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There are a number of times when project planning forms can be useful. Michele McDonough's article, "
Three Great Project Planning Forms" describes three types of forms that are valuable when planning the project. The first form is the problem definition form where project managers and team members can work on whittling their project definition down to a problem statement to be solved by undertaking the project. The second form she mentions is the project benefits form. This form describes how the problem will be solved during the project lifecycle. The final form mentioned by McDonough is the project overview, this form demonstrates the necessary tasks for project completion.
The above forms are useful when just beginning the project planning process - even before the project charter has been written. Other forms can be quite useful during the project planning process as well. The project proposal form, discussed in Joe Taylor Jr.'s article "Project Planning Forms" is a one page brief summary of the project that can be submitted for approval. The project charter is another vital project form that can be used in the planning process. Natasha M. Baker discusses an example of the project charter in "Project Charter Example for Every Project Manager."
Another, very important form or template to have on hand when planning a project is a project plan. The project plan is a more detailed statement defining the project - including elements of risk and the work breakdown structure. Eschulze describes how to create a project plan in the article, "Creating a Project Plan."
