Streamlining Physical Security Projects: The Crucial Role of Documentation

The complexity of technology projects is requiring businesses in the Security industry to adopt focused initiatives around program and project management. Companies, therefore, need to establish a core set of practices and standards for all types of projects to ensure the sustainability of the expected pace while delivering quality performance. 

crucial role of documentation in physical security project management

Documentation is an important part of project management as it fulfills the two most crucial components of a project management system: 

  • Ensuring that project requirements are met
  • Establishing traceability

The project documentation benefits the project – beyond well-governed workflow development. We have compiled a comprehensive list of documents and the role they play in project management activities, providing essential deliverables. 

Essential Project Documents

Project Charter

The project charter officially authorizes the project while also delegating planning, execution, and management to the project manager. The project charter must include: 

  • Project purpose
  • Project requirements
  • Project budget
  • Scope of the work
  • Key deliverables
  • Resources
  • Proposed schedule
  • Potential risks
  • Feasibility study

Moreover, the project charter encourages communication, making stakeholder engagement easier – a good project charter template provides a comprehensive summary of the essence of the project. 

Work Breakdown Structure

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is the foundation of project planning, and resource management, and aids in the prevention of project scope creep. The WBS organizes the work into manageable chunks, which are usually measured in time.  

The WBS ensures that no aspect of the project is ignored during the planning phase. Once the WBS is created, plan the relevant information: 

  • Start with the outcome of the project
  • Break each milestone down
  • Estimate timings
  • Assign task owners
  • Map your WBS in the desired format

Project Plan

The project management plan integrates the strategic management of the project and all the processes that are related to the venture including cost, timeline, and the scope of the project. This document serves primarily as a reference index as it includes all planning and project materials. 

The project management plan must include: 

  • A summary of the project
  • Budget
  • Expected milestones
  • The roles of team members
  • Tools to be used for management of the project
  • Scheduled baseline along with work breakdowns

Issue Tracker

The Issue Tracker is a project document that records and tracks all issues.

Project managers can use the issue tracker to track and manage issues, ensuring that they are investigated and well handled. Throughout the project, the project manager will encounter unexpected gaps and inconsistencies that must be addressed so they do not impact the project’s triple constraints or performance. 

Risk Tracker

A risk is an unforeseen event that has a positive or negative influence on the project’s triple constraints i.e., scope, time, and cost.  

Risk can exist on two levels:  

  • At the level of individual constraints
  • At the level of the overall project

The Risk Tracker keeps track of both the high-level and low-level risks. Moreover, the tracker is updated with results from quantitative analysis after risks are identified – later response plans are also updated on the same tracker. Furthermore, risk analysis helps in identifying risks that one could face during PM.  

Action Item Tracker

An Action Item Tracker facilitates the project team to manage the follow-on activities. 

An action item is a work that is completed as a result of a project team meeting where activities, issues, and dependencies are discussed. The action is not necessary to achieve the meeting’s goals; for instance, an issue or activity can have a follow-up activity. 

Status Report Tracker

A common project management activity is a “weekly status report.” 

A typical Status report includes: 

  • Overall Executive Summary Status
  • Weekly Highlights and Lowlights
  • RAG (Red, Amber, Green) assessment
  • Next Actions

Progress Meeting Minute Template

A well-executed meeting concludes with prompt and perfectly documented Meeting Minutes. Meeting minutes are always generated and disseminated within 24 hours – following a meeting by professionals or project managers. The minutes of a project meeting includes a list of action items as well as a summary of discussed topics during the meeting. 

Project Communication Plan

A project communication plan is a framework for your project’s communication operations. The strategy should aid in getting the appropriate information to the right person at the right time in a format that works perfectly for them. 

There are a few key steps to follow when preparing a communication plan: 

  • Summarize the objectives – support remote team members and gather input from the project team
  • Define the target audience – the project team, key stakeholders, and relevant internal departments
  • Decide the required information – status, work in progress, issues, budget, and deadlines
  • Measure success and improve – track and analyze your plan at regular intervals
physical security documentation description

Project Close-Out

Project Close-Out is the process of finalizing all activities for the project.  

The Project Manager takes center stage and verifies that all project work is done efficiently, and the project has fulfilled its objectives. 

Conclusion

Pivoting to a PMO (Project Management Office) that is business-focused will be an enhanced experience to deliver effective and successful projects.  Using the best practices outlined here, organizations of different services as well end users can significantly increase the quality of their project’s overall performance and successful completion.  

About Atriade

Atriade is a security consulting firm. We provide security system design services for access control, perimeter protection, video and visitor management, and other physical security technologies. We also provide security master planning, program development, risk assessments, professional services, and project management.  

Our client portfolio includes Fortune 50 companies, Ivy League universities, and leading technology firms in Silicon Valley. 

 Visit us online at Atriade.com 

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