group, technical writing group, and testing group. The project manager will work with all resources to perform project planning. All project and subsidiary management plans will be reviewed and approved by the project sponsor. All funding decisions will also be made by the project sponsor. Any delegation of approval authority to the project manager should be done in writing and be signed by both the project sponsor and project manager.

The project team will be a matrix in that team members from each organization continue to report to their organizational management throughout the duration of the project. The project manager is responsible for communicating with organizational managers on the progress and performance of each project resource.

Project Scope

State the scope of the project in this section of the Project Management Plan. The scope statement from the project charter should be used as a starting point; however, the project plan needs to include a much more detailed scope than the charter. This detail should include what the project does and does not include. The more detail included in this section, the better the product. This will help to clarify what is included in the project and help to avoid any confusion from project team members and stakeholders.

The scope of TSI’s SmartVoice project includes the planning, design, development, testing, and transition of the SmartVoice voice recognition software package. This software will meet or exceed organizational software standards and additional requirements established in the project charter. The scope of this project also includes completion of all documentation, manuals, and training aids to be used in conjunction with the software. Project completion will occur when the software and documentation package has been successfully executed and transitioned to TSI’s manufacturing group for production.

All SmartVoice project work will be performed internally and no portion of this project will be outsourced. The scope of this project does not include any changes in requirements to standard operating systems to run the software, software updates or revisions.

Milestone List

Provide a summary list of milestones including dates for each milestone. Include an introductory paragraph in this section which provides some insight to the major milestones. This section of the project plan template should also mention or discuss actions taken if any changes to the milestones or delivery dates are required.

The below chart lists the major milestones for the SmartVoice Project. This chart is comprised only of major project milestones such as completion of a project phase or gate review. There may be smaller milestones which are not included on this chart but are included in the project schedule and WBS. If there are any scheduling delays which may impact a milestone or delivery date, the project manager must be notified immediately so proactive measures may be taken to mitigate slips in dates. Any approved changes to these milestones or dates will be communicated to the project team by the project manager.

Schedule Baseline and Work Breakdown Structure

This section of the Project Management Plan should discuss the WBS, WBS Dictionary, and Schedule baseline and how they will be used in managing the project’s scope. The WBS provides the work packages to be performed for the completion of the project. The WBS Dictionary defines the work packages. The schedule baseline provides a reference point for managing project progress as it pertains to schedule and timeline. The schedule baseline and work breakdown structure (WBS) should be created in Microsoft Project. The WBS can be exported from the MS Project file. Be sure to consult our Work Breakdown Structure Template.

The WBS for the SmartVoice Project is comprised of work packages which do not exceed 40 hours of work but are at least 4 hours of work. Work packages were developed through close collaboration among project team members and stakeholders with input from functional managers and research from past projects.

The WBS Dictionary defines all work packages for the SmartVoice Project. These definitions include all tasks, resources, and deliverables. Every work package in the WBS is defined in the WBS Dictionary and will aid in resource planning, task completion, and ensuring deliverables meet project requirements.

The SmartVoice Project schedule was derived from the WBS and Project Charter with input from all project team members. The schedule was completed, reviewed by the Project Sponsor, and approved and base-lined. The schedule will be maintained as a MS Project Gantt Chart by the SmartVoice Project Manager. Any proposed changes to the schedule will follow TSI’s change control process. If established boundary controls may be exceeded, a change request will be submitted to the Project Manager. The Project Manager and team will determine the impact of the change on the schedule, cost, resources, scope, and risks. If it is determined that the impacts will exceed the boundary conditions then the change will be forwarded to the Project Sponsor for review and approval. The SmartVoice boundary conditions are:

CPI less than 0.8 or greater than 1.2 SPI less than 0.8 or greater than 1.2

If the change is approved by the Project Sponsor then it will be implemented by the Project Manager who will update the schedule and all documentation and communicate the change to all stakeholders in accordance with the Change Control Process.

The Project Schedule Baseline and Work Breakdown Structure are provided in Appendix A, Project Schedule and Appendix B, Work Breakdown Structure.

Change Management Plan

This part of the Project Plan should describe your change control process. Ideally, this process will be some type of organizational standard which is repeatable and done on most or all projects when a change is necessary. Changes to any project must be carefully considered and the impact of the change must be clear in order to make any type of approval decisions. Many organizations have change control boards (CCBs) which review proposed changes and either approve or deny them. This is an effective way to provide oversight and ensure adequate feedback and review of the change is obtained. This section of the project management plan template gives you an place where you should also identify who has approval authority for changes to the project, who submits the changes, how they are tracked and monitored.

For complex or large projects the Change Management Plan may be included as an appendix to the Project Management Plan or as a separate, stand-alone document. We have a detailed Change Management Plan Template available on our website.

The following steps comprise TSI’s organization change control process for all projects and will be utilized on the SmartVoice project:

Step #1: Identify the need for a change (Any Stakeholder) Requestor will submit a completed TSI change request form to the project manager Step #2: Log change in the change request register (Project Manager) The project manager will maintain a log of all change requests for the duration of the project Step #3: Conduct an evaluation of the change (Project Manager, Project Team, Requestor) The project manager will conduct an evaluation of the impact of the change to cost, risk, schedule, and scope Step #4: Submit change request to Change Control Board (CCB) (Project Manager) The project manager will submit the change request and analysis to the CCB for review Step #5: Change Control Board decision (CCB) The CCB will discuss the proposed change and decide whether or not it will be approved based on all submitted information Step #6: Implement change (Project Manager) If a change is approved by the CCB, the project manager will update and re-baseline project documentation as necessary as well as ensure any changes are communicated to the team and stakeholders

Any team member or stakeholder may submit a change request for the SmartVoice Project. The SmartVoice Project Sponsor will chair the CCB and any changes to project scope, cost, or schedule must meet his approval. All change requests will be logged in the change control register by the Project Manager and tracked through to completion whether approved or not.

Communications Management Plan

The purpose of the Communications Management Plan is to define the communication requirements for the project and how information will be distributed to ensure project success. You should give considerable thought to how you want to manage communications on every project. By having a solid communications management approach you’ll find that many project management problems can be avoided. In this section you should provide an overview of your communications management approach. Generally, the Communications Management Plan defines the following:

• Communication requirements based on roles
• What information will be communicated
• How the information will be communicated
• When will information be distributed
• Who does the communication
• Who receives the communication
• Communications conduct

For larger and more complex projects, the Communications Management Plan may be included as an appendix or separate document apart from the Project Management Plan. We have a detailed Communications Management Plan Template available on our website.

This Communications Management Plan sets the communications framework for this project. It will serve as a guide for communications throughout the life of the project and will be updated as communication requirements change. This plan identifies and defines the roles of SmartVoice project team members as they pertain to communications. It also includes a communications matrix which maps the communication requirements of this project, and communication conduct for meetings and other forms of communication. A project team directory is also included to provide contact information for all stakeholders directly involved in the project.

The Project Manager will take the lead role in ensuring effective communications on this project. The communications requirements are documented in the Communications Matrix below. The Communications Matrix will be used as the guide for what information to communicate, who is to do the communicating, when to communicate it, and to whom to communicate.

Project team directory for all communications is:

Communications Conduct:

Meetings: The Project Manager will distribute a meeting agenda at least 2 days prior to any scheduled meeting and all participants are expected to review the agenda prior to the meeting. During all project meetings the timekeeper will ensure that the group adheres to the times stated in the agenda and the recorder will take all notes for distribution to the team upon completion of the meeting. It is imperative that all participants arrive to each meeting on time and all cell phones and blackberries should be turned off or set to vibrate mode to minimize distractions. Meeting minutes will be distributed no later than 24 hours after each meeting is completed.

Email: All email pertaining to the SmartVoice Project should be professional, free of errors, and provide brief communication. Email should be distributed to the correct project participants in accordance with the communication matrix above based on its content. All attachments should be in one of the organization’s standard software suite programs and adhere to established company formats. If the email is to bring an issue forward then it should discuss what the issue is, provide a brief background on the issue, and provide a recommendation to correct the issue. The Project Manager should be included on any email pertaining to the SmartVoice Project.

Informal Communications: While informal communication is a part of every project and is necessary for successful project completion, any issues, concerns, or updates that arise from informal discussion between team members must be communicated to the Project Manager so the appropriate action may be taken.

