Project plan template

by Atlassian

Turn chaotic projects into well-oiled machines

KEY FEATURES

Roadmaps

Project Management

Task Planning

CATEGORIES

Project Management

Recommended

Page template

Moving projects across the finish line is rewarding, but it’s far from easy. When you have multiple teams involved in a single project, it’s even tougher. Are you breaking out into a sweat just thinking about it? Here’s the good news: no matter what team you're on, this project plan template makes it easier to manage projects of any size and complexity, all while keeping stakeholders in the loop.

Overview
Benefits
How to
Why Confluence?

What is a project plan template?

A project plan template is a straightforward way to map out your project. It helps organize important details like tasks, deadlines, and team responsibilities in one place. Using one saves you from starting from scratch each time while allowing you to adapt it to your specific needs. It’s practical and reusable, and it ensures nothing falls through the cracks while planning a project.

Sample project plan

Want to see how this all comes together? Here's a sample project plan for a mobile app redesign project using the Confluence template. While this example focuses on software development, you can easily adapt the structure for any project, from marketing campaigns to event planning.

Project: Mobile App Redesign

Project Players

Driver: Sarah Chen, Product Manager
Approver: Michael Torres, Head of Product
Contributors: UI/UX team, iOS developers, Android developers, QA team
Informed: Marketing team, Customer Support leads

Project Details

Objective: Launch redesigned mobile app with improved user experience and 20% faster load times by Q3 2024
Due date: September 30, 2024
Key outcomes:
- Increased app store rating from 3.8 to 4.5
- Reduced user journey steps by 30%
- Decreased crash rate to <1%
Status: In progress

Problem Statement

Our mobile app's current design causes confusion and frustration, leading to a high drop-off rate and poor App Store ratings. The redesign will streamline user flows, modernize the interface, and improve performance, which we expect will increase user satisfaction and engagement by 40%.

Scope

Must have:

New navigation system
Redesigned home screen
Improved search functionality
Performance optimization

Nice to have:

Dark mode
Customizable widgets
Enhanced analytics

Not in scope:

Backend infrastructure changes
New feature additions
Web app updates

Timeline

Phase 1: March - April

User research and wireframes
Design system updates

Phase 2: May - June

UI development
Frontend optimization

Phase 3: July - August

Testing and refinement
Beta program

Phase 4: September

Final QA
App store submission
Launch preparations

Milestones and Deadlines

Design system completion - @DesignLead - April 15
iOS development complete - @iOSLead - July 1
Android development complete - @AndroidLead - July 15
Beta testing completed - @QALead - August 30
App store submissions - @ProductManager - September 15

This sample shows how a template adapts to a specific project while maintaining clear organization and accountability. Whether planning a product launch, marketing campaign, or internal initiative, you can adjust the sections to fit your needs while keeping the core structure that makes project collaboration easier.

Benefits of using a project plan template

Organizes tasks

A project planning template provides a systemic approach to breaking down complex projects into manageable chunks. It creates a clear hierarchy of tasks, subtasks, and dependencies, ensuring you don’t overlook any task in your project planning process.

Improves clarity

A well-structured template establishes transparency by creating a roadmap for project execution. It ensures all team members understand their roles and responsibilities while informing stakeholders about project progress and milestones.

Enhances collaboration

With a standardized format, a project plan template makes collaboration seamless. Teams can easily share updates, track progress, and stay aligned on project goals. The template improves communication and ensures everyone is working from the same playbook.

Reduces errors

A project planning template minimizes the risk of oversight and errors by providing a structured approach to strategic planning. It can be used as a checklist for teams to follow, ensuring all critical elements are addressed during project execution.

Increases project efficiency

Following a template streamlines project management and optimizes workflows. It helps teams maintain productivity by providing clear direction and ensuring resources are allocated through proper resource planning.

How to use the project plan template

Step 1. Enter your project players

Clarifying roles and responsibilities is a crucial part of the project planning process. In this first section, you’ll list your driver (the project’s point person who will corral all stakeholders and keep things moving), your approver (the person who signs off on the final project), your contributors (people who have expertise and a voice in the project, but no final vote), and your stakeholders (people who just need to be informed of the project’s progress, but aren’t actively involved in getting the work done). Detailing these roles from the outset is more than a formality – it’ll ensure that everybody knows exactly where they stand as the project moves forward.

Step 2. Fill out the nuts and bolts

In this section, you’ll state the project’s objective in a single sentence and name your project. We recommend something straightforward, rather than getting too clever. That gives your whole team the clarity they need, without jargon and vague language. You’ll also jot down the due date for the entire project, any key outcomes and success metrics you’ll be monitoring, and the project’s status, which will be updated as your project moves forward. Having all of this nuts-and-bolts information at the top gives your whole team an easy place to get all of the need-to-know details, without digging through endless emails to find them.

Step 3. Map out your project scope

Nothing will sabotage a project faster than scope creep, so you’ll need to get clear on what your project entails – as well as what it doesn’t. Using this template, you’ll list your project elements in three categories: must-have, nice to have, and not in scope. Outlining these at the start of the project will empower your team members to better manage their own pieces and focus on the work that matters most.

Step 4. Plan your milestones and deadlines

Your project won’t stretch out into eternity (at least it shouldn’t). You’ll have an end date when the entire project should be wrapped up, but you’ll also want to set smaller milestones to help monitor progress and make the entire project more manageable. In this section, outline your different milestones (for example, a first content draft and design mockups) and include the primary owner of each requirement, the deadline, the status, and any important notes.

Step 5. Include reference materials

You want your project plan to be the one-stop-shop for all of the important information related to that project. In the bottom section, include links to any other reference material that people might need. Whether it’s a creative brief or an example you want people to refer back to, collect that all here so it’s organized and accessible.

Create a project plan in Confluence

Confluence is a connected workspace that empowers teams to create, organize, and share knowledge. Easily create content, like dynamic pages, collaborative whiteboards, structured databases, and engaging videos. Pull in all your work to reduce context-switching and turn scattered information into a single source of truth.

Flexible and extensible, Confluence is used by all types of teams, from marketing to technical teams and program management to sales teams. With 100+ free templates, Confluence makes it easy for teams to get started quickly and efficiently.

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