Project Management Plan versus Project Document

Project Management Plan V/s Project Documents: Many of aspiring PMP generally have query on difference between Project Management Plan and Project Documents. We have tried to put short summary to explain the important differences.

1. Project Manager can’t update Project Management Plan without Sponsor approval whereas Project Documents can be updated by Project Manager without Sponsor approval.
2. Project Management Plan will only get updated when change is approved by Project CCB whereas Project Documents such as change log/register will get updated in both cases, change Approved or Rejected.
3. Project Documents prepared before preparation of Project Management Plan such as Project Business case and Project Charter will not get updated in either cases of change Approved or Rejected.
4. Project Manager communicates with Project stakeholders via Project Documents mainly work performance information or work performance report.
5. Project Manager should not share Project Management Plan with every stakeholders, it’s a plan for his consumption, stakeholders will be overwhelmed with the detailing of this documents.

We will continue to update this article with more insight and we also request other SMEs to share their feedback and contribute on this subject.