Using Pre-project Planning to Manage Workload

Abstract

Purpose

Pre-project planning can be an important process for libraries managing large project portfolios. The process allows anyone within an organization to put forth a potential project, and it clearly articulates the process both for developing an idea into a project and for approving and prioritizing projects.

Methodology/approach

Drawing from experience, the authors introduce a preliminary step for proposing projects before the project management principles are applied.

Findings

Benefits of the process include: promoting stakeholder input; preventing organizational overwhelm; documenting the library’s project portfolio; and improving communication, transparency, and decision-making. Libraries implementing this process should define a project for their organization, build buy-in among those involved, and ensure that approved projects advance library goals.

Originality/value

This chapter is largely practical and derived from experience. It provides an in-depth look at pre-project planning, a concept largely ignored in the project management literature.

Citation

Camp, T., Laufersweiler, B. and Robbins, S. (2018), "Using Pre-project Planning to Manage Workload", Project Management in the Library Workplace (Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Vol. 38), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0732-067120180000038010