Issue Management Plan
Project Name:
TEMPLATE
DRAFT
Prepared By:
Title:
Version No:
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Definition
The following are definitions of terms, abbreviations and acronyms used in this document.
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Definition
3.3.5 Template – Issue Management Plan, v2.2
Page i
Table Of Contents
1. ISSUE MANAGEMENT GOALS AND APPROACH ........................................ 1
2. ISSUE MANAGEMENT CATEGORIES AND RULES ...................................... 1
3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES................................................................... 1
4. THE ISSUE MANAGEMENT PROCESS ......................................................... 1
5. TOOLS ............................................................................................................. 2
6. APPENDICES................................................................................................... 2
3.3.3 Template –Issue Management Plan, v2.2
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1. Issue management goals and approach
A goal of this project is to identify issues as soon as they arise and to resolve them expeditiously.
All team members are enjoined to be vigilant, particularly in their areas of expertise, but also to
raise issues outside of their areas of specific responsibility when they become aware of them.
If additional specific goals for issue management were set in the project charter, state briefly what
actions will be taken to achieve these goals.
2. Issue management categories and rules
The project will use the following categories and rules to manage issues:
Priority Categories
Escalation Rules
[provide specific priority categories
and detail the rules to be used to
assign an issue to a category]
[provide specific rules for determining
when an issue is to be escalated and
to what role it is to be escalated]
Monitoring Frequency
[note the frequency with which issues are
to be reviewed with the project team]
[Other]
[specify any other definitions needed]
3. Roles and responsibilities
[For decision makers, note any special expertise that may be required given the types of issue
you can anticipate. This sets the stage for ensuring access to that expertise.]
The issue manager is responsible to
 assess and record any identified issue
 assign a priority to the issue
 assign a resolution due date for the issue and the person responsible to resolve it
 monitor the status of issue resolution
 escalation issues as required by the escalation rules
 communicate issues to the project team and others
 report issue management activity according to communications plan
 manage the issue tracking log
The issue escalation decision makers are responsible to
 resolve or to provide guidance to resolve issues escalated to them
4. The issue management process
For each issue identified during project execution:
4.1 Identification: Any identified issue will be communicated to the issue manager at the earliest
opportunity.
3.3.3 Template –Issue Management Plan, v2.2
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4.2 Prioritization: The issue manager will apply prioritization rules to the issue.
4.3 Tracking: The issue manager will record and track the issue in the issue log.
4.3 Escalation when required: If escalation rules are satisfied, the issue manager will escalate
the issue immediately.
4.4 Assignment of issue for resolution: Consulting with relevant experts and stakeholders, the
issue manager will assign a due date for resolution and a specific person responsible for
resolving the issue.
4.5 Monitor resolution status and evaluate for escalation: The issue manager will track the status
of issues and escalate issues when escalation rules are satisfied.
4.6 Communication: Issue statuses will be reviewed in [weekly or period set in the project plan]
team meetings. Escalation decision makers will be notified at the earliest opportunity when an
escalation occurs. An issue summary, including any issues resolved in the period since the last
report, will be published to stakeholders and customers with the [note reporting period, e.g.
monthly] project status report.
4.7 Close resolved issues: The issue manager will record the action taken to resolve the issue
when closing a resolved issue.
5. Tools
Issue log
See attached issue log template.
[If you are using issue tracking software, note that here.]
6. Appendices
[Add additional information as needed.]
3.3.3 Template –Issue Management Plan, v2.2
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