Project plan template: how PRINCE2®, PMP and APM structure a plan

A good project plan template answers why the project is needed, what it will deliver, who is responsible and when the work will happen. It should cover the business case, risk, roles, budget and timeline. PRINCE2, PMI guidance associated with PMP, and APM approach these elements in slightly different ways, but the essential information remains relevant whichever project management approach you use.

What a project plan should include

A project plan provides a structured view of how an approved project will be delivered. It gives the team a common reference point and provides stakeholders with enough information to understand the proposed approach.

The business case establishes why the project is worthwhile and what it is expected to achieve. Risk information identifies uncertainty that could affect delivery, whereas clearly defined roles establish responsibility. The budget sets the financial parameters and the timeline maps out when significant work needs to happen.

These elements sit alongside other project documents rather than replacing them. For example, a detailed risk register contains information that would make the main plan unnecessarily cumbersome. Our guide to the five project documents every beginner needs to understand explains how some of these documents fit together.

Using a consistent structure makes the plan easier to maintain as circumstances change. The precise format will depend on the project and the approach being followed.

How PRINCE2 structures a project plan

PRINCE2 Project Management uses product based planning, which starts by identifying what the project needs to deliver before determining the work required to create it. This keeps planning focused on outputs rather than beginning with a list of activities.

The Project Plan provides the overview for the whole project. It identifies the major products and shows how delivery is expected to progress, including the overall timescale and costs. More detailed Stage Plans are developed for individual management stages, allowing planning detail to increase as the work gets closer.

Product descriptions clarify what individual products need to achieve and their quality expectations. The product flow diagram shows the sequence in which they need to be created, exposing dependencies that influence the schedule.

Risk is addressed through the PRINCE2 Project Management risk practice, rather than solely within the Project Plan. Responsibility is similarly established through the method's organising practice. The different elements of the method therefore work together to provide the information needed to direct and control delivery.

How PMP and APM structure a project plan

PMP is a professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), so it does not prescribe a project plan template itself. PMI guidance describes a project management plan that brings together the information needed to explain how a project will be managed.

This approach typically uses subsidiary management plans for areas such as scope or schedule. Risk and cost are also managed through dedicated planning. These components combine to create an integrated basis for project execution and control.

APM likewise treats a project management plan as broader than a schedule. Its guidance incorporates the project's aims and expected benefits alongside information about how delivery will be managed. Scope and budget need to be established, with a schedule showing how work will progress.

The terminology differs, but there is substantial common ground. Each approach requires project teams to understand why the work is being undertaken and define what needs to happen. They also need sufficient information to allocate responsibility and control delivery.

A simple project plan template you can use

A useful project plan does not need to reproduce every document associated with a formal methodology. This free project plan template provides a straightforward structure that can be copied and adapted.

Start by completing the business case so the purpose of the project is clear before detailed planning begins. The remaining sections then establish the conditions within which that outcome will be delivered.

The level of detail should reflect the project. A short internal initiative may only require a concise plan, whereas a complex programme of work will need supporting documents beneath each heading.

If you are working within PRINCE2 Project Management, adapt the template around its product based planning approach and planning hierarchy. In an environment following PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)® guidance, the headings may lead into more detailed subsidiary plans. Organisations following APM guidance may use their own established format while covering equivalent planning information.

The template should also remain usable after the project starts. Updating it when approved assumptions change makes it a working management document rather than a record of what the team thought would happen at the beginning.

FAQs

What should a project plan include?

A project plan should contain enough information to explain why the project is being undertaken and how it will be delivered. At minimum, this means establishing the business case and principal risks, then defining responsibility. The plan should also set out the budget and expected timeline.

Is there a free project plan template?

Yes. The five section structure above provides a free project plan template that can be copied and adapted to your organisation. The amount of supporting detail will depend on the project's complexity and any project management method or organisational standards you follow.

Project planning becomes easier when you understand the reasoning behind the structure rather than simply filling in a template. Explore project management training with ILX Group to develop the knowledge needed to plan projects with greater confidence.