Project plan template: free and simple, step by step
A simple project plan in 11 steps: goal and scope, people, deliverables, milestones, risks, a weekly update and a look back. Free to print, or run it as a board in Plenzu.
11 stepsAbout 9h 35m of workPlanned back from your deadline
What this plan is based on
The basics of project management: agree on scope first, break the work down, check progress weekly.
The plan, step by step
9 weeks before
Write down the goal and what is out of scope1h
8 weeks before
List who is involved and who decides30m
Break the work into deliverables1h 30m
Estimate the time and set milestones1h
7 weeks before
List the risks and what you will do about them45m
Kick-off meeting1h
6 weeks before
Weekly status update20m
Three lines are enough: what is done, what is next, what is in the way.
Repeats every week
4 weeks before
Midpoint check: scope, time and budget45m
1 week before
Test and review with the people involved2h
Deadline
Deliver
After the deadline
Look back: what went well, what to do differently45m
In Plenzu this is a board with the columns To do → Doing → Review → Done.
Project brief
Goal: …
Deadline: … Budget: …
In scope - …
Out of scope - …
People | Who | Role | |---|---| | … | decides | | … | does the work |
Risks | Risk | What we do | |---|---| | … | … |
Questions
What belongs in a project plan?
The goal and what is out of scope, who is involved, the deliverables, a timeline with milestones, the risks, and how you report progress.
How detailed should a project plan be?
Detailed enough that everyone knows the next step and the deadline. For a small project one page and a board are enough; add detail only where the risk is.
What is the difference between a project plan and a to-do list?
A to-do list says what to do. A project plan also says why, for whom, by when and what is left out, so choices along the way are easier.