Project Handbook

No matter what size a project is, any project can benefit from using a Project Management Handbook. Since a project is basically a piece of planned work that has to be completed over a period of time and intended to achieve a particular aim, working with a structured approach, to optimize use of resources in order to achieve the goals is important.

How do I create a project management handbook?

The term log, when used in reference to project management, is often a full and complete overview that contains all of the items that are needed to properly historically record any and all events, happenings, documents, and deliverables and occurrences relative to the activity that occurred in the complete preparation, and are useful for completion of a specific project. A project is an economic or business concept, considered a temporary work effort to create or modify a product or a service, with a clear beginning and an end. There can be different types of projects which have to be managed by an individual, group or organization, intended to achieve specific milestones that meet the project objectives, and an individual or a team works actively to execute the plans devised at the start of a project. Synonyms of project: arrangement, blueprint, design, plan, (master) plan, etc. In general, a Project Manager (PM) is responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the completion of specific projects while ensuring the deliverables and project completion are on time, according to budgeted resources, quality requirements and within scope. Compiling a thorough Project Handbook is therefore an important task for the Project Manager. When an organization is working on various projects, and every project is unique, multiple teams can be made to achieve higher levels of consistency in processes and to meet deadlines effectively and efficiently. There are various factors that can make a project successful and these factors should be carefully considered to achieve the desired results. In addition to this, there are also different project management styles, which project managers can choose based on the requirements of various projects. 

The key components of the Project Handbook that we use for most projects are:

• Table of contents ;
• Introduction ;
• Project Background ;
• The Solution Offered ;
• The Implementation ;
• The Project Organization ;
• Logistic & Administration ;
• Project Address ;
• Parking ;
• First Day at the Office ;
• Office Hours ;
• Dress Code ;
• Smoking ;
• Emergency Numbers & emergency procedures ;
• Rules of the House ;
• Telephones ;
• Country codes ;
• Important phone numbers and addresses ;
• Office supplies ;
• Mail ;
• Copying and printing ;
• Meeting facilities ;
• Holidays ;
• Sickness and absenteeism ;
• Vacation days ;
• Project Procedures ;
• Shared network drive or toolkit ;
• Regular project meetings ;
• Document naming & numbering ;
• Change request procedure ;
• Work groups & work shops.

The project manager, board and other stakeholders of an organization are all well aware of the importance of decent project log. Working with Project Documents log, ensures the Management and Project Manager that they work efficient with time, quality and resources, and therefor to keep the Project under control. No matter how big or small, any project can benefit from using templates. Templates are reusable project outlines that reduce rework and serve as a starting point for new work. They are pre-formatted and already have some redundant details in place. Templates enable you to set up projects, tasks, reports, and other files without having to start from scratch every time. Download this Project Management Handbook as a part of your project proposal, explaining the 5 project phases, such as: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring, Closing.

Download this Project Handbook template directly and start customizing it according to your own situation. 

For more information about the most important Project Management documentation, check out this Project Management Kit with Project Templates and a free Project Planner. They can be used for any kind of project, and provide intuitive ways to manage your project team.