Our Understanding and Approach to Planning
In order to plan something you must first understand at the highest level, what it is you want to plan i.e. is it a Programme or a Project, without this basic understanding what the difference is it cannot be planned let alone be delivered.
Our Planners are dedicated Planners that are experienced Programme and Project Managers with relevant qualifications and experience in delivering projects and managing budgets.
1st4 Projects also understand two very important but albeit often ignored aspect of planning,
1 The relationship Planning holds with Forecasting.
Forecasting can be described as predicting what the future will look like, whereas Planning predicts what the future should look like. By understanding this relationship it allows us to take a unique approach and deliver far more accurate and realistic plans over the course of a Programme and or the Projects.
2 The use of EVM Earned Value Management
Earned Value provides an objective way of measuring performance and predicting future outcomes. Thus enabling reporting progress with greater confidence and highlight any overrun earlier. This in turn, enables the management team to make cost and time allocation decisions earlier than would otherwise be the case.
These thought process are essential in the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of planning it with other plans; that is, it combines forecasting of developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to react to then whilst EVM measures true cost.