Action Planning

• help you work in a methodical and organized way towards your objectives
• allow you to identify priorities
• provide a clear timetable of activities and tasks
• facilitate the effective use of time and resources
• can provide the basis for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of work carried out so far

Creating Action Plans

There are many tools available to help you create action plans, from drafting a quick plan with a pen and paper, to Excel spreadsheets, email calendars, online to-do lists and bespoke action planning programs.

While all action plans will differ depending on their nature and needs, the basic process for drafting an action plan remains the same:

1. Where? Identify your current position, i.e. where are you now?
2. Where? Define the goal or objective to be achieved, i.e. where do you want to be?
3. How? Identify the steps you need to take in order to reach this goal or objective, i.e. how are you going to get there?
4. When? Create a schedule detailing when each activity must take place, and how long it is likely to take, i.e. when are you going to get there?
5. Who? Identify who will ensure that each activity is successfully completed on time, i.e. who is going to take responsibility for each step?
6. What? Identify the resources required e.g. people, equipment, time, space, i.e. what do you need to get you there?

Let's look at each step in more detail.

1. Identify Your Current Position.

The reason we plan is to achieve a goal or objective. The goal may simply be to efficiently manage your workload in a week, or it may be to improve your team's productivity. In order to create an action plan to achieve this goal, you need to be clear about what your current position is. This may sound simplistic; however, unless you have a clear idea of where you are, it will be difficult to envisage how you are going to get where you want to go. For example, if your goal is to improve team productivity, you will need to establish what the current level of productivity is.

2. Define the Goal or Objective to Be Achieved.

Next, you need to define and refine your objective. What exactly is it that you are trying to achieve? If we continue using the example above, simply stating that you want to improve your team's productivity is too general - you need to be more specific than that. For example, 'I want to improve my team's productivity by 10% by the end of this quarter' is much clearer. All objectives should follow the SMART criteria:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

3. Identify the Steps You Need to Take in Order to Reach This Goal.

Think about what you need to do before your objective becomes a reality. Consider what changes need to be made to aid you. Amongst other things, think about:

• What steps do you need to take? For example, if you are planning for your team's performance review, you might need to:
• gather evidence
• schedule meetings
• book a room
• complete appropriate paperwork

Once you have identified each step, check to see if each step can be broken down even further. Consider:

• Who might be affected? Are there people you need to explain changes to, and if so, how are you going to communicate this?
• Do you need to arrange additional training or resources for those affected, if applicable?
• Do you have the necessary tools and resources to achieve each step?

4. Create a Schedule.

Your timescales must be realistic, so carefully consider how long each step is likely to take.

• Do the steps need to happen one after the other, or can some of them run concurrently?
• If you need to involve external parties or suppliers, check their timescales before determining your own.
• Build in some contingency time, particularly for any steps that must be completed before another can start.

5. Identify the People Involved.

The process of identifying the steps involved to allow you to reach your objective will already have given you a clear idea of the other people you might need to involve. Consider:

• Does your plan result in a change which has an impact on your team? How are you going to communicate the plan to them?
• Do you need external input, for example from your HR department or from other organizations (e.g. suppliers)?
• Do you need to consult with your manager or another person in authority in order to get your plan signed off?

6. Identify the Resources Required.

As above, the process of identifying the steps involved will give you a clear idea of what resources you will need to help you reach your objective. These resources may include:

• time (yours, and other people's)
• equipment (e.g. technology, software)
• space (e.g. meeting rooms)
• money

You might also want to consider potential barriers to achieving your objective. For example, are there any external factors that could have an impact on your plan, such as general organizational procedures or market factors that could alter your team's work patterns? Are there any restrictions to what you can do which are dictated by organizational procedures or guidelines?

After you have followed the steps above, it is time to document your plan. Putting it all down on paper or onto your computer will help you to ensure you have covered everything. You may wish to pass it to your manager or a colleague to check it through too - often a fresh perspective can pick up on something obvious you have missed. Once you have completed these steps you can put your plan into action.

Monitor

When you have implemented your plan, it is important to monitor and review your progress by checking your plan periodically. This allows you to identify what you have achieved so far, and you'll be able to revise your plan if anything has changed, e.g. timescales, people involved etc.

Example Action Plan

You can download an Action Plan Template below to use to help gather together all the information relating to your own plan.

It is only intended as a guideline; you can amend it to accommodate as many/few steps as you need. An example of a completed action plan, which illustrates the type of information required for each field is also included below.