Whether you are an entrepreneur or an executive, a great deal of your working life will be taken up by projects. As tempting as it can be to rush straight into the work, all successful projects begin with the creation of an effective project plan. Many people rush or skip this stage as it can feel like too much hard work, but creating a project plan does not have to be hard work. There are many shortcuts available to help you avoid creating the plan from scratch. Even when you do have to create a project plan from scratch, there is always help available to help you ease the burden.
3 shortcuts when creating a project plan:
1. Learn from past experience
In many cases you will have conducted the same project or something similar previously. Check your notes. See what tasks were involved; how long they took and how much money each stage cost. Note what mistakes were made and devise a plan for avoiding them on this occasion. Reviewing your previous experience and learning from what worked and what didn’t will help you create an effective project plan, and save you a great deal of time, money and stress.
2. Learn from the experience of others
Perhaps you have not conducted a similar project before. That’s fine. It is highly unlikely that you are the first person to have conducted this kind of project. If you know someone who has worked on a similar project, ask them about their experiences. Be as specific as possible in order to get the best information. Most people are more than happy to share their knowledge.
Where you don’t know anyone personally who has worked on a similar project, there are still opportunities to learn from others. Most topics will have been covered in books, audios, blogs, articles, interviews and many other media. If someone has done something similar before then they most likely left clues. Using a computer and a search engine you should be able to find something in a short space of time.
3. Seek suitable assistance
Where the project is something completely original, and you are not in a position to learn from yourself or others, it’s time to consult a team of trusted advisors. You do not have to carry the burden alone. Consult with experts in the relevant field to gather their opinions. Seek the opinions of trusted colleagues. Explore the topic with the assistance of a mentor or coach. There are many different people available to help you create an effective project plan.
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Creating a project plan can be a great deal of work at first. However, as you progress through your career, you can keep thorough notes from each project; implement a learning plan where you learn from the experiences of others; and you can develop a team of trusted advisors. Each of these steps will save you time, money and stress. By implementing these steps you will quickly become a fast and effective project plan creator. A successful project plan creates a successful project and successful projects help build successful careers.
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