Apr 25 2008
Achieve by Planning
My posting has been rather light over the last two weeks, but for good reason - I have been dedicating much of my time putting together plans to build a new Software application for my IT recruiting business. Building software applications is an expensive venture and you need a plan to guarantee a return on your investment. After all, isn’t that why we build killer apps? In my planning process I made sure the plan told a story, considered the competition & economic climate, solved a business problem and demonstrated how it would return an investment. I then shared the plan formally with the stakeholders in a room with a carefully thought out power point presentation that was engaging and encouraged collaboration.
The formal planning process was beneficial in many ways and in the case of my software App it:
- Established a common road map that can be easily communicated
- Developed a clear vision of your product, service, promotional campaign, or operations strategy
- Removed the human feelings about an idea and execution can occur with proven fact.
- Established Achievable and Tangible Metrics - to ensure revenue and profit expectations are met
- Reduced risk - because planning raises questions
- Improved Collaboration - Can lead to more great ideas being generated
- Enhanced use of resources - Allows employees, money and time to be spent on the right tasks to achieve the common goal
- Created Accountability - creates an environment where team members are accountable to one another to reach a common goal
