The key to a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing you should do when undertaking any kind of project. We have a project for which we estimate duration and effort based on a high level understanding of what needs to be done. A project planning is required to ensure that required project commitments are met. A planning is required to track progress toward achieving these commitments.

1. Identify manageable activities and tasks by decomposing the process and the product
2. A market study is necessary to identify a potential customer’s need. The already existing need and the possible future needs that are combined together for study.
3. A lot of assumptions are made during market study. Assumptions are the very important factors in the development or start of a project's development. The assumptions which are not realistic can cause a nosedive in the entire venture. Although assumptions are conceptual, there should be a move to develop tangible assumptions to move towards a successful project.
4. Determine which tasks are dependent on the completion of others. (Which activities must occur in sequence and which can occur concurrently?)
5. Allocate each task a number of work-units (often person-days), a start date and a completion date.
6. Define responsibilities for the tasks (allocate them to a person or persons).
7. Define outcomes of the tasks (deliverables) and milestones for the schedule.
8. Review the proposed tasks, their effort allocation and start and end dates with the people involved to ensure there are no conflicts and over allocation.