Your clients like nothing better than hearing how you can improve their bottom line. A good project overview is a great way of showing them how you propose to do that.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through the project overview process and provide a free template so that you can get started immediately.
Credit: Freepik
What is a project overview?
A project overview is a short document that outlines how you plan to solve your client’s problem, the project timeline, resources you will use, goals, and potential risks. It serves as a reference for stakeholders and team members alike as it can be referred back to throughout the project.
You might wonder what the difference is between a project plan and a project overview. The answer is that a project plan stems from the project overview and is an in-depth version of it. The project overview is like a mission statement, while the project plan is an actionable guide.
What is the purpose of a project overview?
- Serves as a reference point throughout the project, reminding team members of the original vision and goals in a simple way.
- Provides stakeholders with a quick, visual representation of the project.
- Reminds team members of their roles in the project.
- Allows you to reflect on previous project overviews for inspiration and accuracy.
What is included in a project overview?
A project overview is not a cut-and-dried document; you can include various things in it. The list below gives you an idea of the type of information usually included in one.
- Project name
- Project manager
- Problem/opportunity
- SMART goals
- Project Timeline
- Resources
- Risks
How to write a project overview
1. Think about the problems you are trying to solve: Succinctly write about the problem your client is facing and how you aim to solve that problem through the project. Include why your team is uniquely positioned to solve your client’s problem in the best way possible. For example, if your client needs to drive more website traffic and you have previously succeeded in helping clients with this, include that experience in the project overview.
2. Define SMART goals: A goal only has a good chance of being achieved if it is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timed
Consider what you are trying to achieve with your project and break it down into clear, SMART goals.
3. Create a project timeline: Now that you know your goals, it’s time to chart the deliverables and milestones to which those goals come down on a timeline. Include your project’s start and end dates, and ensure a realistic amount of time for every milestone to be achieved.
4. Think about the resources your project will need: What kind of talent do you need to recruit? How many hours will you need? What materials will you require? The answers to these questions should be included in the resources section of your project overview.
5. Risks: Including a risk assessment in your project overview can help preempt issues down the line. If you think about the risks that could come up and create a plan to deal with them, you’ll start your project in a stronger position.
Project Overview Template
Download your free project overview template here!
How can Workamajig help you with your project overviews?
As the only project management software built specifically for creative teams, Workamajig has all the project overview creation tools you need to write a robust project overview and take you all the way through to successful project completion.
- Timeline creation tools
- Resource management tools
- Budgeting tools
- Project management tools
- Task management tools
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