SAP Project planning is one of the most important aspects of any SAP Project lifecycle. It evolves around understanding the requirements and scope, resource allocation and management, project execution and closure, and change management across different project lifecycle phases.  

Understanding The Requirements And Scope

Understanding the requirements and the scope of a project defines the foundation of the project. This includes understanding the business requirements and having productive conversations with the stakeholders in order to understand the nuances of the requirements and their vision of the solution. Based on the understanding, the project objectives are drafted which becomes the foundation of the project scope. A clear definition of the scope highlighting the project’s boundaries is essential. The scope has to align with business objectives and stakeholders should be on the same page as the project team.

Resource Allocation And Management

Once the project scope is defined, the team needs to create a detailed project plan identifying different activities, solution components and project timelines. Based on the project plan and understanding of the different development phases involved (which depends on the development lifecycle model employed), the management has to identify the resourcing needed in each phase, ramp-up and ramp-down plan, and other infrastructure components. Resource allocation helps the leadership understand cost implications and solution milestones. Project management also involves risk management where the team identifies potential risks and creates a strategy to mitigate the same.

In the next post, Project Execution and Change Management will be reviewed.

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