Evaluate projects and plan new cycles. To put all this into practice, an excellent management tool is the action plan. Proactive planning will contribute to improving your results.The action plan is a tool to map the path to achieving goals. In definition, it is a plan that defines necessary actions. Through it, you specify:
- Timeline
- Deadlines
- Responsible
- Financial resources
- Necessary human resources
- Results monitoring
For Peter Drucker, the action plan is the basis for time management, an executive’s scarcest and most valuable resource. And the waste of time, as we know, is an inherent part of life.
How to create an action plan?
In practice, the action plan can be divided into five moments, also called life cycles:
Initiation
The starting point. This is the time to define goals and establish where you want to go.
Planning
Definition of main activities and necessary resources. This is the phase of setting up the schedule and defining each task’s responsibility. The principles of the PDCA Cycle are valid here.
Execution
Hands-on. In addition to putting it into practice, this is the time to analyze errors or noise along the way. The more detailed the planning, the easier and better executed the action plan.
Monitoring
Monitoring is the best way to guarantee the success of the action plan. When a problem is identified, apply a corrective measure to avoid the ripple effect.
Closure
Evaluate the results obtained, having as a guideline the objectives established in the planning. A good tip is to document learning using critical performance analysis, which will help you in future projects.
5W2H and PDCA Cycle
A widely used tool for creating an action plan is the 5W2H. It is a checklist of seven questions that must be answered in planning. The initials of the questions, namely, form the acronym:
- What
- Who
- When
- Why
- Where
- How
- How much
When responding, the team will have an activity map, facilitating visualization and general understanding.
PDCA, on the other hand, is one of the best management tools and surprises for having been on the market for almost 70 years and still being current. It is used for control and continuous improvement. Learn more here.
Interact Suite SA helps you create your action plan
Planning is essential for any company. After all, it can be linked to different areas, such as:
Interact Suite SA allows the creation of action plans linked to objectives, indicators, and strategies. Discover SA Governance Manager, a complete system for corporate governance 4.0.
The user can consult, progress, and update the action plans in integrated management. In turn, linking them to the company’s strategic planning is possible.
The system meets the primary market methodologies, such as:
- BSC – Balanced Scorecard
- GPD – Management by Guidelines
- OKR – Objectives and Key Results
To learn more, visit SA Governance Manager and speak with one of our consultants.