Blog : Systems

5 Essential Project Planning Answers to Have Before You Start

Your projects plans, especially for launches are a like a strawberry trifle. Layers upon layers. You have to have the graham cracker crust, the cream, the macerated berries, and finish with flair. Just like a project, you have to have the foundation, the development, the real time launch, and the follow up. It’s never just a simple as it looks.

Many times we jump right in and then scatter off to complete each layer, but its so chaotic that your trifle ends up being a big layered mess.

To keep your team on point there are certain questions that help you (and your team or project manager) frame out the plan. Once you have answered these and have a firm grasp of what’s in front of you, the planning aspect and coordination (let’s face it, all hands on deck) is much easier.

IDEAL DATE OF COMPLETION. 

In an ideal world, when would you like this completed? Please be realistic, Rome wasn’t built in a day and this project needs room to breathe. Just like that cab!

DOES THE CALENDAR MATCH?

Consult your calendar! The most important part of the ENTIRE PLANNING PROCESS is to look at not only your business calendar, but also your personal calendar. You need a good sense of how much time you have in between family happenings, busy work season, and other important dates. This also gives you a sense of how hard you have to push or helps put in perspective how hard you are willing to push to complete it. (EXAMPLE: I’m ok with putting in 10-20 extra hours this month, because next month we have visitors, out of town, etc).

WHAT OTHER MOVING OR ACTIVE PROJECTS OVERLAP?

I typically don’t like to have more than 2 or 3 active projects, or 1 depending on how involved it is. If you are running a live course, hitting the pavement with speaking or podcasts, or overhauling your website (which requires all new copy) you may not have the bandwidth to incorporate another active project. You may have to remove or pause another project to make room. Or start the project after other projects are further along. 

TEAM AVAILABILITY

While you may be planning to put this into development and marketing within 6 weeks, if key team players have scheduling conflicts then your dates may need to be shifted or stages extended to absorb some of the conflicts. Bring your team into your initial framework so they can give you more perspective on ideal dates (AND priority).

IS THERE A LIVE OR IN REAL TIME ELEMENT TO THIS?

One thing I apply in absolute-ness is if there is a live element to this project (live QA, calls, live marketing, 1-1 feedback, application review, webinar/masterclass, etc.) that is the only thing happening during that sprint. Everything else must be done before or able to wait until after the live or real-time element is completed.

Combining a live or real-time element means you probably need to add at least 1 week or 1 sprint to each phase to make sure it is “situated” or completed before the live or real-time thing happens. If you are continuing to write copy for sales pages WHILE doing 3 live webinars with personal outreach or reviewing applications and giving feedback. . . ultimately something will break and you will end up doing too many things at once.

Having these 5 answers will help you frame out the project with better clarity. You’ll see the dates, have some perspective if items need shifting, and be able to make the decision with a full picture.

If you want to learn more about to designate the right projects at the right time along with your regular stuff, then you need to meet Your Progress Gameplan: 30-60-90 day planning so you never have to ask what do I do next again! 

Progress Issue #4: Adapting too late

You’ve seen the picture perfect, color coordinated, works of art that are project plans following an agile system. I can’t function without the columns planned and coordinated like the rainbow, BUT I also see a different side of projects and 90 day planning, since I’m elbow deep in them each day.

The need to adapt and adjust on the fly.

The need for adjustments can be attributed to three most likely scenarios:
1. Planning well beyond 90 days.
2. The lack of planning.
3. Normal hurdles during the course of a project or progress.

Runners up would be: changing goals, making the call to scrap something, or hunkering down to absorb life and business bumps.

And it’s not always easy to make the call when you are pressed for time and red/green/yellow light decisions need to made like yesterday.

Here is why I LOVE working with progress in mind, specifically following the Progress System. You are planning 90 days out, BUT you are remaining flexible to adapt as you need paying particular attention to the timing of events.

A rule of thumb that I teach in the Progress System: Trello Edition is that you plan for projects and tasks 90 days out, but you don’t have to have every single task perfectly detailed out and accounted for. Rather, as you near the 60 day mark you firm up the details to 100% firm by the 30 days and current sprint. You are giving yourself room to make decisions at the 90+ mark, but you aren’t marrying yourself to that because a lot could change during that time.

What could change that would affect other decisions or work?:

*A break in tech
*A funnel that simply isn’t converting, calling for a retool sooner than expected
*Losing a key team member
*Adjusting current services (booked up or not booked at all)
*Change in marketing or strategies

Keeping things flexible doesn’t mean you aren’t forward thinking, rather it means that IF you need to adjust (add in another step, section out a part to delegate, bring in a new team member, etc) you are managing your resources (time, money, and energy) and making smart decisions that help you adapt BEFORE things blow up.

