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Rolling Wave Planning

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Rolling Wave Planning is a progressive planning technique in project management where near-term activities are planned in detail, while future work is planned at a higher level. This approach acknowledges that it is not always feasible or practical to plan all aspects of a project in detail from the outset, especially when dealing with long-term projects or those with a high degree of uncertainty. In Rolling Wave Planning, the project team focuses on the immediate phases or upcoming deliverables, developing detailed plans and schedules for activities that are imminent. For activities or phases that are further in the future, the planning is kept at a summary level. As the project progresses and more information becomes available, these future activities are elaborated in greater detail. This iterative process continues throughout the project lifecycle. This technique is particularly useful in dynamic environments where project requirements are expected to evolve, or in projects that utilize agile methodologies. It allows for flexibility and adaptability, enabling the project team to respond effectively to changes and new insights. Rolling Wave Planning helps in managing uncertainty by deferring detailed planning until a time when more accurate information is available. One of the key benefits of Rolling Wave Planning is that it helps to optimize the use of resources by focusing detailed planning efforts where they are most needed. It also reduces the potential for wasted effort in planning activities that may change significantly in the future. This approach facilitates better stakeholder engagement by allowing for incremental reviews and approvals as the project evolves. However, Rolling Wave Planning requires effective communication and coordination within the project team and with stakeholders. It is essential to manage expectations and ensure that everyone understands the planning approach and how it impacts scheduling and resource allocation. Adequate documentation of assumptions and constraints is also important to maintain alignment as the project plan evolves. In summary, Rolling Wave Planning is a valuable planning technique in project management that allows for detailed planning of imminent activities while keeping future plans at a high level until more information becomes available. This approach enhances flexibility, improves resource utilization, and aids in managing projects with high levels of uncertainty.

Rolling Wave Planning: A Comprehensive Guide

What is Rolling Wave Planning?

Rolling Wave Planning is an iterative planning technique in project management where the work to be accomplished in the near term is planned in detail, while future work is planned at a higher level. As the project progresses and more information becomes available, detailed planning is done for upcoming work packages that were previously only planned at a high level.

Why is Rolling Wave Planning Important?

Rolling Wave Planning is important because:

1. Handles Uncertainty: It acknowledges that distant future work cannot be planned with the same level of detail as immediate work due to uncertainties and evolving project conditions.

2. Resource Efficiency: It prevents wasting resources on detailed planning of future work that might change significantly.

3. Progressive Elaboration: It aligns with the concept of progressive elaboration, allowing project details to emerge as the project moves forward.

4. Adaptability: It enables teams to adapt to changing requirements, constraints, and opportunities that arise during project execution.

How Rolling Wave Planning Works

1. Initial Planning: The entire project is planned at a high level with major deliverables and milestones identified.

2. Detailed Near-Term Planning: Immediate work (often the current and next iteration or phase) is planned in detail with specific activities, resources, and schedules.

3. Regular Updates: As the project progresses, the team regularly revisits the plan, converting high-level future work into detailed plans as it becomes more imminent.

4. Integration with Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Rolling Wave Planning often involves progressively elaborating the WBS, with near-term work decomposed to lower levels than future work.

5. Continuous Assessment: The approach involves continuous assessment of project performance and environmental factors that might affect future work.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Rolling Wave Planning

1. Identify Key Characteristics: Recognize questions that describe scenarios where detailed planning is done for near-term work while future work remains at a high level.

2. Differentiate from Other Approaches: Understand how Rolling Wave Planning differs from traditional predictive planning or purely adaptive approaches.

3. Connect to Progressive Elaboration: Remember that Rolling Wave Planning is a manifestation of progressive elaboration in scheduling and is mentioned in the PMBOK Guide as a recommended practice.

4. Focus on Practical Applications: Be prepared to apply Rolling Wave Planning principles to scenario-based questions about projects with uncertain requirements or changing environments.

5. Understand Advantages and Limitations: Know when Rolling Wave Planning is most beneficial (high uncertainty, long projects) and when it may be less appropriate (short, well-defined projects).

6. Relate to Agile Practices: Recognize connections between Rolling Wave Planning and agile practices like sprint planning, release planning, and product backlogs.

7. Identify Common Pitfalls: Be aware of common mistakes in implementing Rolling Wave Planning, such as failing to plan far enough ahead or not refining plans as more information becomes available.

8. Remember Project Documents: Know which project documents are affected by Rolling Wave Planning (schedule, budget, resource plans, etc.).

Example Exam Scenario: "A project manager is leading a three-year technology implementation project. Due to rapidly evolving technology, detailed requirements beyond the first six months are difficult to define. What planning approach would best suit this situation?"
The correct answer would be Rolling Wave Planning because it allows detailed planning for the immediate work while keeping future planning at a higher level until more information is available.

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PMI-SP - Activity Definition and Sequencing Example Questions

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Question 1

Your company is working on a long-term infrastructure project. The project has five phases, with more detailed planning needed for later phases. Which technique is most suitable for managing planning in the later phases?

Correct Answer: Rolling Wave Planning

The best technique for managing planning in the later phases of a long-term infrastructure project is Rolling Wave Planning. This approach is suitable as it allows more detailed planning as the project progresses. In Rolling Wave Planning, the details of the project are planned for the next phase only when the current phase nears completion. As this question hints at a long-term project with more detailed planning needed in the later stages, Rolling Wave Planning fits the scenario best. Critical Path Method and PERT are project scheduling techniques, but they do not necessarily allow for detailing in the later phases. Kanban is an agile project management tool which is more focused on work delivery speed and flexibility but does not involve comprehensive planning of later phase in detail as required in the question.

Question 2

You are managing a software development project for a financial company with an aggressive timeline. It has a high amount of uncertainty and the requirements change frequently. What planning approach should you use?

Correct Answer: Rolling Wave Planning

The best planning approach to use in this scenario is Rolling Wave Planning. This approach is ideal because it recognizes the nature of projects with high uncertainty and frequently changing requirements, and allows for those changes over the life of the project. In Rolling Wave Planning, the planning is done in waves as the project progresses and more information or detail becomes available. The other answers are not suitable for the given scenario. For instance, Waterfall Planning is not ideal because it involves sequential phases where each phase depends on the deliverables of the previous one and corresponds to a distinct specialisation of tasks, which is not suitable for projects with frequently changing requirements. Sprint Planning is a part of Scrum methodology which may be useful in this scenario to an extent, but could lack the flexibility demanded by this project's high uncertainty. Lastly, Adaptive Life Cycle or Agile method might be a reasonable approach given the high amounts of uncertainty and changing requirements, but Rolling Wave planning is typically better suited to these conditions, as it allows for an even greater flexibility and adaptability than the Agile method.

Question 3

You are task leader in a major construction project. Due to unexpected risks and change requests, the project timeline has extended. What technique is advisable for planning the remaining work?

Correct Answer: Rolling Wave Planning

In project management, particularly when there are unexpected risks and change requests that extend the project timeline, Rolling Wave Planning is advisable. This technique allows project managers to plan for the work as the project evolves and as more details become clear. Unlike Rolling Wave Planning, the Critical Path Method is a technique used for scheduling project activities and is not particularly adaptable to changes and unexpected risks. The Adaptive Life Cycle is a project life cycle that is intended to respond to high levels of change and ongoing stakeholder involvement; it is not a technique for planning the remaining work in a project. The Agile Retrospective is a meeting that's held at the end of an iteration in Agile software development. While it's useful for reviewing what went well in a project or iteration and what could be improved for the next, it does not directly apply to planning the remaining work of an ongoing project.

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