David Ayiku - Plan, Perform, Evaluate, Adjust
I have covered planning in the past
Below are a few steps that can help in the process of planning
1. Plan It Out – choose your path to reach your vision. Keep a Requirements Work Plan (RWP). Build the consensus and understanding on the tasks you are performing for the project.
2. Perform the Plan – don’t let the RWP sit idle. Work to carry out the tasks outlined and meet the dates you assigned yourself. This builds trust.
3. Evaluate continuously – be aware your best-laid task list could change in an instant. Be aware of other activities or projects that are pulling you away from meeting your plan. Check your progress against the plan and know when things are going off plan.
4. Re-Plan Proactively – get yourself back on track and re-plan frequently. Keep your team aware of the re-planning process and why re-planning was needed. Frequently re-planning is better than falling too far away from the plan and missing expected dates. There are no hard and fast dates no matter what the project manager tells you.
One final step that can be added to the list above is communication. Effective communication is very important especially when there are several moving parts within a project or task.
David Ayiku is a business analyst with a pmp.