Planning Package
A planning package is a WBS component below the control account with known work content but without detailed schedule activities, used as a placeholder for future planning.
Explanation
A planning package represents work that is known at a high level but has not yet been decomposed into work packages. It sits below a control account in the WBS and serves as a temporary placeholder for scope that will be elaborated in the future through the technique of rolling wave planning.
Planning packages have a defined scope and budget but lack the detailed schedule activities and specific resource assignments that characterize work packages. As the project progresses and more information becomes available, planning packages are decomposed into work packages with detailed estimates, schedules, and assignments.
This approach is practical for large or long-duration projects where not all work can be planned in detail at the outset. It allows the project team to acknowledge the known scope, allocate budget, and maintain the integrity of the scope baseline while deferring detailed planning until closer to the time of execution.
Key Points
- •WBS component below a control account, above the work package detail level
- •Has known scope and budget but no detailed schedule activities
- •Used in rolling wave planning as a placeholder for future elaboration
- •Decomposed into work packages when more information is available
Exam Tip
Planning packages are associated with rolling wave planning. They have budget and scope but lack detailed activities. Know how they differ from work packages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Control Account
A control account is a management control point where scope, budget, actual cost, and schedule are integrated and compared to earned value for performance measurement.
Work Package
A work package is the lowest level of the work breakdown structure, representing a deliverable or project work component that can be estimated, scheduled, monitored, and controlled.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables.
Decomposition
Decomposition is a technique used to divide and subdivide the project scope and deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts until the work is defined at the work package level.
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Burndown Chart
A Burndown Chart is a graphical representation of work remaining versus time in a Sprint or release, showing whether the team is on track to complete the planned work.
Resource Leveling
Resource leveling is a resource optimization technique in which adjustments are made to the project schedule to keep resource usage at or below a defined limit, often resulting in a longer project duration.
Risk Register
The risk register is a project document that records the details of individual project risks, including their identification, analysis results, response plans, and current status.
Stakeholder Mapping
Stakeholder mapping is the visual representation of stakeholder relationships, influence, interest, or other attributes using grids, matrices, or diagrams to support analysis and engagement planning.
Relative Estimation
Relative Estimation is an agile technique where work items are sized in comparison to each other rather than in absolute units like hours or days, providing faster and more accurate estimates.
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
Cost Performance Index (CPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures cost performance as the ratio of earned value to actual cost: CPI = EV / AC.
Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
Schedule Performance Index (SPI) is an EVM efficiency metric that measures schedule performance as the ratio of earned value to planned value: SPI = EV / PV.
Earned Value Management (EVM)
Earned Value Management (EVM) is a methodology that integrates scope, schedule, and cost data to assess project performance and progress objectively.
Power/Influence Grid
The power/influence grid is a stakeholder classification model that groups stakeholders based on their level of authority (power) and their active involvement or ability to affect the project (influence).
Part of
Scope Management
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