Setting a Goal to Plan the Work
How to define goals for creating and maintaining the plan
As a project initiates, or even prior to initiation, an agreement of how the plan will be created and maintained needs to be defined. This is different than developing project goals. It is also different than defining the project methodology. Invest in setting, communicating, executing, and committing to goals for planning itself.
Some barriers for setting plan goals include:
-The people who contribute to the plan don't understand their role
-At the early stages of a project, there may not be a 'project' at all and therefore a lack of clarity that something needs to be planned
-A bridge between higher level strategy and the need for a plan may not be obvious
As a project initiates, or even prior to initiation, an agreement of how the plan will be created and maintained needs to be defined. This is different than developing project goals. It is also different than defining the project methodology. Invest in setting, communicating, executing, and committing to goals for planning itself.
Some barriers for setting plan goals include:
-The people who contribute to the plan don't understand their role
-At the early stages of a project, there may not be a 'project' at all and therefore a lack of clarity that something needs to be planned
-A bridge between higher level strategy and the need for a plan may not be obvious
-Competing priorities prevent the right people from allocating time to plan
-Budgets do not account for the time and effort it takes to plan
-Urgency and eagerness to work quickly may cause proper planning to be skipped altogether
-Budgets do not account for the time and effort it takes to plan
-Urgency and eagerness to work quickly may cause proper planning to be skipped altogether
Most project methodologies provide guidelines for initiating and controlling the project. Reinforce these methods with a Pledge to develop the plan.
Communicating Goals
Setting a Goal to Work the Plan
Finally, a commitment to how actual work against the plan will commence is needed. This is the foundation of a project team's ability to determine progress against the plan and the Estimate to Complete (ETC). This should fall in line with the project methodology, including a clear agreement on what part of the methodology is included / excluded.
Communicating Goals
How to build a team to define goals for a plan
Once plan goals are agreed, it is important to communicate the goals and ensure impacted people understand their roles. This goes a long way to breaking through planning barriers. As part of project initiation, you should have key stakeholders, contributors, and decision makers defined. This is the team that needs to understand plan goals. A face-to-face 'kick off' planning meeting is best. Second best is a real-time video or web conference. Plan goals should not be communicated in email exclusively. Use email as a follow up reminder.
Once plan goals are agreed, it is important to communicate the goals and ensure impacted people understand their roles. This goes a long way to breaking through planning barriers. As part of project initiation, you should have key stakeholders, contributors, and decision makers defined. This is the team that needs to understand plan goals. A face-to-face 'kick off' planning meeting is best. Second best is a real-time video or web conference. Plan goals should not be communicated in email exclusively. Use email as a follow up reminder.
How to define goals for executing work defined by the plan
Once goals are set for creating and maintaining the plan, set goals to define how to actually work the plan. These goals should be agreed in advance of work commencing and may fall in line with the chosen project methodology. Even if a methodology is available and agreed, goals for committing to exactly how the project will (or will not) follow the methodology is critical.
Committing GoalsOnce goals are set for creating and maintaining the plan, set goals to define how to actually work the plan. These goals should be agreed in advance of work commencing and may fall in line with the chosen project methodology. Even if a methodology is available and agreed, goals for committing to exactly how the project will (or will not) follow the methodology is critical.
How to agree to goals to work the plan
Finally, a commitment to how actual work against the plan will commence is needed. This is the foundation of a project team's ability to determine progress against the plan and the Estimate to Complete (ETC). This should fall in line with the project methodology, including a clear agreement on what part of the methodology is included / excluded.
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