Release planning

A project manager opens a project for an organization and records its dates and delivery method. The delivery lead creates a release package beneath it, names the owner, and estimates the effort. The package holds the work that the team expects to deliver together. Its status follows the work from not started to in progress, Blocked or Done. This keeps the release unit distinct from the overall project: a project may be active while one package needs a decision.

• Owner. Delivery Lead owns the package plan and its dates. Project Manager maintains the parent project and assigns task work. The package must point to the right project before the team uses its task effort and remaining hours in a release review.
• Record. A package can be Blocked while its project remains Active. Compare the package end date and estimate with its assigned tasks, then decide whether to change scope, owner or date. Record that change on the package so the next review uses the same plan.
• Decision. Confirm the package’s project, owner and task effort before the delivery lead changes its plan.

Agree which project owns each package, who can change package dates, and how the team uses the Blocked state. Review the project budget and the package estimate in the same meeting. The package effort figures draw on its tasks, so assign tasks to the correct package before using variance as a planning signal.

Rehearse this module with an active project and a package whose dates the team can discuss. Give each participant access to the linked records they need, then ask a second person to find the same owner, status and next action. Keep the original record available for the next review.

Follow a package whose owner changes while delivery is underway. Check that the project remains the same, the task list still represents the intended work, and the end date is still credible. If a defect appears, record it against the project; the lead can examine the issue beside the package before changing the release plan.

If the owner changes, the project manager checks the assigned tasks and their due dates under that package. The delivery lead can then decide whether its end date and effort estimate still reflect the work.

• Release packages in delivery — See packages that have not started, are in progress or are blocked.
• Active Projects — Check the parent project status, dates and owner before changing the package.

See plan and delivery, issue triage and release window review for the steps around this work.