The planning phase is crucial in the project life as it sets the tone for the coming stages. You want to plan well so as to avoid any future complications. That is where risk management comes in to play so you can execute the project plan as smoothly as possible. Of course there may be setbacks along the project life but the planning phase should have included some buffer zones in which unforeseen events can be accounted for. The biggest factor is timing, so it’s always a good idea to plan for some buffer zones, which allows for extra time in the case that an issue comes up.