Summary

The comprehensive project plan is your guidebook that will be used throughout the life of the project.

The project plan contains outputs from the various planning processes put together in one all-inclusive document. It should include the critical planning outputs for initiation, scope, time, cost, human resources, quality, communications, risk, and procurement.

Although a project plan has historically been a paper document, today there are more examples of project managers who distribute plans electronically in a shared folder environment.

The comprehensive project plan is created with ongoing input and review from the sponsor, the client, the project team, and other stakeholders.

A formal review, with official sign off and approval of the plan, marks the transition from project planning to project execution.