Cost Management Plan

The Cost Management Plan clearly defines how the costs on a project will be managed throughout the project’s lifecycle. It sets the format and standards by which the project costs are measured, reported, and controlled. Working within the cost management guidelines is imperative for all project team members to ensure successful completion of the project. These guidelines may include which level of the WBS cost accounts will be created in and the establishment of acceptable variances. The Cost Management Plan:

• Identifies who is responsible for managing costs
• Identifies who has the authority to approve changes to the project or its budget
• How cost performance is quantitatively measured and reported upon
• Report formats, frequency and to whom they are presented

For complex or large projects the Cost Management Plan may be included as an appendix to the Project Plan or as a separate, stand-alone document. In addition to this project plan template we have a detailed Cost Management Plan Template available on our website.

The Project Manager will be responsible for managing and reporting on the project’s cost throughout the duration of the project. The Project Manager will present and review the project’s cost performance during the monthly project status meeting. Using earned value calculations, the Project Manager is responsible for accounting for cost deviations and presenting the Project Sponsor with options for getting the project back on budget. All budget authority and decisions, to include budget changes, reside with the SmartVoice Project Sponsor.

For the SmartVoice Project, control accounts will be created at the fourth level of the WBS which is where all costs and performance will be managed and tracked. Financial performance of the SmartVoice Project will be measured through earned value calculations pertaining to the project’s cost accounts. Work started on work packages will grant that work package with 50% credit; whereas, the remaining 50% is credited upon completion of all work defined in that work package. Costs may be rounded to the nearest dollar and work hours rounded to the nearest whole hour.

Cost and Schedule Performance Index (CPI and SPI respectively) will be reported on a monthly basis by the Project Manager to the Project Sponsor. Variances of 10% or +/- 0.1 in the cost and schedule performance indexes will change the status of the cost to yellow or cautionary. These will be reported and if it’s determined that there is no or minimal impact on the project’s cost or schedule baseline then there may be no action required. Cost variances of 20%, or +/- 0.2 in the cost and schedule performance indexes will change the status of the cost to red or critical. These will be reported and require corrective action from the Project Manager in order to bring the cost and/or schedule performance indexes back in line with the allowable variance. Any corrective actions will require a project change request and be must approved by the CCB before it can be implemented.

Earned value calculations will be compiled by the Project Manager and reported at the monthly project status meeting. If there are indications that these values will approach or reach the critical stage before a subsequent meeting, the Project Manager will communicate this to the Project Sponsor immediately.

Procurement Management Plan

The Procurement Management Plan should be defined enough to clearly identify the necessary steps and responsibilities for procurement from the beginning to the end of a project. The project manager must ensure that the plan facilitates the successful completion of the project and does not become an overwhelming task in itself to manage. The project manager will work with the project team, contracts/purchasing department, and other key players to manage the procurement activities.

For larger projects or projects with more complicated procurement management requirements, you can include the Procurement Management Plan as a separate document apart from the Project Management Plan. In addition to this Project Plan Template we have a detailed Procurement Management Plan Template available on our website.

The Project Manager will provide oversight and management for all procurement activities under this project. The Project Manager is authorized to approve all procurement actions up to $50,000. Any procurement actions exceeding this amount must be approved by the Project Sponsor.

While this project requires minimal or no procurement, in the event procurement is required, the Project Manager will work with the project team to identify all items or services to be procured for the successful completion of the project. The Project Manager will then ensure these procurements are reviewed by the Program Management Office (PMO) and presented to the contracts and purchasing groups. The contracts and purchasing groups will review the procurement actions, determine whether it is advantageous to make or buy the items or resource required services internally, and begin the vendor selection, purchasing and the contracting process.

In the event a procurement becomes necessary, the Project Manager will be responsible for management any selected vendor or external resource. The Project Manager will also measure performance as it relates to the vendor providing necessary goods and/or services and communicate this to the purchasing and contracts groups.

Project Scope Management Plan

It is important that the approach to managing the projects’ scope be clearly defined and documented in detail. Failure to clearly establish and communicate project scope can result in delays, unnecessary work, failure to achieve deliverables, cost overruns, or other unintended consequences. This section of our project management plan template provides a summary of the Scope Management Plan in which it addresses the following:

• Who has authority and responsibility for scope management
• How the scope is defined (i.e. Scope Statement, WBS, WBS Dictionary, Statement of Work, etc.)
• How the scope is measured and verified (i.e. Quality Checklists, Scope Baseline, Work Performance Measurements, etc.)
• The scope change process (who initiates, who authorizes, etc.)
• Who is responsible for accepting the final project deliverable and approves acceptance of project scope

We have a detailed Scope Management Plan Template available on our website which can be included as an appendix to the Project Management Plan for larger or more complex projects. Be sure to review it and determine if it’s necessary for managing your project.

Scope management for the SmartVoice Project will be the sole responsibility of the Project Manager. The scope for this project is defined by the Scope Statement, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and WBS Dictionary. The Project Manager, Sponsor, and Stakeholders will establish and approve documentation for measuring project scope which includes deliverable quality checklists and work performance measurements.

Proposed scope changes may be initiated by the Project Manager, Stakeholders or any member of the project team. All change requests will be submitted to the Project Manager who will then evaluate the requested scope change. Upon acceptance of the scope change request the Project Manager will submit the scope change request to the Change Control Board and Project Sponsor for acceptance. Upon approval of scope changes by the Change Control Board and Project Sponsor the Project Manager will update all project documents and communicate the scope change to all stakeholders. Based on feedback and input from the Project Manager and Stakeholders, the Project Sponsor is responsible for the acceptance of the final project deliverables and project scope.

The Project Sponsor is responsible for formally accepting the project’s final deliverable. This acceptance will be based on a review of all project documentation, testing results, beta trial results, and completion of all tasks/work packages and product functionality.

Schedule Management Plan

This section of the Project Plan provides a general framework for the approach which will be taken to create the project schedule. Effective schedule management is necessary for ensuring tasks are completed on time, resources are allocated appropriately, and to help measure project performance. This section of the Project Plan should include discussion of the scheduling tool/format, schedule milestones, and schedule development roles and responsibilities.

Be sure to check out the detailed Schedule Management Plan Template available on our website. The separate Schedule Management Plan is suitable for larger projects or projects where the schedule management is more formalized. The Schedule Management Plan can be broken out as an appendix to the Project Plan.

Project schedules for the SmartVoice Project will be created using MS Project 2007 starting with the deliverables identified in the project’s Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Activity definition will identify the specific work packages which must be performed to complete each deliverable. Activity sequencing will be used to determine the order of work packages and assign relationships between project activities. Activity duration estimating will be used to calculate the number of work periods required to complete work packages. Resource estimating will be used to assign resources to work packages in order to complete schedule development.

Once a preliminary schedule has been developed, it will be reviewed by the project team and any resources tentatively assigned to project tasks. The project team and resources must agree to the proposed work package assignments, durations, and schedule. Once this is achieved the project sponsor will review and approve the schedule and it will then be base lined.

In accordance with TSI’s organizational standard, the following will be designated as milestones for all project schedules:

• Completion of scope statement and WBS/WBS Dictionary
• Baselined project schedule
• Approval of final project budget
• Project kick-off
• Approval of roles and responsibilities
• Requirements definition approval
• Completion of data mapping/inventory
• Project implementation
• Acceptance of final deliverables

Roles and responsibilities for schedule development are as follows:

The project manager will be responsible for facilitating work package definition, sequencing, and estimating duration and resources with the project team. The project manager will also create the project schedule using MS Project 2007 and validate the schedule with the project team, stakeholders, and the project sponsor. The project manager will obtain schedule approval from the project sponsor and baseline the schedule.

The project team is responsible for participating in work package definition, sequencing, duration, and resource estimating. The project team will also review and validate the proposed schedule and perform assigned activities once the schedule is approved.

The project sponsor will participate in reviews of the proposed schedule and approve the final schedule before it is base lined.

The project stakeholders will participate in reviews of the proposed schedule and assist in its validation.

Quality Management Plan

This portion of the Project Management Plan Template discusses how quality management will be used to ensure that the deliverables for the project meet a formally established standard of acceptance. All project deliverables should be defined in order to provide a foundation and understanding of the tasks at hand and what work must be planned. Quality management is the process by which the organization not only completes the work, but completes the work to an acceptable standard. Without a thorough Quality Management Plan, work may be completed in a substandard or unacceptable manner. This section should include quality roles and responsibilities, quality control, quality assurance, and quality monitoring.

