Project management is a multifaceted discipline that requires meticulous planning, organization, and control of resources to achieve specific goals and meet success criteria. Certain artifacts are vital to streamlining these processes. These documents or tools provide a roadmap and a means to measure progress, identify obstacles, and ensure that everyone involved is on the same page.
-
In my opinion, so much of project management relies on the interpersonal connection with your stakeholders, and we'll cover that in another blog post. However, to achieve that shared understanding, there are artifacts that help get everyone on board and moving in the right direction.
-
Here are the top five indispensable artifacts for me as a project manager.
-
1. Project Charter
The project charter is the foundational document upon which your project is built. It outlines the vision, objectives, scope, and participants involved in the project. It serves as an official record authorizing the project's existence and gives the project manager the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
-
From what I've seen through my PM career, most of the time, projects don't go through a formal launch. A new project feels like it falls out of the sky, and you have to run with it. I strongly suggest creating a project charter, even if no one looks at it initially. There may be a time when stakeholders need to realign the project or a new teammate has joined after the kickoff; you'll want to have an overall document for people to reference and anchor on.
-
2. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a key project deliverable that breaks down the team's work into manageable sections. It is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team. The WBS helps all stakeholders understand where they fit into the grand scheme of things and ensures that nothing is overlooked.
-
The WBS is often called the Project Plan; however, if you've read just the table of contents in the PMBOK, you'll know that the WBS is just a piece of the standard Project Plan. The WBS is the most high-profile part of the plan as it holds the project deliverables and owners. This is where picking the right tool for you and your team is important. I'd suggest a flexible tool that handles dependencies, timeline shifts, and different visuals, which brings me to the third document.
-
3. Gantt Chart
A Gantt chart is a visual representation of the project timeline. It includes a list of project tasks alongside a calendar that maps out deadlines, dependencies, and progress. As an essential tracking tool, it provides a clear picture of project status at a glance and is crucial for maintaining schedules and ensuring timely delivery.
-
I've had a love-hate relationship with Gantt Charts for years. I've seen multiple takes on the visual, and they've all looked extremely clunky. They didn't showcase the project timeline in a way that inspired action. However, I found leadership LOVES them and, despite my dislike, had to produce them for my leads to see the full picture. It wasn't until I began viewing them in the PM Tool, ClickUp, that they started to make more sense. Seeing the beginning and end point of the project timeline and where deliverables intersect is a great cross-functional tool. When teams work very siloed, it's easy to miss dependencies across department lines. While ClickUp is currently my fave PM tool, most, if not all, PM software has the Gantt Chart feature and produce the snapshot you need.
-
4. Risk Register
The risk register is a document that maintains a log of potential risks identified throughout the project's life. It contains the outcomes of risk analysis and risk response planning. This artifact is fundamental for proactive planning as it helps manage uncertainty throughout the project by keeping track of identified risks, their magnitude, and contingency plans.
-
Things happen! Even with the most detailed planning, you can never be certain a risk won't crop up. Having a log to track risk assumptions and rising risks will help your team and you have a plan when the inevitable happens.
-
5. Stakeholder Management Plan
Effective communication is the lifeblood of any project. A stakeholder management plan is a blueprint for managing expectations and engaging with individuals with an interest or a stake in the project. It ensures identification, inclusion, and communication with all stakeholders, thereby increasing the likelihood of project success.
-
So much of project management is interpersonal. Often, the team executing the project is not managed directly by you. It is critical to have a clear picture of the stakeholders and their desired and required involvement. Missing the input from a stakeholder who holds power can derail or even tank the success of your project.
Creating all five of these artifacts is never a guarantee of project success. However, they are elements of a structured project that encourages accountability, clarity, and communication—three things all projects need!
-
Incorporating these five artifacts into your project management practices will create a structured environment for your projects to thrive. They foster clarity, accountability, and effective communication—three pillars that uphold successful project execution.
-
Want to try a template that may help move your projects in the right direction?
Check out the Project Management ClickUp Folder Template, which includes Task List, Issue and Risk Log, and Change Management Templates.