5 Step Approach to Managing Projects - Build a Project Plan and Closure Process

Aug 31, 2026

This guide outlines a structured, five-step approach to managing workforce planning projects and task and finish groups. It explains how to distinguish projects from task and finish groups, determine the minimum roles required, and prepare key documents such as a project initiation document (PID), project plan, and supporting terms of reference. The guide also covers governance, reporting arrangements, and procedures for completion and closure, including links to project plan objectives and templates in the appendix.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatDOCX

Pages17

Reading Time6 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Managing a Project/Task and Finish Group

Step 1 - Establish if it is a project or a task and finish group

Step 2 - Identify who should be involved

Step 3 - Prepare relevant documents

Step 4 - Establish governance and reporting arrangements

Step 5 – Define the procedures for completion/closure

Templates

Appendix 1- Project Initiation Document

Appendix 2 -Terms of Reference

Appendix 3 - Project Planner

Appendix 4 - Progress Report

Appendix 5 - Outcome/Closure Report

Appendix 6 – Roles and Responsibilities

5 Step Approach to Managing Projects / Task and Finish Groups to Support Workforce Planning Contents Introduction Managing a Project/Task and Finish Group Step 1 - Establish if it is a project or a task and finish group Step 2 - Identify who should be involved Step 3 - Prepare relevant documents (e.g. project plan) Step 4 - Establish governance and reporting arrangements Step 5 – Define the procedures for completion/closure (e.g. implementation of your workforce plan) Templates Appendix 1- Project Initiation Document Appendix 2 -Terms of Reference Appendix 3 - Project Planner (Includes risk, issues and assumptions log) Appendix 4 - Progress Report Appendix 5 - Outcome/Closure Report Appendix 6 – Roles and Responsibilities Introduction This guide has been developed to support the workforce planning toolkit, you may find it useful if your organisation does not have in place a structured approach to planning and project management. The guide has been designed to help specifically with setting up and managing your workforce planning project and/or task and finish groups. Key considerations for your workforce planning project:- It is important that all project and task and finish group activity is driven by your project plan, and all activity should have a clear link to your project plan objectives, this link will help you when you chart your progress. You will need to establish your organisations approval and reporting processes to ensure your project is approved, this will be important for ensuring your workforce plan is properly supported during implementation. The five step guide has been developed to provide both the guidance and useful template documents to support you in managing your workforce plan project and/or task and finish groups. The useful documents can all be found in the Appendix. The five step approach:- Running a Project/Task and Finish Group Step 1 - Establishing if it is a project or a task and finish group For the purposes of this guide definitions are:- A Project requires some effort in terms of planning and implementation and usually results in something new or different e.g. developing a strategic workforce plan to support service changes. A Task and Finish Group usually focuses on an existing operation, routine or a piece of work within a project, e.g. a review of an existing practice for a service improvement. The main reason we need to define what the activity is, is to ensure that you are utilising resources in the most efficient way, for example in a task and finish group it is unlikely there would be a formal plan in terms of managing the work or a requirement to provide a formal/written update on progress. It is more likely that activities would be allocated to individuals e.g. undertaking research or gathering information and then the group would come together on a few occasions to discuss findings, draft recommendations and prepare a report on what action may need to be taken, this would generally be accomplished over a short period of time, maybe just a few weeks or months. Whereas a project will usually require a project initiation document (a PID) and a project plan with detailed activity, timescales and project deliverables/outputs with regular project update reports. You will find some templates for a Project Initiation Document (PID) and project plan that you may find useful to support your workforce planning project in Appendix 1. Both projects and groups may require a Terms of Reference to define the work the group is required to complete, there is a template for a Terms of Reference you might find useful in Appendix 1. Step 2 - Identify who should be involved There are a number of specific roles within projects or task and finish groups. It may not be that all the roles are needed, however as a minimum, there will need to be a lead and for projects there should also be a nominated project manager. The usual roles are:- Lead This is the decision maker for the project or task and finis

FAQs

How do you determine whether your activity is a project or a task and finish group?

A project involves planning and implementation and typically creates something new or different, such as a strategic workforce plan. A task and finish group usually focuses on an existing operation or a specific work item, often over a shorter period and with less formal planning and progress reporting.

Who should be involved in a workforce planning project or task and finish group?

At minimum, a lead is needed. For projects, a nominated project manager is also expected. Additional roles can include subject matter experts and representatives from functions such as HR, Finance, IT/Digital, partnerships, and stakeholders or service user groups.

What governance and reporting arrangements are required?

The approach requires establishing approval and reporting processes so the project is properly supported during implementation. Activity should also be driven by the project plan, with clear alignment to the project plan objectives for tracking progress.

Aug 31, 2026

Upload by Olivia Brown