Action Plans

Whether it's sending out an email newsletter, putting together a presentation for senior managers, or working on a special request for a client, many of us have to complete simple projects as part of our day-to-day responsibilities.

These small- to medium-sized projects may, at first glance, not seem to need much thought. But, occasionally, we can overlook a key step or "to do" item that can derail all our efforts. For instance, how do you make sure that you've covered everything? Are there any actions that need to be taken early on in the project for it to succeed? And are you clear about when you need to do key tasks, in what sequence, to meet your deadline?
Action Plans are simple lists of all of the tasks that you need to finish to meet an objective. They differ from To-Do Lists in that they focus on the achievement of a single goal. Action Plans are useful, because they give you a framework for thinking about how you'll complete a project efficiently. They help you finish activities in a sensible order, and they help you ensure that you don't miss any key steps. Also, because you can see each task laid out, you can quickly decide which tasks you'll delegate or outsource, and which tasks you may be able to ignore.

Use the three-step process below for using action plans:

  Step 1: Identify Tasks
Start by brainstorming all of the tasks that you need to complete to accomplish your objective.
It's helpful to start this process at the very beginning. What's the very first action you'll need to take? Once that task is complete, what comes next? Are there any steps that should be prioritized to meet specific deadlines, or because of limits on other people's availability?

  Step 2: Analyze and Delegate Tasks
Now that you can see the entire project from beginning to end, look at each task in greater detail.
Are there any steps that you could drop, but still meet your objective? Which tasks could you delegate to someone else on your team, or could be dealt with by a freelancer? Are there any deadlines for specific steps? Do you need to arrange additional resources?

  Step 3: Double-Check with SCHEMES
Use the SCHEMES mnemonic to check that your plan is comprehensive.
SCHEMES stands for:
- Space
- Cash
- Helpers/People
- Equipment
- Materials
- Expertise
- Systems
An Action Plan is a list of tasks that you need to do to complete a simple project or objective. To draw up an Action Plan, simply list the tasks that you need to complete to deliver your project or objective, in the order that you need to complete them. To do this, first brainstorm every step you'll need to take to follow your task to completion. Then, analyze tasks to see if there are any that can be pruned, or delegated. Lastly, use the SCHEMES mnemonic to double check that you've considered all critical areas. If you need to schedule people's time, or meet tight deadlines as part of your project, consider using the other project management techniques mentioned.