For larger or more complex projects, the Quality Management Plan may be included as an appendix or separate document from the Project Management Plan. A detailed Quality Management Plan Template is available for use on our website.

All members of the SmartVoice project team will play a role in quality management. It is imperative that the team ensures that work is completed at an adequate level of quality from individual work packages to the final project deliverable. The following are the quality roles and responsibilities for the SmartVoice Project:

The Project Sponsor is responsible for approving all quality standards for the SmartVoice Project. The Project Sponsor will review all project tasks and deliverables to ensure compliance with established and approved quality standards. Additionally, the Project Sponsor will sign off on the final acceptance of the project deliverable.

The Project Manager is responsible for quality management throughout the duration of the project. The Project Manager is responsible for implementing the Quality Management Plan and ensuring all tasks, processes, and documentation are compliant with the plan. The Project Manager will work with the project’s quality specialists to establish acceptable quality standards. The Project Manager is also responsible for communicating and tracking all quality standards to the project team and stakeholders.

The Quality Specialists are responsible for working with the Project Manager to develop and implement the Quality Management Plan. Quality Specialists will recommend tools and methodologies for tracking quality and standards to establish acceptable quality levels. The Quality Specialists will create and maintain Quality Control and Assurance Logs throughout the project.

The remaining member of the project team, as well as the stakeholders will be responsible for assisting the Project Manager and Quality Specialists in the establishment of acceptable quality standards. They will also work to ensure that all quality standards are met and communicate any concerns regarding quality to the Project Manager.

Quality control for the SmartVoice Project will utilize tools and methodologies for ensuring that all project deliverables comply with approved quality standards. To meet deliverable requirements and expectations, we must implement a formal process in which quality standards are measured and accepted. The Project Manager will ensure all quality standards and quality control activities are met throughout the project. The Quality Specialists will assist the Project Manager in verifying that all quality standards are met for each deliverable. If any changes are proposed and approved by the Project Sponsor and CCB, the Project Manager is responsible for communicating the changes to the project team and updating all project plans and documentation.

Quality assurance for the SmartVoice Project will ensure that all processes used in the completion of the project meet acceptable quality standards. These process standards are in place to maximize project efficiency and minimize waste. For each process used throughout the project, the Project Manager will track and measure quality against the approved standards with the assistance of the Quality Specialists and ensure all quality standards are met. If any changes are proposed and approved by the Project Sponsor and CCB, the Project Manager is responsible for communicating the changes to the project team and updating all project plans and documentation.

Risk Management Plan

This part of the Project Plan provides a general description for the approach taken to identify and manage the risks associated with the project. It should be a short paragraph or two summarizing the approach to risk management on this project.

Since risk management is a science in itself, we have many risk management templates available on our website. Look for the detailed Risk Management Plan Template , Risk Register Template along with our article on how to perform a risk assessment meeting.

The approach for managing risks for the SmartVoice Project includes a methodical process by which the project team identifies, scores, and ranks the various risks. Every effort will be made to proactively identify risks ahead of time in order to implement a mitigation strategy from the project’s onset. The most likely and highest impact risks were added to the project schedule to ensure that the assigned risk managers take the necessary steps to implement the mitigation response at the appropriate time during the schedule. Risk managers will provide status updates on their assigned risks in the bi-weekly project team meetings, but only when the meetings include their risk’s planned timeframe.

Upon the completion of the project, during the closing process, the project manager will analyze each risk as well as the risk management process. Based on this analysis, the project manager will identify any improvements that can be made to the risk management process for future projects. These improvements will be captured as part of the lessons learned knowledge base.

Risk Register

The Risk Register for this project is provided in Appendix C, Risk Register.

Staffing Management Plan

Here the Project Plan Template discusses how you plan to staff the project. This section should include discussion on matrixed or projectized organizational structure depending on which is being used for this project. This section of the project plan should also include how resources will be procured and managed as well as the key resources needed for the project.

The SmartVoice Project will consist of a matrix structure with support from various internal organizations. All work will be performed internally. Staffing requirements for the SmartVoice Project include the following:

Project Manager (1 position) – responsible for all management for the SmartVoice Project. The Project Manager is responsible for planning, creating, and/or managing all work activities, variances, tracking, reporting, communication, performance evaluations, staffing, and internal coordination with functional managers.

Senior Programmer (1 position) – responsible for oversight of all coding and programming tasks for the SmartVoice Project as well as ensuring functionality is compliant with quality standards. Responsible for working with the Project Manager to create work packages, manage risk, manage schedule, identify requirements, and create reports. The Senior Programmer will be managed by the Project Manager who will provide performance feedback to the functional manager.

Programmer (1 position) – responsible for coding and programming for the SmartVoice Project. All coding and programming tasks will be reviewed by the Senior Programmer prior to implementation. Responsibilities also include assisting with risk identification, determining impacts of change requests, and status reporting. The Programmer will be managed by the Project Manager and feedback will be provided to the functional manager for performance evaluations by the Project Manager and Senior Programmer.

Senior Quality Specialist (1 position) – responsible for assisting the Project Manager in creating quality control and assurance standards. The Senior Quality Specialist is also responsible for maintaining quality control and assurance logs throughout the project. The Senior Quality Specialist will be managed by the Project Manager who will also provide feedback to the functional manager for performance evaluations.

Quality Specialist (1 position) – responsible for assisting the Project Manager and Senior Quality Specialist in creating and tracking quality control and assurance standards. The Quality Specialist will have primary responsibility for compiling quality reporting and metrics for the Project Manager to communicate. The Quality Specialist will be managed by the Project Manager who will provide feedback, along with the Senior Quality Specialist to the functional manager for performance evaluations.

Technical Writer (1 position) – responsible for compiling all project documentation and reporting into organizational formats. Responsible for assisting the Project Manager in Configuration Management and revision control for all project documentation. Responsible for scribing duties during all project meetings and maintaining all project communication distribution lists. The Technical Writer will be managed by the Project Manager who will also provide feedback to the functional manager for performance evaluations.

Testing Specialist (1 position) – responsible for helping establish testing specifications for the SmartVoice Project with the assistance of the Project Manager and Programmers. Responsible for ensuring all testing is complete and documented in accordance with TSI standards. Responsible for ensuring all testing resources are coordinated. The Testing Specialist will be managed by the Project Manager who will also provide feedback to the functional manager for performance evaluations.

The Project Manager will negotiate with all necessary TSI functional managers in order to identify and assign resources for the SmartVoice Project. All resources must be approved by the appropriate functional manager before the resource may begin any project work. The project team will not be co-located for this project and all resources will remain in their current workspace.

Resource Calendar

Include a Resource Calendar as part of your project plan. The resource calendar identifies key resources needed for the project and the times/durations they’ll be needed. Some resources may be needed for the entire length of the project while others may only be required for a portion of the project. This information must be agreed to by the Project Sponsor and Functional Managers prior to beginning the project.

The SmartVoice Project will require all project team members for the entire duration of the project although levels of effort will vary as the project progresses. The Project is scheduled to last one year with standard 40 hour work weeks. If a project team member is not required for a full 40 hour work week at any point during the project, their efforts outside of the SmartVoice Project will be at the discretion of their Functional Manager.

Cost Baseline

This section of the Project Plan Template contains the cost baseline for the project upon which cost management will be based. The project will use earned value metrics to track and manage costs and the cost baseline provides the basis for the tracking, reporting, and management of costs.

The cost baseline for the SmartVoice project includes all budgeted costs for the successful completion of the project.

Quality Baseline

This section of the Project Management Plan should include the quality baseline for the project. The purpose of this baseline is to provide a basis for ensuring that quality can be measured to determine if acceptable quality levels have been achieved. It is important for all projects to clearly define and communicate quality standards and the quality baseline serves this purpose. This is why the quality baseline is included in the Project Management Plan Template.

The SmartVoice Project must meet the quality standards established in the quality baseline. The quality baseline is the baseline which provides the acceptable quality levels of the SmartVoice Project. The software must meet or exceed the quality baseline values in order to achieve success.

To download this free project management plan template in MS Word format, click on the Download Template at the top of this page.

Free Project Management Plan Templates

By Kate Eby | August 8, 2019

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In this article, you’ll find all the project management plan templates you need to get started on a comprehensive project plan. We’ve included templates that cover all aspects of project planning, from scope and budget to communication and scheduling. 

If you are new to project management plan templates, start by reading the What to Include in a Project Management Plan section.

