Spending Spending just a few minutes on simple upfront project planning can save a lot of time down the road.

Project planning is often made out to be more complicated than it needs to be. And when something is complicated, we have a tendency to put it off or drop it all together. But for most projects, planning requires only a few easy steps.

Why commit to upfront project planning?

Project planning helps to:

  • Save time. Defining a clear project path helps to reduce decision points throughout the project, identify the resources that we’ll need to secure in advance, build in time for ‘thinking’ and avoid going down tangents unrelated to our end goal.
  • Pace our work. We can avoid the last minute scramble by defining (and committing to) an appropriate timeline associated with each of the sub-tasks.
  • Reduce stress. A big project can feel like a heavy burden hanging over us. Establishing a plan helps to mitigate any stress associated with achieving a goal. Breaking a project down into smaller, more manageable chunks is less overwhelming and there is a higher probability that we will get it done.

What kinds of projects require a project plan?
If a project is worth doing, it’s worthwhile dedicating time to upfront project planning. Any project that takes more than a few hours of your time (or involves multiple steps) should have a project plan.

What are the key steps to project planning?
Most independent projects only require ~ 15 minutes of upfront planning. To illustrate this, I’ll walk you through an example that many of us can relate to at this time of year: sending out holiday cards. All too often the ‘holiday cards’ become another rushed and stressful initiative in an already busy holiday season.

Step 1: Confirm that the project is necessary
Certainly, there are many good reasons to send out holiday cards. However, we can’t do everything and we must prioritize our projects. Saying yes to one project always means that we are saying no to other projects.

Step 2: Define the specific tasks required
A simple list of the key tasks is all we need.

Step 3: Estimate the work effort associated with each task.
Always give yourself a buffer. Things often take longer than we think they will!

Step 4: Define when you’ll work on each of the tasks.
Make sure you have time set aside to do the work. Book a meeting with yourself and block off the time in your calendar.

Does it ever get more complicated?
The short answer is yes. Large projects (e.g., 100+ hours and/or large project teams) often require a much more thorough project planning process. However, the above simple steps are often sufficient for individual projects.