Adapting is the balance of: Not waiting too long to plan and having to make an important decision on the fly, but also not planning too far in advance that you’re wasting time/money/energy backtracking over work.

This is why Launch Debriefs, Sprint Reviews, team collaboration, and proper sprint planning are soooooo important.

BUT HEAR ME ON THIS:

Adapting doesn’t mean we don’t plan or just plan for the next few months out. We actually do a ton of forward planning and I am constantly going over if A happens, then we keep with B & C. If A doesn’t, then I’ll implement 1,2,3 that makes B move over and C is now on pause. It’s a constant evaluation based on progress.

Still sounds weird?

Here’s what I mean. . . I usually sprint plan for the regular ‘ole stuff beyond the 90 days. Blog posts, newsletters, IG, podcasts, important progress markers, etc likely have a standard day they release (those are easy). . . but other things like developing a new service, retooling a funnel, adding a bell or whistle- may need to be developed and planned for amidst other work. That also means you may have to be flexible in making room for the work AND be able to handle pop-up fires that occur naturally when operating a business.

So if you are little like me and like to plan but keep some options open, then I think the Progress System would be a great match. I mean who doesn’t love color coordination?

Progress Issue #2: Stalled quarter goals

  • By amanda@amandaburris.com
  • March 15, 2019
  • Systems

Every fresh year or quarter comes with their very own set of ambitious goals. Deadlines set. Goals mapped. And yet you sit here, ignoring the half eaten Ben and Jerry’s, vday candy, or whatever your vice, beating yourself up for coming short of yet another goal. So off track. So much wasted time. Don’t even get started on money. And feeling like a horrible leader for your small but mighty team.

Look, you are not alone. I’ve been there, we all have. It’s demoralizing to feel the quarter sneaking up on you knowing full well you are going fall short of the ‘plan’. I totally understand how it feels to see those unmet goals sitting there and left wondering why you let the momentum slow down to a complete complete stop. Even with the best of intentions and elbow grease.  HOW and WHY did this happen?

One of my key analysis points when working with clients is to see how their benchmarks or milestones shape up to meeting their goals. The most common reason why isn’t that the goal was too big or off or dumb, but rather the steps to get there were not properly broken down into single, level actionable items and prioritized. 

This is a foundational principle into everything I teach and implement. We can’t have ‘launch a fill the in blank item’ without making sure every step into the progress is broken down, delegated, prioritized and (as much as possible) unlinked from depending on the progress of something else.

But listen carefully, this so different than a 75 point checklist. This is a real plan that is both adaptable and firm, because priorities are broken down creating a consistency and collaboration that isn’t found on any bulleted checklist.

Revamp in 3 super easy steps

STEP 1: Get everything down to an actionable, single level task

The to do’s are the problem! Many times (even with detailed operating procedures) we still attack recurring or special projects using a broad, generalized “to do list” vs. a set of detailed, prioritized actions.  When we operate from a detailed, single level task your team knows exactly what to do and when.  You are setting your operations up with a clear, transparent plan.

STEP 2: Unlink to do’s from depending on each other

Once you have your tasks broken down into single, actionable items you need a system that clearly defines each task along with independent subtasks. This allows your team members to work ahead, with each other, and be in front of deadlines.

STEP 3: Set your priorities and focus

Unlinking and getting those to do’s to task level is just 2/3 of mapping your next steps. The most important element to making your next steps count is to set out your priorities.

Much like shoving 30 days into 90, not having these key and crucial components prioritized into single level tasks are keeping you from consistent momentum towards your goals. 

Once you eliminate the ripple effect, you will see real progress towards your goals. You’ll also be able to see where things are coming together quicker, what needs more refinement or a second hand, and what part of the process needs a little more work.

If you have your ‘launch fill in the blank’ simple sitting there, not broken down or prioritized, and working on tasks in general terms you won’t be able to see how much is left to reach the goal or move the project to DONE!

If you find yourself in this scenario, then you need to refine and tweak your tasks and prioritization.  By taking one week to analyze the work done, the gaps that still exist, and the remaining items necessary you can get those goals back on track and get out of the stalled space.

Now if that has your wheels turning, you need to spend a little bit of time getting this just right. No better place to start than with Your Progress Gameplan. It’s an easy method to get your next 90 days broken down into a real gameplan!