Included on this page, you'll find a project management plan , a project management plan outline in both Microsoft Word and Google Docs , an integrated project plan template , and many more.

Templates for Presenting and Tracking the Project

The following templates include sheets, widgets, and outlines that can help you present an overview of the project to stakeholders. These templates also help you monitor progress as you execute the project.

Project Management Plan Outline Template

A comprehensive project management plan includes many plans and documents necessary for the success of a project. Project plan sub-documents may consist of the project scope, work breakdown structure (WBS), milestone list, and more. This project management plan template also provides an outline, so you can include all plan details in one document or attach or link to separate planning documents.

Download Project Management Plan Outline Template

Word | Google Docs

Download Resource Requirement Calendar Chart

Excel | G oogle Sheets

Project Management Plan Dashboard Template

A dashboard provides a handy means for project managers, stakeholders, and team members to display summaries of important metrics. This integrated project plan template includes a task list that updates a corresponding Gantt chart as you begin and complete tasks. The template also offers a widget to summarize task status, project spending, and pending items.

Download Project Management Plan Dashboard Template - Excel

Integrated Project Plan (IPP) Template

You may need a narrative description of parts or all of your project plan. However, a visual depiction can convey how aspects of the project relate to one another and the schedule. With this integrated project plan template, choose a Gantt chart or static timeline. Then, complete the task list, list responsible parties, and add due dates. The template also includes a cost baseline sheet and a communication plan sheet.

Download Integrated Content Project Plan Template - Excel 

Project Management Plan Template

This customizable template suggests the items you need to prepare to implement your project and provides space for each item’s due date. Additionally, find sections for the project approval phase, project planning, project execution, and project close.  

Download Project Plan Template

Excel | Smartsheet

Templates for Researching and Preparing a Project Plan

The following project management planning templates can help you as you determine and document the tasks and resources required to complete a project.

Project Scope Statement Template

The project scope defines the deliverables and the resources you need to complete those deliverables. By identifying these elements before the project begins, you reduce the chances of scope creep, wherein expectations and budgets expand without limit. When you write a project scope, refer to project objectives, goal statements, and the project charter . If you are a vendor preparing a project plan, you may refer instead to the statement of work you received with the request for proposal (RFP ). 

The project scope template below details the following: the project deliverables; the project assumptions; what is out of scope for the project; the time, budget, quality, regulatory, and resource constraints; and the tasks you need to accomplish in order to create the deliverables. In this template, you can describe the tasks without a separate work breakdown structure document, or use the WBS template that follows.

Download Project Scope Statement Template - Word

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Diagram Template

A work breakdown structure provides a visual tool for understanding how you can accomplish a project. Start with the goal or deliverable at the top and then break down the effort needed into smaller and smaller tasks. A WBS focuses on tasks and deliverables but complements the project schedule, which offers a high-level view of the work required over time. Some project management pundits suggest that leadership benefits most from schedules, while teams and individuals benefit from a WBS. This template offers a fill-in-the-blanks diagram and a task list template. Use both formats with the scope of work template.

Download Work Breakdown Structure Template - Excel 

Stakeholder Management Plan Template

Stakeholder analysis identifies individuals and groups with a potential interest in the project, determines the extent of their interest and degree of possible influence, and attempts to understand the best means of communicating with those individuals and groups about the project. A stakeholder analysis forms a significant basis for the project communication plan. 

This stakeholder management template offers space to list stakeholders, describe their role in the organization and in your project, identify the types of project activities that might interest them, define their level of commitment, and supply the reasons for their interest in your project. One sheet of this template includes a stakeholder analysis matrix, so you can create a visual evaluation of the level of commitment and influence for each stakeholder.

Download Stakeholder Management Plan Template

Cost Estimate and Projected Budget Template

Use this cost estimation and budget template to document the process for determining and, if necessary, adjusting your budget. The template provides a table to identify who can approve spending limit breaches and space to describe the budgeting procedure, the cost baseline procedure, the change procedure, and the proposed budget.

Download Cost Estimate and Projected Budget Template

Risk Assessment Templates

Organizations have risks, and projects are also susceptible to problems, such as accidents, scope creep, or vendor problems with supply or quality. This risk assessment template focuses on risks to task and project deadlines, but you can tailor the linked template to address other risks, too. The template details the task description, deadline, risk level, and status in the task table, and the statistics for the project are displayed in the status and priority table.

Download Project Risk Management Plan Template

Project Resource Plan Template

A resource plan lists the equipment, supplies, and staffing needed for a project. Resource plans help schedule shared resources, including hardware, software, and office or workspace. This template outlines project phases and then lists resources by project phase, role, department, pay rate, and more.

Download Project Resource Plan Template

Project Executive Summary Template

You start your project plan document or presentation with an executive summary, which encapsulates the project at a high level. However, the executive summary should be the last piece of content or document you write as you create a plan. To write this summary, refer to the project charter for plan details, or, if you are a vendor or contractor fulfilling part of a larger project, refer to the project statement of work. This customizable template walks you through the elements of an executive summary, including major milestones and issues to be solved. Add your own summary components as required.

Download Project Executive Summary Template

Templates for Implementing and Managing a Project Plan

The example project management plans that follow will help you solve problems, communicate with your team and stakeholders, and ensure quality deliverables as you implement the project.

Project Governance Template

Project governance describes how you will conduct the project and who has responsibility and accountability for the effective and efficient execution of the project. This project governance template outlines the project scope and lists who is responsible for what requirements and tasks. It also offers a RACI matrix and provides space to link to the resumes of key personnel. Additionally, the template details the process for managing and escalating issues, the decision-making process, and the quality assurance process. 

Download Project Governance Template

Excel | Word

Communication Plan Template

To conduct a successful project, internal and external stakeholders must be clear on goals and changes. A communication plan template assists you in documenting stakeholders, contact information, areas of interest, required information, and message format and frequency. 

Download Communication Plan Template - Word

Chronological or Simple Timeline Template

A timeline is an essential tool in project management. Timelines capture the required activities in a project in the form of high-level milestones or detailed tasks and sub-tasks and show how those activities relate to each other. This chronological timeline works well for simple projects. With this template, you can add tasks to the list, and those tasks will appear in the timeline.

Download Chronological or Simple Timeline Template

Gantt Timeline Template

A dynamic Gantt chart can serve as a timeline for more complex projects. Add milestones to the timeline to focus all eyes on the prize and highlight dependencies among tasks.

Download Gantt Timeline Template

Change Management Process Template

Change is inevitable in projects, but it’s much better to plan for change and provide a consistent process for reviewing, implementing, and tracking adjustments and updates. This change management process template offers a visual tool for understanding how to suggest changes, reviewing proposed changes, planning for their implementation, and assessing the results. 

Download Change Management Process Template

Test Plan Template

To guarantee a successful and usable deliverable, create a quality assurance or quality control plan. This test plan template is particularly adapted to Agile product development, but can be customized to fit your management approach and product. Simply list the test ID, the test number, the test description, the expected and actual result, whether the product passed or failed, and pertinent comments. 

Download Test Plan Template - Excel

What to Include in a Project Management Plan

A successful project starts with a detailed project management plan . Project management plan templates guide you through the planning process, so you can focus on the details rather than trying to remember what you must include. To make your job easier and help ensure successful planning, download the templates included in this article. 

A project management plan may consist of one document or a collection of component documents that provide extra detail for specific planning areas, such as the schedule, the work breakdown structure, or the stakeholder analysis. Whether combined or separate, most project management plan templates contain the following sections:

Introduction

Briefly describe the project’s purpose, goals, and deliverables. Refer to the project charter when you write this section.

Project Approach or Executive Summary

Outline the management approach for the project. List key personnel and anyone with specific responsibilities and decision-making authority. Describe any assumptions and constraints. You may also include risks in this section.

Project Scope

To avoid scope creep, you must clearly define what outcomes you expect from the project and what is out of scope. The project charter provides a starting point for defining scope, but you should also include the following sections in your project scope statement or link to separate documents:

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): The work breakdown structure offers a visual description of all the high and low-level tasks needed to create the deliverables. In the WBS diagram, list the major tasks at the top and then break down the items into smaller and smaller tasks until you determine the smallest tasks or work packages. The WBS works with the work breakdown structure dictionary, which is a detailed list of tasks, owners, due dates, and more.
• Schedule Baseline: To understand whether your activities, milestones, and project are on track, create a schedule baseline. 
• Milestones: Milestones mark important stages of completion in your project. Create a list of high-level milestones, and briefly introduce them and their context in the overall project schedule.

