Project Toolkit

Planning

Plan on a Page

Plan on a Page

A simple one-page plan to capture and communicate the key elements of a project or initiative.

Plan on a Page (POAP)

A Plan on a Page is a single-page summary that captures the essential elements of a project. It provides a quick, digestible overview for stakeholders who need to understand the project without reading detailed documentation.

What is a Plan on a Page?

Definition: A Plan on a Page (POAP) is a concise, visual summary of a project's key information - objectives, timeline, milestones, risks, and status - presented on a single page for easy communication and reference.

A POAP is:

  • Concise - Everything fits on one page
  • Visual - Uses graphics, timelines, and colour
  • Accessible - Understandable without prior context
  • Current - Updated regularly to reflect status

Why Use a Plan on a Page?

Benefit Description
Executive communication Busy stakeholders can grasp the project quickly
Alignment Ensures everyone has the same understanding
Decision support Provides context for steering group decisions
Onboarding Helps new team members understand the project
Status reporting Quick visual update on progress

Who is it For?

The POAP serves different audiences:

Audience What They Need
Sponsors/Executives High-level progress, key decisions needed
Steering Group Status, risks, milestones, issues
Programme Managers Dependencies, resource needs, timeline
New Team Members Project context and objectives
External Stakeholders What the project is and when it delivers

What to Include

A good POAP typically contains these elements:

Essential Elements

Element Description
Project Name Clear title and reference number
Objectives What the project will achieve (2-3 bullet points)
Scope What’s included and excluded
Timeline Visual representation of key phases
Milestones Key dates and deliverables
Status RAG (Red/Amber/Green) overall and by area
Key Risks Top 3-5 risks with mitigation
Budget High-level financials

Optional Elements

Element When to Include
Benefits When business case is important
Dependencies When external factors are critical
Team/Governance For complex stakeholder environments
Key Decisions When steering input is needed
Next Steps For action-oriented updates

Level of Detail

The POAP should be high-level - just enough detail to understand and make decisions.

Right Level of Detail

Too Little Just Right Too Much
“Project on track” “Phase 2 complete, Phase 3 starting next week” Detailed task lists
“Some risks” “3 high risks, 2 being actively mitigated” Full risk register
“Within budget” “£450k of £500k spent, forecast on target” Line-by-line costs

Rule of thumb: If someone needs more detail, they should ask for it or refer to detailed documentation. The POAP opens the conversation, it doesn’t replace detailed planning.

How to Create a POAP

Step-by-Step Process

flowchart LR A[Gather
Information] --> B[Select
Key Points] B --> C[Design
Layout] C --> D[Add
Visuals] D --> E[Review &
Refine] E --> F[Share &
Update] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E,F blue

1. Gather Information

Pull together:

  • Project objectives and scope
  • Current schedule and milestones
  • Budget status
  • Top risks and issues
  • Recent achievements
  • Upcoming activities

2. Select Key Points

Apply the “So what?” test:

  • Does the executive need to know this?
  • Will it affect decisions?
  • Is it different from last time?

3. Design Layout

Choose a layout that:

  • Fits on one page (A4 or Letter)
  • Has clear sections
  • Uses white space effectively
  • Guides the eye logically

4. Add Visuals

Use visuals to convey information quickly:

  • Timeline/Gantt for schedule
  • RAG indicators for status
  • Charts for budget
  • Icons for quick recognition

5. Review & Refine

Check that:

  • A newcomer could understand it
  • Status is clearly visible
  • Key messages stand out
  • Nothing critical is missing

6. Share & Update

  • Distribute before meetings
  • Update regularly (weekly or fortnightly)
  • Version control if needed

POAP Layout Example

Here’s a typical POAP structure:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  PROJECT NAME                                    Status: GREEN  │
│  Project Manager: [Name]           Last Updated: [Date]         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  OBJECTIVES                        │  KEY MILESTONES            │
│  • Objective 1                     │  ✓ Discovery - Jan         │
│  • Objective 2                     │  ✓ Design - Feb            │
│  • Objective 3                     │  → Build - Mar (current)   │
│                                    │  ○ Test - Apr              │
│                                    │  ○ Go-Live - May           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  TIMELINE                                                       │
│  |--Discovery--|--Design--|==BUILD==|--Test--|--Launch--|       │
│  Jan          Feb        Mar       Apr      May                 │
│                                                                 │
├────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┤
│  BUDGET                    │  KEY RISKS                         │
│  Approved: £500k           │  1. Resource availability (H)      │
│  Spent: £280k              │  2. Third-party delays (M)         │
│  Forecast: £490k           │  3. Scope creep (M)                │
│  Status: GREEN             │                                    │
├────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────┤
│  THIS PERIOD                       │  NEXT PERIOD               │
│  • Completed API development       │  • Begin integration tests │
│  • User training materials drafted │  • Finalise training plan  │
│  • Security review passed          │  • UAT preparation         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

RAG Status Guidelines

Use consistent criteria for RAG ratings:

Status Meaning Criteria
Green On track Within tolerance, no significant issues
Amber At risk Issues identified, mitigation in progress
Red Off track Tolerance breached, escalation required

Consider RAG for multiple dimensions:

  • Overall status
  • Schedule
  • Budget
  • Scope
  • Resources
  • Risks

Common Mistakes

Mistake Impact Solution
Too much detail Readers lose key messages Apply “So what?” test
Stale information Misleading stakeholders Update before each use
No RAG status Unclear project health Add clear status indicators
Missing timeline No sense of progress Include visual schedule
Jargon heavy Excludes non-experts Use plain language
Inconsistent format Hard to compare over time Use a template

Tips for Effective POAPs

Do

  • Update before every steering meeting
  • Use colour consistently (RAG)
  • Include “as of” date
  • Highlight changes from last version
  • Keep the same layout each time

Don’t

  • Cram in every detail
  • Use tiny fonts to fit more in
  • Hide bad news
  • Forget the audience
  • Skip the visuals

POAP Checklist

Before sharing your POAP, verify:

  • Fits on one page?
  • Objectives clearly stated?
  • Timeline/milestones visible?
  • RAG status included?
  • Top risks identified?
  • Budget summary present?
  • Date/version shown?
  • Understandable to newcomers?
  • Key messages stand out?
Last updated: 13 January 2026
Themes

Knowledge Management

Governance

Planning