Guide
10 min readProject Planning for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide
Master the basics of project planning. Learn how to break down work, organize tasks, and deliver projects successfully.
BriteWiki Team•
December 10, 2025
The Basics: What is Project Planning?
Project planning is the process of breaking down a goal into actionable steps, assigning ownership, and tracking progress. Good planning prevents chaos, missed deadlines, and confused team members.
Step-by-Step Planning Guide
Step 1: Define the Goal (Epic)
Start with the big picture. What are you trying to achieve?
Example: Launch Q1 marketing campaign
Step 2: Break Into Features (Stories)
What are the major pieces of work needed?
- Design campaign creative
- Write email sequence
- Set up landing pages
Step 3: Create Tasks
Break each Story into concrete action items.
- Design hero image for homepage
- Write subject lines (A/B test)
- Build email template in Mailchimp
Step 4: Assign & Prioritize
Who does what? What order?
- Assign each task to one person
- Set due dates working backwards from launch
- Mark critical path items
Step 5: Track & Adjust
Monitor progress and adapt as needed.
- Daily standups (5 min)
- Move tasks through statuses
- Address blockers immediately
Common Planning Mistakes
- ❌ Planning too far ahead (stick to 2-4 weeks)
- ❌ Tasks that take longer than 2 days (break them down)
- ❌ No clear ownership (every task needs an owner)
- ❌ Forgetting to track dependencies
- ❌ Not adjusting the plan when reality changes
Start Planning in BriteWiki
BriteWiki makes project planning simple with built-in task types, Kanban boards, and collaborative docs. Create your first project in under 10 minutes.