Change Management Plan

A change management plan offers a consistent model for documenting, submitting, approving, and tracking changes in a project. These important instructions are often created in a separate document.

Risk Management Plan

For the project plan, summarize the risk management approach, including the process for identifying risks and the mitigation strategy. At the end of the project, during the after-action analysis, the project manager will assess the identified risks against the management approach and recommend any improvements for future projects.

A risk register captures each risk and mitigation action. A register is essential for quality improvement and may be required for regulatory compliance. It logs a unique ID for a risk, a risk detail, who identified the risk, the date during which they identified it, the probability of the risk, the severity of its impact, and so on. In PRINCE2, a risk register is known as a risk log .

Project Scope Management Plan

The project scope management section describes who has the authority to constrain efforts. It details the tools and methods for establishing project scope, including supporting documents. Those supporting documents may include the WBS and project charter or statement of work. The scope management plan should also explain how you measure and track scope. In addition, the document should clearly articulate how the project manager communicates scope to the team.

Communication Plan

Your communication plan describes the project information you need to share with your team and stakeholders, the identity of those recipients, their contact information, and the means and frequency of communication. The communication plan is crucial to the efficient functioning of the project. Consider conducting a stakeholder analysis early in project planning, so you can use it to inform the communication plan.

Cost Management Plan

In a cost management plan, you describe how you will measure, manage, and report costs for the project duration. Identify who has responsibility for controlling costs, how they approve and track budget changes, and the means by which and frequency with which they report on the budget.

A cost baseline describes the approved, time-phased spending for a project and represents the combined total of the estimated project cost and contingency reserves.

Resource or Procurement Plan

The resource plan or procurement plan defines spending limits and identifies who has the authority to approve amounts that exceed those limits. It also details the types of resources you’ll be using, such as equipment, utilities, infrastructure, and costs, and indicates whether you will rent, lease, or purchase such items.  

Resource Calendar

A resource calendar provides a visual reference for understanding when and for how long you require important resources. Whoever has functional responsibility for the included resources must approve the resource calendar.

Human Resources Management Plan

The human resources plan outlines the skill sets required for the project, the pay rates for the project, and whether HR will staff the project with new hires or contractors.

Quality Management Plan

To ensure that your completed project meets quality expectations, create a quality management plan . This plan defines the standards against which you will judge the final outcome. The plan also identifies the processes that will gauge the work. In the quality plan, note who is responsible for quality, and describe any applicable quality assurance or quality control regulations, standards, processes, and tools. 

A quality baseline articulates the specific metrics by which you will assess quality throughout the project. To discover the appropriate metrics, you should review the current quality management process or standards, any recent or similar projects, and any pertinent industry or regulatory standards.

Other Helpful Project Management Templates

Other documents and plans can help you describe the unique aspects of your project plan. Here is a selection of links to supporting samples and templates:

• Construction project management
• HR project management
• Software project management
• KPI template 
• Project change request form

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Create a research data management plan

All researchers at UWE Bristol must complete a research data management plan before collecting any data as part of research, or using any data for research.

A research data management plan is a document drawn up at the start of the research process. It outlines how all research data will be generated or collected, managed, stored and preserved, shared or disposed of. All researchers at UWE, including doctoral researchers, must complete a research data management plan before collecting any data as part of research, or using any data for research.

UWE Bristol research data management plan template

There is a specific research data management plan template for use by UWE Bristol researchers. Each question has accompanying guidance notes which can be accessed via hyperlinks from within the template itself, or can be viewed below.

An online training module on research data management to help you to complete your research data management plan is available on the My Learning platform for staff, and on the UWE Bristol Blackboard for students. Please note, the online module is mandatory for staff who conduct or supervise research. Please see the research governance pages  on research data management for the most up-to-date information. 

Access the UWE Bristol Research data management plan template (DOC) .

Note 1: What data will you collect, create or use?

Outline the types of research data that are expected to be created or collected.

Research data can be in any form, for example, electronic or hard copy, video, audio, artefacts, machine readouts. It can include survey/questionnaire data, consent forms, laboratory log books, videos of artistic performances, audio records of interviews and their transcripts, physical samples (including biological samples of animal or human origin), photographic images, environmental or habitat data, observational data (of humans or animals).

Please include:

• The source of the data - is the data coming from primary sources including data subjects, for example, survey participants, video recordings), being generated, or from a third party (such as secondary data)?
• The volume of data do you expect to generate.
• Who are the data subjects (for example survey participants or interviewees)? Are there, or might there be, any vulnerable subjects? These could include, but are not limited to, children, older people, patients, prisoners, asylum seekers, those who are physically or mentally unwell.
• How many data subjects will there be?
• What is the purpose of the data that is being collected?
• Are you creating or collecting personal, sensitive or special category data such as health, religion, race, sexual orientation, genetics and biometrics, relating to a living person or persons?

Note 2: How will you collect, create or access the data?

For primary data, briefly describe how the data will be collected or created.

• Will you be using recorded interviews, observation, physical measurement, taking samples, computer/instrument generated, survey, film etc.
• Outline any professional or community standards that will be adhered to.
• If you are generating digital survey data, what system will you use? Please note:   Qualtrics  is currently the only survey tool authorised by UWE Bristol.

If you are collaborating with any third party organisation or individual

• Outline any data handling agreements that are in place - such as data processing agreements, data sharing agreements or collaboration agreements which include data sharing/handling arrangements.
• If data is to be held by a third party describe when, where, and how the data will be held by the third party. Please note: personal data should not be moved outside of the European Economic area without safeguards being in place (please email The Data Protection Team at  [email protected] for advice).

If you are using third party data (such as a secondary data source), say how this will be obtained

• Outline any restrictions on third party data use, or any access or use agreements that you/the University will need to sign. Please note: you should never sign anything without first consulting with Megan Wiggins in The Contracts Team at [email protected] , as you do not have authority to do so.
• Are you collecting or accessing data under restricted access conditions, for example within the  NHS , ONS , or Criminal Justice System?

UWE Bristol Ethics process for human participants - Consent

Ethical approval MUST be granted by UWE Bristol's College or University Research Ethics Committee in respect of research and/or evaluations involving human participant data. Both legal and ethical dimensions of research data must be considered (please see note 7 in relation to Data Protection). In relation to personal data, the combined effect of ‘law’ and ‘ethics’ is generally that you may only do with data what you have told research participants you will do, and which you have gained consent for.

Please explain here briefly how you will:

• Please ensure that you consult the guidance on participant consent forms (DOC) . Will this consent enable future sharing and re-use? If this is not appropriate, and you do not propose to share and re-use, say so here.
• If you will not be gaining consent please set out your justification. Where professional standards may exist, for example in covert research, or in filming crowds, please set out any professional standards you will be adhering to.
• provide participant information Please see the guidance on participant information sheets (DOC)  and the recommended Participant Privacy Notice (DOC) .
• handle personal, sensitive or other special category data.
• protect the interests and identity of any research participants - for example data anonymisation.

Note 3: Classify your data as public, restricted or confidential

See the Information Handling Policy (PDF)  for definitions of data classifications.

Note 4: How will the data be stored and backed up at all stages of its lifecycle?

Please be clear how data will be stored at each stage of the research. You must comply with the Information Security Policy (PDF)  and take account of the Information Security Toolkit .

You should take a "life course" approach to your data, being clear about the "data journey". For example, if you are interviewing human participants, taking samples, or collecting measurements or other data in the field, how will the data be stored at all stages of the research, how will it be securely transported, backed up, anonymised or pseudonymised, archived, securely disposed of?

Outline where data will be stored during the research

It is usually a requirement that research data is stored on a UWE Bristol networked drive (S or H), or on UWE Bristol OneDrive. If this is not possible, for example in the case of very large datasets, or situations where you will not have network access, you should consult the IT Service Desk for advice.

Please note: the only Cloud provision which is acceptable for use is UWE Bristol OneDrive, not Dropbox or any other provision.

How will data be backed up?

• Who is responsible for conducting data back up, and version control?
• How frequently will data be backed up?
• Is sufficient storage available via UWE Bristol systems, or do you need to consider additional storage needs and associated costs?

See UWE Bristol's data storage pages (intranet only) for information.

Note 5: How will the data be documented, described and maintained?

