Action planning
An action plan in project management is a quick and easy way to manage the planning process. You can quickly map out the resources and requirements you need and sketch a timeline to complete tasks.
Step 1: Define your end goal
Goals should be defined by the SMART criteria.
Make sure the goal of the training is:
- Specific – well-defined and clear
- Measurable – include measurable indicators to track progress
- Attainable – realistic and achievable within the resources, time, money, experience, etc. you have
- Relevant – align with your other goals
- Timely – has a finishing date
Step 2: List down the steps to be followed
The goal is clear. Create a rough template to list down all the tasks to be performed, due dates and people responsible.
Each task should be clearly defined and is attainable. Larger and more complex tasks should be broken down to smaller ones that are easier to execute and manage.
Step 3: Prioritize tasks and add deadlines
Add deadlines, and make sure that they are realistic. Consult with the person responsible for carrying it out to understand his or her capacity before deciding on deadlines.
Step 4: Identify the resources needed
Before starting the training, it’s crucial to ensure that you have all the necessary resources at hand to complete the tasks. And if they are not currently available, you need to first make a plan to acquire them. This step might involve budget planning. You can assign a column of your action plan to mark the cost of each task if there are any.
Step 5: Visualize your action plan
The point of this step is to create something that everyone can understand at a glance and that can be shared with everyone. This document should be easily accessible to everyone involved in the planning and should be editable.
Step 6: Monitor, evaluate and update
Allocate some time to evaluate the progress th eplanning is made. You can mark tasks that are completed as done on this final action plan, bringing attention to how you’ve progressed toward the goal.ó
