“The In-Depth Guide to Project Assumptions with Examples” on Smartsheet, June 2023.
What Are Assumptions in Project Management?
In project management, assumptions are factors that are believed to be true or certain, though their certainty cannot be fully confirmed. While assumptions come with risks, they serve as a foundation for progress in the face of uncertainty.
No one would ever start a project if they waited to eliminate all uncertainty, but a mistaken assumption can derail project strategy. “Therefore,” says Alan Zucker, founding principal of Project Management Essentials, “you need to document assumptions and validate or confirm them as soon as reasonable. Unvalidated assumptions get you in trouble because you make decisions on bad or partial information.”
Everyone makes assumptions on a regular basis. Here are some assumptions we make in everyday life:
- The faucet will dispense water when turned on.
- The grocery store will have the items on your shopping list in stock.
- The internet connection at your office will be available and reliable.
- The alarm clock will wake you up at the time you set.
- There will be tea bags in the pantry for your morning tea.
If you rely on tea to get you going in the morning, you should regularly check your tea supply before you do your weekly shopping. Similarly, if you have an important meeting early in the morning, you might double-check your alarm or set an additional alarm before going to sleep.
Where to Include Assumptions?
In project management, key assumptions encompass such factors as assuming that there will be uninterrupted power supply at the office every workday or you’ll have an adequate supply of paper for the printer. Assumption analysis, a component of risk management in project planning, involves identifying these assumptions. Inaccurate assumptions can impact the triple constraint of time, money, and scope.
The following example from Zucker’s experience as a project manager highlights the value of surfacing and documenting assumptions. In November, just a month before his project was due for handoff, it was announced that delivery would be delayed because the organization needed a new production server. Flummoxed, Zucker asked why this requirement had surfaced at such a late stage, since discussions about server capacity had been ongoing since May. “They were talking about it, but it was never formalized,” he says. “It slipped through the cracks until the last minute, though there would’ve been plenty of time to develop alternative approaches.”
How Do You Identify Project Assumptions?
Identify assumptions by brainstorming with your team and stakeholders in meetings or individual conversations. Additionally, you can uncover assumptions by researching project documents, regulations, and industry publications. Assess the risk level of each assumption to prioritize them in your project.
“Doing an assumptions bash at the beginning of the project is great. I also think that as the project manager, you need to listen when meeting with your team or teams. People will say things, and you’ll think, OK, you’ve just identified a risk or an assumption,” says Zucker.
Project Assumption Log Template
Use this dedicated project assumption log to effectively manage your assumptions. Record the date of entry, description, verification responsibility, and verification deadline for each assumption. Finally, note any special circumstances or workarounds for problems in the comments section.
Assumption logs don’t need to be complicated. “They don’t need more than five or six columns,” says Zucker. “When did we close it? Who did we assign it to? How close is it to being resolved? Then you can either reuse that status field for the resolution or have a separate field for the resolution.”
How to Use an Assumptions Matrix to Prioritize Assumptions
The quadrant with assumptions deemed important but uncertain deserves special attention. It is crucial to assess the likelihood of these assumptions. However, as Zucker suggests, you shouldn’t completely ignore assumptions assigned to other quadrants, unless they have both low impact and likelihood.