How will you manage file versioning during the course of the research.

Is there a standard that will be used?

Note what file format(s) you intend to use to store data

Where possible it is better to use non-proprietary file formats that are in widespread use to ensure on-going readability of data.

The UK Data Archive has a list of  file formats  which are in common use.

Outline how you will record information about your data

This is so that you, and others where appropriate, can access and use the data. This might be during the course of the research, or afterwards. Say where this information will be held, for example within the data itself, in a readme.txt file, in a database, or using another system.

As a minimum, you should record date, name and purpose of the data, the creator, details of how the data was created/analysed, explanations of any codes or abbreviations used.

For further information, see the Research Data Management guidance on documenting data .

Note 6: How will your data be processed?

Please describe here what you will actually do with the data, throughout its life course.

Set out the data security measures that you will take in relation to the way you will use the data. Data security measures should be appropriate to the data involved.

UK Data Protection legislation requires that personal data will be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security including protection against unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage (also see  Note 7 ). However, it is not just personal data; other kinds of data will also need careful handling, for example security sensitive research, commercially sensitive data, data subject to export controls, or environmental information (for example, in relation to rare or endangered populations of animals).

• Will any third party processing of data take place? If so, by whom and for what purpose? (for example, use of a UWE Bristol approved transcription service)
• How will you ensure only those who have a legitimate right to access the data can do so?
• By what mechanisms will data be shared between research partners?
• If you are generating data in the field, how will you ensure its safe transfer to UWE Bristol secure systems?

Note 7: Does the Data Protection Act (2018) apply to your research?

Collecting personal data and complying with data protection.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), implemented in the UK by the Data Protection Act (2018), states that there must be lawfulness, fairness and transparency in relation to any data subjects. Use this section to consider how you will ensure that this data principle is upheld. Please refer to the Data Protection Research Standard (intranet only) for information.

If you are working with human participants

• Outline how you will ensure you comply with the principles of accuracy and minimisation of data collected.
• Outline how you will ensure that data is kept in a form which permits identification for no longer than is necessary (storage limitation under GDPR ). Where data needs to be kept in this form for a longer period of time (for example, clinical trials data) please justify that here. Consult the Data Protection Research Standard  (intranet only).
• Please set out here whether you have conducted a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)  (staff intranet), and any necessary subsequent action. If you do not need to conduct a DPIA , please justify this here.

Note 8: Export controls and other legislation and regulation

• Please see Export Controls Regulations Guidance .
• If your research data may have a “dual use” or potentially be used in weapons of mass destruction (such as certain materials or algorithms) then you must set out here how you will ensure that you comply with the relevant regulations. Please note: the consequences of a breach of Export Controls can be extremely serious, so if you are uncertain, seek guidance from your College Management.
• In relation to other legislation and regulations, are there any specific implications for your research data? If so, please set them out here.

Note 9: What Intellectual Property will be collected or used in this research?

Who owns the ipr of any data collected or created.

• In the case of partnership working, is this covered by a collaboration agreement?
• In the case of derived products (including derived datasets), who owns, controls and has permission to use these?
• Are the measures you have set in place in relation to the research data appropriate to protect IP and not infringe third party IP?

Refer to  The UWE Bristol Policy on Intellectual Property (PDF) for information.

Note 10: What are your plans for long-term preservation and data sharing, where appropriate, and data disposal?

Researchers are encouraged to think about preserving their data and, where appropriate, making it available for sharing and re-use. Some funders and publishers have specific requirements relating to data retention.

Please explain here:

• How you will decide which datasets to keep beyond the end of the research. Include the reasons for your decisions and be clear how this relates to participant consent if you are working with human participants.
• Are you using a schedule from a funder/publisher?
• Outline if there is any data which must be securely destroyed during, or at the end of, the research and how this will be achieved.
• Where any data to be preserved will be deposited. For example, in an established discipline specific, or other, national data repository, or in UWE Bristol's data repository.
• If you do not plan to use a data repository, explain how your data will curated and preserved beyond the end of the research, or why and how it will be securely and safely disposed of.
• If and how you intend to share your research data for re-use. If appropriate, note how participant consent allows for this.
• Note any access limits to the data. For example, does your data contain personal information about research participants that requires access controls, or are you working with an external collaborator?
• Will there be an embargo period?
• Do you have a funder that has a specific data release schedule?

If it is not appropriate to share your data, state why here.

For further information, see guidance on Preserving, Sharing and Disposing of Research Data .

Outline the proposed arrangements if any member of the research team leaves the University

Please note: no student or staff member is permitted to remove data from the University without the permission of the data owner. This is the Pro-Vice Chancellor Research and Business Engagement, delegated to College Deans. This permission will only be granted where it is consistent with the University’s interests and legal and ethical obligations.

Note 11: Who is responsible for enacting the different elements of the research data management plan?

The UWE Bristol project manager has overall responsibility for enacting the research data management plan, but others such as other UWE Bristol research team members, external collaborators, or other third parties will have a role to play. Please set this out here:

• What are the different roles within your research team - at UWE Bristol and/or external collaborators, in relation to the data?
• Do others have a role in relation to research data - for example, data gatekeepers, archivists, personnel in other organisations who are not part of the research team.
• Have formal agreements been set in place by the Contracts team - as appropriate, with research funders, collaborators or other partners?
• What are the different roles within your research team in relation to the data?
• How these roles, including the UWE project manager, will be fulfilled in the case of a significant period of unanticipated absence (such as sickness leave, or a member of staff leaving at short notice).

Note 12: What resources are needed to deliver the plan, and are these available?

Outline any resources you will need to fulfil your plan.

Consider, for example:

• equipment needs - such as an encrypted UWE Bristol laptop or recording device
• long-term storage provision - including resource to pay for it
• transcription costs
• staff time - to ensure data is properly handled
• encrypted additional hard drive or other additional storage
• training or additional staff expertise
• preservation costs - including time for preparation for archiving
• costs associated with any third party data.

See the UK Data Service guidance on costing data management for further guidance.

Funder Requirements

Many research funders also have requirements regarding the submission of a research data management plan. If you are externally funded, find out about your funder's requirements .

The University of Bristol has shared examples of data plans submitted to a range of funders. The University of Leeds has shared two examples of examples of ESRC data plans .

UK Data Archive's managing and sharing data guide provides information to assist researchers in sharing data.

Getting help with submitting a grant application

For help with submitting a data management plan as part of a research funding bid, please contact the  Research and Knowledge Exchange Team .

Project Plan Template for Clinical Research

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

• Organize and track project tasks
• Break down projects into manageable goals and tasks
• Communicate progress to all stakeholders involved

Benefits of a Clinical Research Project Plan Template

• Develop an overall timeline for the project
• Specify milestones and corresponding deadlines
• Recognize any special considerations or constraints related to the project
• Identify resources required for the project

Main Elements of a Project Plan Template for Clinical Research

• Who will be responsible for each phase of the project?
• What resources will be needed in each phase?
• When will each phase start and end?
• Who will be responsible for budgeting and controlling costs?
• How will data collection be performed?

How to Use a Clinical Research Project Plan Template

1. identify the objective., 2. outline scope and methodology., 3. develop criteria for success., 4. assign resources and roles., 5. develop risk management strategies., 6. monitor progress., related project plan templates.

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12 Free Project Planning Templates for Excel and Word

Without a plan, projects are in trouble. Project planning is one of the first and most important aspects of project management. Using project planning templates can help you schedule tasks, estimate budgets and allocate resources.

Project management software does more than a static Excel or Word template, but using these free 12 project planning templates for Excel and Word is a decent substitute. Download one or all to start your next project on the right foot.

Why Use Project Planning Templates?

Project planning templates are an important part of project management. They organize your tasks, help you write a project charter, come up with an accurate budget and so much more. Even if you’re using project management software, project planning templates can help you with everything from decision making, such as with our free RACI matrix template, to identifying project deliverables, with our free work breakdown structure template.

You can even use project planning templates to help you manage your project and track progress and risks. They provide a consistent project documentation process, which can then be archived and retrieved to inform future planning. Project planning templates help reduce work as they’re preformatted so you don’t always have to start from scratch.

But using project planning templates is, at best, only a starting point. To ensure your plans are well-managed during project execution, you’ll want to upgrade to project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that helps you plan projects and manage and track them in real time. We have multiple project views, from kanban boards to tasks lists, sheet and calendar views, but project managers typically plan their projects on our powerful Gantt charts.

