Is planning "set it and forget it" or "set it and check it"?

Published on: August 01, 2022
Last updated: August 07, 2024 Read in fullscreen view

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In the past, business leaders spent considerable time crafting detailed long-term plans, then "set it and forget it". This approach worked well for high certainty, low risk until the late 20th century, when dynamic markets required more frequent changes, and a "set it and check it" approach became a better choice for businesses.

"Failing to plan is planning to fail". The time management guru Alan Lakein's statement effectively captures the significance of planning in project management. Even while Agile practitioners hate set deadlines and scopes, it is an inevitable part of many organizations' daily operations, therefore we cannot overlook its importance.

"Failing to plan is planning to fail."

We constantly hear about how poor our project planning is. Many believe that project managers lack planning skills, which is why they judge things in this manner. Experts are supposed to advise us to plan more meticulously. Because of this, forms and templates are enhanced to give the impression of planning strength but really don’t produce any tangible value.

We must take into account two myths (misconceptions) while evaluating the efficiency of our planning.

The first overarching misunderstanding is that projects should be completed just as they are planned.
The second misunderstanding is that individuals don't plan because they are unsure of how to accomplish it or don't want to follow a strict procedure. Most people actually do know how to plan but like to design and build (manufacture) more than they like to plan and analyze (prepare). Management encourages this behavior because they want to see results sooner than later. Very few people really like to plan. Those that do would rather plan for a vacation than go on one. These people are rare.

A well-crafted plan formalizes the project's scope by taking into account what all project stakeholders now know and expect. Although the scope is never ideal, it is necessary to create a plan for adhering to the standards. This allows for the forecasting of resources and the development of a schedule. All parties involved have agreed the final baseline, which is the best that can be created with the knowledge available at the moment. The initial planning process should never take any longer than 10% of the overall project duration.

The only way to ensure proper planning occurs in your organization is to have a formal planning review process that does not let a project continue unless the project manager comes up with an appropriate plan. The person in charge of the process - usually PMO Head - should be a very detailed and systematic person who has the support of top management. In this approach, it will be difficult for project managers who dislike planning to get around the policy.

As projects progress and issues come up that cause them to veer off-plan, make sure when looking for the cause-effect relationships, thorough analysis is conducted. It is way too easy to conclude it was the result of poor planning, often the default reason in organizations. This is only possible if everyone who was involved in the planning process was able to predict this problem, and all the information and awareness that was acquired after planning but before the problem arose was taken away.

Projects will sometimes go off course, therefore it's critical to make sure that throughout their duration, planned modifications are made and new expectations are set with stakeholders. This is the one shortcoming rarely discussed in the project management process. It should be raised frequently because one of the primary responsibilities of the project manager is to continuously execute, control, and replan for 90% of the project's duration.

We live in a world dominated by uncertainty resulting in a lack of foresight. Shouldn’t our expectations and processes be in alignment with this reality? Understanding this concern will save us from running headlong into a dead end and instead direct our efforts and resources toward areas where a difference can be made.

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