---
reference_type: Focus Area
reference_id: FA02
name: Planning
version: "1.0.0"
status: Active
pmbok8_source: "Process Groups Practice Guide — Planning"
authority: PMI-derived
---

# FA02 — Planning
**Type:** Focus Area
**PMBOK8 Source:** Process Groups Practice Guide — Planning
**Version:** 1.0.0

## Definition
Planning is the focus area in which the total scope of effort is established, all project objectives are detailed, and the integrated course of action for achieving those objectives is developed. Planning produces the baselines — scope, schedule, and financial — against which project performance will be measured throughout execution and monitoring. It also produces all subsidiary management plans that govern how specific knowledge areas (quality, risk, communications, procurement, stakeholder engagement) will be managed. Planning is iterative: plans are progressively elaborated and may be revisited as new information emerges, but the transition to execution requires an approved, integrated plan.

## Entry Conditions
- Project Charter is approved and signed
- Project Manager is formally assigned with defined authority
- Initial Stakeholder Register from FA01 is available
- Sponsor and key stakeholders are available to participate in requirements gathering and scope definition
- Organizational process assets and enterprise environmental factors have been documented in the Context Register (A05)

## Primary Activities
- Develop the Integrated Project Management Plan that integrates all subsidiary plans
- Define and decompose scope; create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Collect, analyze, and document requirements; build the Requirements Traceability Matrix
- Develop the Schedule Baseline using sequencing, resource estimation, and duration analysis
- Develop the Financial Baseline through cost estimation and budget authorization
- Plan quality and define quality standards, metrics, and acceptance criteria
- Plan communications and establish the communications matrix
- Plan stakeholder engagement and develop targeted engagement strategies
- Plan risk management; identify, analyze (qualitative and quantitative), and plan risk responses
- Plan procurement; determine make-or-buy decisions and prepare procurement documentation
- Develop the Change Management Plan to govern benefit realization and organizational change
- Tailor the project management approach to the project's context, complexity, and delivery method
- Document team operating norms and resource capacity

## Primary Outputs / Artifacts Produced
| Artifact | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A14 — Integrated Project Management Plan | The master governing document integrating all subsidiary plans and baselines; authorizes project execution |
| A15 — Schedule Baseline | Establishes the time-phased plan against which schedule performance is measured |
| A16 — Financial Baseline | Establishes the approved cost plan against which financial performance is measured |
| A08 — Scope and Requirements Backlog | Documents all validated requirements and scope boundaries; feeds the RTM |
| A09 — Quality Management Plan | Defines quality standards, metrics, assurance activities, and acceptance criteria |
| A10 — Communications Management Plan | Defines what information is communicated, to whom, when, and through what channels |
| A11 — Procurement Management Plan | Defines procurement strategy, vendor selection criteria, and contract types |
| A13 — Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) | Links requirements to deliverables and acceptance criteria to ensure complete coverage |
| A19 — Risk Management Record (initial) | Documents identified risks, probability-impact assessments, and planned risk responses |
| A25 — Team Operating Record | Documents team norms, roles, responsibilities, and operating agreements |
| A26 — Resource Capacity Record | Documents resource availability, capacity constraints, and allocation decisions |
| A39 — Change Management Plan | Defines how organizational change will be managed to support benefit realization |
| A06 — Tailoring Decision Record | Documents all tailoring decisions made to adapt the standard methodology to the project context |

## Artifacts Consumed (Inputs)
| Artifact | Source |
|---|---|
| A04 — Project Charter | FA01 Initiating; provides high-level scope, objectives, assumptions, constraints, and authorized budget |
| A01 — Business Case | FA01 Initiating; provides strategic context, benefit expectations, and success criteria |
| A07 — Stakeholder Register | FA01 Initiating; identifies stakeholders whose requirements must be collected and whose engagement must be planned |
| A05 — Context Register | FA01 Initiating; provides EEFs and OPAs that constrain and enable planning decisions |

## Skills Active in This Focus Area
| Skill ID | Skill Name |
|---|---|
| SKL-03-01 | Develop Project Management Plan |
| SKL-03-02 | Plan Scope Management |
| SKL-03-03 | Collect Requirements |
| SKL-03-04 | Define Scope |
| SKL-03-05 | Create WBS |
| SKL-03-06 | Plan Schedule Management |
| SKL-03-07 | Define Activities |
| SKL-03-08 | Sequence Activities |
| SKL-03-09 | Estimate Activity Durations |
| SKL-03-10 | Develop Schedule |
| SKL-03-11 | Plan Cost Management |
| SKL-03-12 | Estimate Costs |
| SKL-03-13 | Determine Budget |
| SKL-03-14 | Plan Quality Management |
| SKL-03-15 | Plan Resource Management |
| SKL-03-16 | Plan Communications Management |
| SKL-03-17 | Plan Risk Management |

## Relationship to Performance Domains
Planning is the most multi-domain focus area; it directly engages and establishes the plans and baselines for all 7 performance domains:

- **PD8-01 — Governance:** Tailors the development approach and project lifecycle, plans sourcing strategies, and integrates all sub-plans into the master Integrated Project Management Plan.
- **PD8-02 — Scope:** Establishes scope boundaries, collects requirements, and decomposes scope into the WBS or backlog.
- **PD8-03 — Schedule:** Determines sequence, estimates activity durations, and develops the Schedule Baseline.
- **PD8-04 — Finance:** Plans financial management, estimates costs, and establishes the Financial Baseline (budget).
- **PD8-05 — Stakeholders:** Identifies stakeholder engagement plans and designs the communications approach.
- **PD8-06 — Resources:** Establishes resource plans, estimates resource requirements, and builds team operating charters.
- **PD8-07 — Risk:** Plans risk management, identifies risks, performs analysis, and prepares contingency reserves.

## Exit Criteria / Quality Gate
- Integrated Project Management Plan is reviewed and formally approved by the sponsor
- All three baselines (scope, schedule, financial) are approved and baselined
- All subsidiary management plans are complete and consistent with the integrated plan
- Risk management record contains identified and analyzed risks with documented response strategies
- RTM is populated and traceable from requirements to deliverables
- Tailoring decisions are documented and approved
- Planning complete gate is formally passed with sponsor authorization to proceed to execution

*Authority: Process Groups Practice Guide — Planning · Source type: PMI-derived*
*Repository: https://github.com/fakhruldeen/PMOSkills*