Unlike templates, our Gantt charts organize your tasks, add resources and costs and link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays. Gantts can filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks and set a baseline to track your planned progress against actual progress in real time. That’s how you deliver on time and within budget. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

12 Best Project Planning Templates

If you’re not ready to use project management software, these 12 project planning templates for Excel and Word can help you get your project planned properly. They cover all the bases, from creating a timeline to chart your tasks to having a risk register to prepare your team for issues that inevitably arise in every project.

1. Project Plan Template

A project plan is a big endeavor. Our free project plan template for Word helps you organize the various project management documentation needed to prepare your project for success. You get to address the planning basics, such as defining your project scope, identifying milestones and breaking the project down into manageable phases and tasks.

Then you can create a project schedule, including task dependencies, project assumptions and constraints. There’s also a section that addresses the project budget, risk and change management, which is essential to stay on track. Included is a risk log and the process you’ll use for change management to avoid delays.

2. Project Charter Template

A project charter is an important project planning document. It provides high-level information on the project to ensure stakeholders are aware of the project deliverables, milestones and the roles and responsibilities of the project team. It also explains the reason for the project, including how the project plan and project team will be structured to meet the project goals.

Using our free project charter template for Word will define the project vision and scope for everyone involved. It’s presented to the project sponsor in a neat, organized and easy-to-digest fashion. From the executive summary to the appendix, everything is collected to show how to achieve the project’s goals. The project charter template defines the project and shows the plan that will outline the milestones, tasks, dependencies and resource management plan .

3. Project Budget Template

All projects cost money. Being able to accurately estimate those costs and make a realistic project budget can make the difference between a healthy profit margin and losing money on the project. That’s why using our free project budget template for Excel is such a vital part of any project planning template offering. It can help you monitor project expenses and avoid cost overruns.

The free project planning template lets you list all your tasks and subtasks, including who’s assigned to each. Then you can estimate the labor, materials and other costs , such as travel, equipment, food and more. There’s also a column to track the actual costs for each of these categories to monitor the budgeted versus actual costs. A final balance column shows if you’re in the red.

4. Work Breakdown Structure Template

A work breakdown structure is a hierarchical chart that incrementally breaks down the project into deliverables and the tasks that are needed to complete those deliverables. Our free work breakdown structure template for Excel is a customizable project planning template made up of two sheets, one that has a task list and the other a tree diagram to help you identify not only deliverables and tasks but dependencies, resources and more.

5. Project Timeline Template

Another powerful project planning template is a timeline. It’s a visual representation of your schedule laid out from start to finish. On the project timeline , you can plot your project tasks, due dates, milestones and more. Use our free project timeline template for Excel to start your project scheduling process.

When you open our free project planning template for making timelines, you’ll see that it’s divided in half. On the left is a spreadsheet where you can list all the project tasks in one column, their start date in another and the end date in yet another. The last column notes the duration of the task in days. As you’re doing this, a timeline on the right will automatically populate to show you the entire project in one place.

6. Project Scope Template

The project scope outlines your project, so this project planning template is extensive. It’s a detailed document that shows the project’s activities, resources, timelines and deliverables. It lists your key stakeholders, the processes you’ll be using in the project, assumptions and constraints, all so you can understand what’s in and out of scope for the project.

Our free project scope template for Word is very thorough, though you can add to it as suits your project needs. We have space for project managers to explain the need for the project, what’s in and out of scope, its business objectives, deliverables and cost estimates and much more.

7. RACI Matrix Template

RACI is an acronym for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. A RACI matrix , often referred to as a diagram or chart, is a tool that ensures that all project stakeholders are on the same page and working together, making it an important project planning template.

Our free RACI matrix template for Excel helps you identify and define everyone involved with the project. The template lists all the project stakeholders across the top row and tasks down the left side of the template. Then just add R, A, C or I to define who is responsible for what.

8. Resource Plan Template

Resources are part of any planning process and, therefore creating a resource plan is an essential part of the project planning phase. You need to identify and plan everything needed to execute your project, and the most important resource is your team. Our free resource plan template for Excel helps you align resources with your project schedule and budget.

Our free resource plan template helps you organize tasks by team members and the department in which they work. You can also estimate the planned effort for each task, the team member’s rate of pay and the total cost for the duration of that work. There’s also a calendar to schedule the team’s work.

9. Risk Register Template

Risks, whether good or bad, are unexpected events in a project. Regardless, you need to plan for them. A risk register allows you to list all your project risks, their potential impact, priority level and more. You can use it throughout the project life cycle to track any risks that might occur.

The template allows you to add an ID number to each risk to track it. Then you can describe the risk and note the potential impact on the project. Following that, you’ll add the response if that risk becomes an issue in the project. You can also note the risk level to prioritize it and who on the team is responsible for dealing with that issue if it arises in the project.

10. Project Calendar Template

Calendars are one of many ways to plan a project. As a project planning template, calendars can provide a monthly overview of the assignments and deadlines of the project. Use our free project calendar template for Excel to plan your project on a calendar grid.

When you open our free project calendar template, you’ll find 12 sheets, one for each month of the year. The calendar has color coding to indicate the task and which phase it belongs to. We’ve created some examples, which you can use or change to suit your project, as the template is customizable.

11. Action Plan Template

An action plan is a plan. It charts the steps necessary to achieve whatever goals you have in mind. It’s a project planning template that can help you define your project timeline and resources.

Using our free action plan template for Excel gives you space to list your tasks ad note the phase in which they’ll take place and who’s assigned to that task. There’s a column to mark its status to help you track the task, as well as a place to add start and end dates, resources and their associated costs.

12. Project Milestone Template

You can collect project planning templates without touching on milestones , which are part of the project planning phase. They’re used to indicate important dates on a project timeline, often showing the end of one phase and the beginning of the next, which helps with tracking progress.

You can open our free project milestone template in our software and import your project plan from Excel or create your own in the free template. The milestones are represented on the Gantt chart timeline as diamond icons. Our software gives you access to the Gantt chart and multiple project views, but more on that in the next section.

ProjectManager Helps With Project Planning

If you’ve used the milestone template in ProjectManager, then you can see the advantages of project management software over static project planning templates. Templates must be manually updated and aren’t great for collaboration.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that helps you plan, manage and track your projects in real time. Everything you can do with the above project planning templates you can do better in our software. We’ve already shown how our powerful Gantt chart helps you organize tasks, resources and cost when building a project plan, schedule and budget. Here’s what else our tool can do.

Manage Resource and Labor Costs

Resources are part of any project planning process. Our software makes it easy to assign team members to tasks by allowing you to set up their availability in advance. You can note each team member’s vacation time, PTO and even global holidays for those with remote teams.

Once everyone has been assigned, toggle to the color-coded workload chart, which makes it easy to see team allocation at a glance. If some are overallocated, you can re-allocate those resources to balance the team’s workload and keep them working at capacity and productivity without eroding morale. During project execution, our secure timesheets streamline payroll and help you track labor costs to stay on budget.

Track Project Progress, Time and Costs

There’s more than one way to track project costs once the project has moved into its execution, monitoring and controlling phases. For a high-level view, project managers can use real-time dashboards , which automatically collect data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts. You can see how the project is progressing against your plan, compare costs against your budget and much more. If you’re managing multiple projects, use our portfolio dashboards.

For more details, use our reporting features. Customizable status and portfolio reports capture your project in time, but there are also reports on variance, timesheets, workload and more, all of which can be filtered to show only the data you want to see. Then share them with stakeholders to keep them updated.

Related Project Planning Content

Project planning is a big subject and we have many more articles that discuss all aspects of it from making a project plan to explaining what an implementation plan is. Check out a sample of our project planning content below.

• Project Planning: How to Make a Project Plan
• The Ultimate Guide to Resource Planning
• How to Execute a Plan Successfully
• What Is a Work Plan? How to Make a Work Plan In 7 Steps
• What Is an Implementation Plan?

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to plan and deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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UX Research Plan Template

Create a strong business case for UX research and streamline your process with the UX research plan template.

Trusted by 65M+ users and leading companies

About the UX Research Plan Template

A UX research plan, also known as a user research plan, is a brief reference document that outlines your research project’s goals, key contributors, important dates, and timelines.

Think of your research plan as a UX-focused  kick-off document  for your project. The plan offers an overview of the research initiative, encourages well-defined and agreed-upon goals, and acts as a written guarantee that the research will meet these goals.

