Packs / Project Control Pack
Project Control Pack
Everything you need to run a project, from the first idea to the last check on the benefits.
Starting up, planning, running it day to day, closing each phase, and finishing. The designs include the project outline, business case, plan on a page, phase plan, risk and issue log, change requests, off-track report and board progress update. A foldable A3 Gantt chart folds down to A4 and sits in the binder.
- 22 working sheet designs
- 6 tabbed dividers
- Foldable A3 Gantt chart
- Worked example
- Plain-English guide
- A4 and A5 binders
Who it's for
Written for the person who runs the day.
- Project managers and sponsors
- Small teams delivering a change
- Anyone running their first project
What it helps you do.
- The sponsor knows what they're approving, one phase at a time
- The project manager knows when to decide, and when to go up
- Someone checks the benefits actually turned up after the project ends
What is inside
6 tabs, each with its own sheets.
TAB 1Start here3 items
How the pack works, who does what, and how the project is kept under control. Read it once, and come back to it when someone new joins.
Behind this tab
- Quick-start and index
- Guide: how to run it
- Guide: control, phases and closing
Use it when
- Setting up a project for the first time
- A new project manager or sponsor joins
- The project feels out of control and you need a reset
TAB 2Start up3 items
Decide whether it's worth doing, and agree how it will run before anyone starts. Three pages the sponsor can read in ten minutes.
Behind this tab
- Project Outline
- Business Case on a Page
- Plan on a Page
Use it when
- Someone has an idea and wants it done
- The sponsor needs to decide whether to go ahead
- You're about to ask for money or people
TAB 3Plan4 items
Plan the next phase in detail and the rest in outline. Hand out work clearly, show the timetable at a glance, and know who needs to hear what.
Behind this tab
- Phase Plan
- Work Handover BriefRefill
- Foldable Project GanttA3 fold-out
- Stakeholder & Communication Plan
Use it when
- A phase is about to start
- You're handing a piece of work to a team
- You need to show the timetable, or explain a delay
TAB 4Control10 items
Day-to-day running: what happened, what's coming, what could go wrong, what's changing, and whether it's good enough. This is where the project actually gets run.
Behind this tab
- Project DiaryRefill
- Team Progress ReportRefill
- Board Progress UpdateRefill
- Risk Log
- Change RequestsRefill
- Decision & Assumption Log
- Checks & Sign-off Register
- Deliverables Register
- Off-Track ReportRefill
- Board Meeting RecordRefill
Use it when
- Every day, every week, every reporting period
- A change is asked for, or a limit is at risk
- The board meets
TAB 5Phase end3 items
Check the phase is really finished, report honestly, check the case still stands, and ask the board whether to carry on. This is the point where a project can be stopped cheaply.
Behind this tab
- Phase-end Checklist
- Phase Report
- Lessons Learned Log
Use it when
- A phase is nearly finished
- You're asking the board to approve the next phase
- Lessons from the phase need writing up while they're fresh
TAB 6Close2 items
Finish the project properly: compare it with what you set out to do, hand over, share what you learned, and make sure someone keeps checking the benefits turn up.
Behind this tab
- Closure Report
- Benefits Tracker
Use it when
- Everything has been delivered
- You're handing over to whoever runs or supports it
- It's time to check whether the benefits arrived
See inside
The real pages. Select one to enlarge it.
These are the A4 working designs, shown as the upper-left half of each page. You see the full sheet in the pack. The paper, punching and final layout are confirmed before the first print run.
Questions people ask
The answers, whether or not you buy the pack.
What is a project plan on a page?
One page that shows why you're doing the project, what's included, the key dates, who's involved and the main risks. It lets a sponsor or board see the whole project in a couple of minutes.
How do you read a Gantt chart?
The tasks run down the side and time runs across the top. Each bar shows when a task starts and finishes, and diamonds mark milestones. The foldable A3 Gantt in this pack folds down to A4 so it fits in your binder.
What should a project progress report include?
How it's going against the plan, what's behind and why, what's coming next, the main risks and issues, and anything you need someone to decide. Keep it to a page, and say so plainly when something's off track.
What is a change request, and when do I need one?
A short form asking for a change to the plan: what you want to change, why, what it costs in time and money, and who decides. Use one whenever something would move the limits you've agreed.
When should a project manager go to the board?
When something's likely to go past the limits you've been given for time, cost or scope. Bring the options and your recommendation, not just the problem. Inside your limits, you get on and decide.
What is a lessons learned log?
A running list of what went well and what didn't, written while it's fresh and not at the end. It's only useful if someone reads it before the next project starts.
About the packs
Before you join the list.
Is this A4 or A5?
Both. The packs are made for A4 four-ring binders and A5 six-ring binders, pre-punched and double-sided. The pages shown here are the A4 designs. Tell us on the waitlist which size you want; your answers help decide which size is printed first.
What paper is it printed on?
We're choosing the paper and checking the punching with a printer. The paper and hole positions will be confirmed before the first run.
How do you decide which packs get printed first?
By how many people ask for them. When you join the waitlist you can choose as many packs as you like, and tell us which one you would want first.
Can I buy the refills separately?
Yes, that's the plan. Each pack is a starter set with a few of every sheet. The ones people use up are marked as refills, and will be sold separately, so you only reorder what you use.
Where do you deliver?
The United Kingdom to start with.
Is this legal or compliance advice?
No. These are blank record sheets designed by Clare Langley. They are independent and are not published, endorsed or approved by any regulator, standards body or certification body. Using them does not make an organisation compliant with any law or standard. You decide what to record, how long to keep it and how to store it securely. Check current guidance for your own setting.