Planning is the structured effort to define goals, set priorities, allocate resources, and map out actions to achieve objectives effectively. It has now evolved from just focusing on profits (single bottom line) to considering people, planet, and profit the triple bottom line.

• Financial Impact of Planning: Good planning reduces waste, avoids cost overruns, improves budgeting, and increases return on investment. It ensures financial sustainability of the project.
• Social Impact of Planning: Planning ensures that stakeholder needs are addressed, communities benefit, jobs are created, and social equity is promoted. It helps in building trust and inclusive growth.
• Environmental Impact of Planning: Planning considers how a project will affect natural resources, emissions, and waste. It promotes sustainability by integrating eco-friendly practices and reducing the ecological footprint.

The Planning Performance Domain involves all planning-related activities required to organize, coordinate, and update efforts throughout the project to ensure successful delivery of outcomes.

It covers initial, ongoing, and evolving planning efforts and focuses on coordination and organization to meet project goals.

Expected Outcomes of Good Planning:

• The project moves forward in an organized and deliberate way.
• There is a complete and connected approach to achieving outcomes.
• Evolving information is elaborated into deliverables and outcomes.
• Time spent on planning matches the complexity of the situation.
• Planning helps manage stakeholder expectations.
• There’s a process for updating plans as things change during the project.