Is Project Documentation Not an Important Part of Project Management?

Project documentation runs through all the documents made during the project. The documentation process has an intense purpose than just compiling loads of files. Leaders of project management are often asked about the importance of project documentation and how to ensure correct performing or functioning. There is no doubt that project documentation is essential, as well as a vital part of project management. The two basic functions of documentation are to make sure that project needs are fulfilled and to create a list regarding all the questions related to it. Documentation is supposed to lay the path for quality as well as a summary for both the separate document and for completion of the project documentation. It is also required that the documentation is well backed, easy to understand, and substantial.

Importance of project documentation in real life in relation to project management

1. A project summary is ablueprint document used in project management. It manages to guide a project manager to explain the project context as well as needs. Also, it helps to formulate a project plan to archive data.
2. As a project manager, working on many projects at the same time is quite common. The first job is to send all the documents at hand with the desired requirements and outcomes. To keep track of the same, it is advised to calculate project policies against the project management plan.
3. With regard to the future of a project, the project manager and his team are supposed to communicate the progress to the concerned stakeholders. For this purpose, a proper communication plan must be prepared to avoid any negative consequences.
4. Project time-table is such a document that helps to keep track of a project by keeping the list of series of activities. It is one of the most important procedures to check the progress of the project.
5. The major aspect of the project team is how the project should be started. Many of the projects are quite tough and require a proper amount of work and effort to complete it successfully.
6. Handling project needs and tracking the progress to assure that requirements are also met important for a project manager as well as his team. A good project manager should meet the requirements of the plan and get all the essential equipment to provide a better framework.
7. Completing the project within the calculated budget is highly required from a project manager because a lack of estimated cost calculations at activity level or no monitoring of cost during the project cycle is of no use rather can cause loss. It will certainly bully the project. The cost estimate is an important part of the documentation in order to estimate project costs. And if predictions are made, it is well advisable to record them in a separate document properly.
8. Most of the project managers fail to estimate the number of resources required in a project, while some of the projects failed because of poor resources management. Resource management plan benefits in identifying materials and its amount required in a project. It helps to gather resources and explains the assigned responsibilities of human resources. It also puts emphasis on the foundation to meet the number of resources. Another significant and notable point is the assessment and monitoring of work progress. Reports help in understanding resource needs for the project.
9. Formulating a risk management plan and updating risk register benefits the project manager in dealing with any possible or predicted risks during the progress period of the projects. Handling risk has always been a challenge for a project manager, especially while preparing a project. By having made it documented, a project manager can cunningly prepare the future steps or aspects to deal with the risks. This increases the success rate of the projects indirectly.
10. A project manager cannot ignore the importance of shareholder management. Project success equally depends on all the stakeholders as much as on a project manager. Stakeholders have different heights of interest and impact on a project.
11. The error tracker is separate, as well as an important document that keeps a record of all the issues raised during the project. A project manager should make an error tracker and keep it updated on a daily basis. He should give proper tasks to concerned individuals with a time period to handle all the issues. Also, keeping track of issue resolution becomes a game-changing point to succeed in a project.