PROJECT PLANNING

Cutting corners in project planning is a recipe for disaster, no matter what the reason. The initiation phase is critical to the success of the project as it establishes its core foundations (Laslo, 2010). Effective project planning takes into consideration all aspects of planning including stakeholder engagement, benefits mapping, risk assessment, as well as the actual plan (schedule) itself. The three most cited factors for project failure are:
•lack of stakeholder engagement,
•lack of communication, and 
•lack of clear roles and responsibilities.