A project description, as the name implies, is the full description of a project intended to make everyone understand what the project is about. However, a crucial part of planning, the role of project description in project management cannot be understated.
In this article, we’ll briefly cover what a project description entails and how to write an effective one. Moreover, we will also look at various samples and templates of project descriptions to help you gain a better understanding.
What Is A Project Description?
A project description is an outline that summarizes the various details of a project within a single document. It mentions the reason for a project’s existence, describes the project’s lifecycle, and lists all the goals and objectives it aims for. Moreover, it’s usually written in the earliest phases of the project as it’s an essential part of project planning.
What Are The Key Components Of A Project Description Outline?
Every project description needs to include a few key aspects:
- A brief description of the project
- Project goals
- Scope
- Methodology
- Project deliverables
What Is Included In The Project Description?
- Introduction: The opening paragraph that provides context and gives a bird’s-eye view for the project
- Objectives: All the project’s goals and objectives that need to be accomplished. The goals must be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound).
- Modus Operandi: The method that will be used to fulfill all the project’s goals. Any strategies or unique approaches to the project will be mentioned here.
- Resources/Budget: The number of resources allotted for the project. Ideally, the resources must match the scope of the project.
- Risk Management: This section deals with identifying potential risks and threats and how to mitigate them.
- Estimated Timeline: The amount of time it will take for the project to go through all its various phases.
What Is A Perfect Project Description?
The ideal project description must:
Define The Project’s Purpose
The primary aim of a Project Description is to make everyone involved understand what the project is, what it’s going to do, and how. Anyone who reads the document should walk away with a good idea about what the project is about and how it will fulfill its promises. Not doing so invalidates the entire document’s purpose.
Be Clear
One common cause of misunderstandings is the lack of clarity within communication. This often arises in complex business matters where complicated jargon and undefined acronyms are thrown around without any consideration. Therefore, a project description must avoid this pitfall and use simple and easily understandable language to ensure that the message is understood by everyone.
Balance Brevity With Detail
A project description must mention all the necessary details without adding too much fluff or unnecessary tidbits of information. Doing so reinforces clarity and conciseness—meaning that stakeholders are more easily able to grasp the nature of the project and make all the important decisions.
How To Write A Project Descriptions In A Few Easy Steps
There are a few tips discussed below that can help in writing a good Project Description:
Define
A project description must mention all the goals it’s hoping to achieve. When writing, make sure the goals listed are specific, measurable, and realistic.
Validate
Explain what the problem is, and how the project will solve it. Keep the target audience in mind and show the benefits that the project will give to the stakeholders. Doing so will successfully justify the project’s existence.
Clarify
Describe the project methodology and how it’s going to help in achieving all the objectives. Include all the relevant details, such as benchmarks, milestones, risk management, project deliverables, etc. Leave no stone unturned.
Estimate
Size up the project and write down estimations on how long it’s going to take. Use all kinds of forecast tools, such as Gantt charts, and make sure that the data presented is as accurate as possible.
Summarize
Keep the document comprehensive, but brief. All the critical aspects must be mentioned, but the document itself should be jargon-free and on point. Any miscellaneous details must be cut out.
Examples Of Project Descriptions: Sample Templates and Formats
The image below shows a project description sample:
You can also download a basic template from here to get you started with writing your own project description. This template focuses on providing a summary of the entire project so should be enough to get you started.
Why Is It Important To Write Effective Project Descriptions?
As mentioned before, project descriptions help all the various stakeholders understand what the project is ultimately about. It provides a sense of purpose or a vision that everyone can work towards. Furthermore, they also help in effective decision-making as project descriptions are written right before starting a project and act as a roadmap of sorts.
This allows project managers to take a proactive approach to the project, rather than react to everything that comes their way. They can define its boundaries and prevent certain issues from plaguing the project, such as scope creep.
Tools For Project Description
There is a few popular software that helps with project descriptions. One of them is ProjectManager.com. An online project management software, Project Manager makes use of Gantt charts and visual Kanban boards to help you keep track of entire project timelines, making it useful when writing a project description. Its variety of project views also help make it a flexible tool, allowing various work styles and catering to every preference.
Another software that can help is Asana Software. An all-in-one platform, Asana helps everyone manage various projects and tasks by streamlining all kinds of processes. Its visual interface allows you to view all tasks together in one single place, making it a helpful tool in crafting a project description document.
