Collective Wisdom from the Experts 171
To create an initial plan, you must think about your project, understand the
risks and limitations, and build a path to success. As the project manager, you
take your team through planning sessions to do this. Creating an initial level
of mutual understanding is vital, particularly right after “first contact with the
enemy...” reality.
First contact is when the act of planning pays off. Because everyone under-
stands the plan, each member can react independently in accordance with the
intent of the plan. Knowing the overall goals and restrictions allows your team
to make the right decisions quickly. This is when ongoing planning kicks in.
Your ongoing planning process starts with the existing plan and modifies it
to account for the new reality. You planned to start development on May 1st,
but now you can’t start until June 1st. How do you make up the time? Can you
assign your resources to other tasks that can be done in May? Do you need
more time, more money? These are your ongoing planning considerations.
You plan, adjust, and then execute.
Each time you plan, you are thinking and communicating about your project.
These necessary and fundamental activities will never fail to yield benefits well
beyond their cost.