Brad Bigelow, an author of PRINCE2 V7, discusses the role of documentation in project management. He emphasizes that documentation serves as a tool to establish a social contract, outlining key project aspects such as objectives, participants, duration, and cost. Bigelow highlights the importance of planning as a phase where potential problems are identified, risks are assessed, and critical trade-offs are made.

He further points out that once a project is launched and approved for execution, the nature and impact of changes significantly shift. Changes during the planning phase, like adjusting project requirements, have minimal resource impact. However, post-launch changes, such as rewriting contracts or altering specifications, can lead to substantial increases in complexity and resource requirements. Bigelow's comments underscore the importance of thorough planning in project management to minimize disruptive changes later in the project lifecycle.