What is a UX research plan?

When conducting usability testing or user research with a goal in mind, researchers need to plan. UX researchers often present their findings to stakeholders, like product managers, developers, marketers, and executives, to act on those results.

You should present your UX research plan in plain language with a single document. Keep your findings clear, collaborative, easily accessed, and digestible to get buy-in for your research and your team’s next steps.

A user research plan typically has up to seven segments:

Project background: Reasons for the study and internal stakeholders involved.

Research goals and objectives: What your teams want to learn, or their ideal research outcome.

Research participants: Who they are and how they’ll be recruited.

Method: How you conducted research, and any other information about how the research will be conducted.

Guides: An interview guide or cheat sheet of instructions and questions to follow during the session.

Duration: A rough timeline of how long the research will take and when the team can review the report.

Other helpful information: Additional resources for your team, such as previous studies, scripts, or results, can inform this new round of research.

Research plans keep your team focused on outcomes rather than getting lost in the details or changing the research goal midway through the project. By the end of the project, UX researchers should feel confident that their questions were answered and presented in both the plan and actual research.

When to use UX research plans

UX research plans are useful for teams who need to decide on  questions such as:

What do our customers need? Who is our target persona?

Does the proposed or current design work well for our customers? How can we make it better?

Planning UX research also gives researchers an opportunity to:

Decide what works for your stakeholders, especially the questions they’re trying to answer.

Engage stakeholders and keep them invested in your research results.

Clarify your ideas, problems to be solved, and research approaches.

Treat your research plan as a blueprint for aligning expectations, asking for feedback, or generating enthusiasm and support for increasing the value of user research in your organization.

Create your own UX research plan template

Making your own UX research plans is easy, and Miro is the perfect tool to create and share them. Get started by selecting the UX research plan template, then take the following steps to make one of your own.

Give your team or stakeholders a quick project introduction.  You can hop on a video chat with up to 25 team members and remind everyone what you’re trying to achieve. Remember that research proves its value when it satisfies a single objective rather than many. If you seem to have lots of different goals or objectives, avoid overreaching and start fresh: what’s the one customer problem and business problem you’re trying to solve?

Define the user and business problems your research needs to solve.  The default sticky notes are simply for inspiration — feel free to edit each of these to fix your own context. If you want your team to focus on this area instead of skipping ahead, you can select the “problem” frame and  click the “hide frame” (closed eye) icon  that appears in the frame’s menu.

Define your research goals.  Ask your team to brainstorm their top three research goals or priorities. Remember that the best research sessions are chasing a single objective, so out of the two to three you note down, ask your team to vote for their preferences. Try  Miro’s Voting Plugin  to help your team reach a decision.

Draft your research questions.  Pick three to five questions with your team or stakeholders that are most important to your research. Aim for no more than 10. The more focused your questions, the more focused your research will be.

Link to useful supporting information as needed.  Keep this plan to the point in order to get buy-in. For stakeholders who need more detail, there may be other useful data to link to. If you have previous UX research results or relevant studies, link to them on your Miro Board. You can also import survey data, embed  tables and charts , or link sticky notes  to external sources .

Dive even deeper into how to conduct UX research – and see examples – in our expert guide to  user research .

Why should you use the UX Research Template?

Centralized planning: Centralize your UX research plans in one shared space. This ensures that all relevant information, including research objectives, methodologies, and timelines, is easily accessible in one place, reducing the risk of scattered or lost documentation.

Collaborative research: Multiple stakeholders, including designers, researchers, and product managers, can collaborate on your UX research plan template simultaneously, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative approach to research planning.

Visual representation of research steps: Create diagrams, flowcharts, and visual representations of the research process. This visual mapping helps teams better understand the sequence of research activities, identify dependencies, and effectively communicate the overall research strategy.

Iterative refinement: Provide feedback, comments, and suggestions directly on the UX research plan template. Promote continuous improvement, allowing the team to refine the research plan based on insights and changing project requirements.

Integration with user flows and personas: Integrate with other templates, such as user flows and persona maps. By connecting these elements, teams can create a holistic view of the user experience journey. This integration helps align research activities with the overall UX strategy and ensures a more cohesive and user-centric product design.

How can I ensure that a UX Research Plan remains effective?

Regularly review and update the research plan as project requirements evolve. It's crucial to stay flexible and adapt the plan based on the findings and changing project needs.

Get started with this template right now.

RAID Log Template

Works best for:.

Agile Methodology, Project Management, Agile Workflows

Use the RAID Log template to better understand potential risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies relating to an upcoming project. With this information, you can make effective contingency plans and prepare your resources accordingly. You’ll know what could go wrong throughout the project and how to fix the problem.

Prune the Product Tree Template

Design, Desk Research, Product Management

Prune the Product Tree (also known as the product tree game or the product tree prioritization framework) is a visual tool that helps product managers organize and prioritize product feature requests. The tree represents a product roadmap and helps your team think about how to grow and shape your product or service by gamifying feedback-gathering from customers and stakeholders. A typical product tree has four symbolic features: the trunk, which represents the existing product features your team is building; the branches, each of which represents a product or system function; roots, which are technical requirements or infrastructure; and leaves, which are new ideas for product features.

Sailboat Template

Agile Methodology, Meetings, Retrospectives

The Sailboat Retrospective is a low-pressure way for teams to reflect on how they handled a project. By defining your risks (the rocks), delaying issues (anchors), helping teams (wind), and the goal (land), you’ll be able to work out what you’re doing well and what you need to improve on for the next sprint. Approaching team dynamics with a sailboat metaphor helps everyone describe where they want to go together by figuring out what slows them down and what helps them reach their future goals.

Cost-Benefit Analysis Template

Leadership, Decision Making, Strategic Planning

With so many day-to-day decisions to make—and each one feeling high-stakes—it’s easy for all the choices to weigh a business or organization down. You need a systematic way to analyze the risks and rewards. A cost benefit analysis gives you the clarity you need to make smart decisions. This template will let you conduct a CBA to help your team assess the pros and cons of new projects or business proposals—and ultimately help your company preserve your precious time, money, and social capital.

Bull's Eye Diagram Template

Diagrams, Project Management, Prioritization

When you’re a growing organization, every decision can feel like it has make-or-break consequences—which can lead to decision paralysis, an inability to prioritize, inefficient meetings, and even low morale. If that sounds like you, put a Bull’s Eye Diagram to work. True to its name, a Bull’s Eye Diagram uses a model of concentric circles to help companies establish priorities, make critical decisions, or discuss how to remove or overcome obstacles.

User Interview Template

Desk Research, Product Management

A user interview is a UX research technique in which researchers ask the user questions about a topic. They allow your team to quickly and easily collect user data and learn more about your users. In general, organizations conduct user interviews to gather background data, to understand how people use technology, to take a snapshot of how users interact with a product, to understand user objectives and motivations, and to find users’ pain points. Use this template to record notes during an interview to ensure you’re gathering the data you need to create personas.

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• Proposal Development
• Proposal Preparation (RDS)

Project Management Plans

Proposal planning.

Managing the proposal writing process effectively, particularly when there are multiple team members and the proposals become increasingly complex, often requires considerable skill. Using the provided tools and templates, such as team kick-off meeting template or the work plan template, may assist the principal investigator and his/her team throughout the process. See Proposal Development Tools for these materials.

Project Planning

While not all funding proposals require a project management plan, the plan is gaining in popularity. Typically, the requirement is found in large (center-style or multi-million dollar) and complex (multi-institution) proposals or proposals that require the installation of equipment or building and construction of facilities. The plan is requested to show the degree to which the proposing organization is prepared to successfully execute the intended project or center. Even if the proposal does not require a management plan, incorporating clear management lines (including a plan for replacing leadership) and communications plans may make your proposal more competitive as it shows that you are thinking ahead about the implementation of your award. Consider the following when designing your project management plan:

• What are the qualifications and experience of the project manager to plan, lead, coordinate, and manage?
• What is the anticipated project schedule, including key decision points, milestones, and go/no-go decisions? How feasible is the timeline?
• What are the mechanisms proposed for interaction among the different entities involved in the project? How feasible are those mechanisms?
• Has a risk analysis been conducted? How sound is that analysis?
• Does the organization have the past performance in order to ensure that the project is completed on time and budget?
• What are the distinct roles of advisory boards or committees? How do they interact?
• Should something happen to the PI, what is the plan to identify (or hire) a new PI?

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