Lack of planning is a common reason for project failures. Even so, people rush into doing the work before planning the work. There are several reasons why a team might rush through or skip the planning phase altogether: pressure from stakeholders, time constraints, misconceptions, mentality, overconfidence, poor organizational culture.

Lack of strategic alignment and increased risk of project failure are the two main pitfalls of jumping straight into project execution.

Why should you plan when you can just jump in and start the work, right? Because strategic planning can set your project the foundation for project success! Not all planning is the same and not all projects need the same approach to planning. But planning is crucial.

Not defining project scope can increase scope creep. Define project scope during planning. This clarity is critical for you, your team and stakeholders to have a shared understanding of the project and ensure strategic alignment. This reduces project scope creep and misaligned expectations about project deliverables, timelines, resources, and risks.

Jumping into project execution without planning can create major project delays. A well-thought out plan before project execution prevents delays by identifying and allocating the resources that the project needs. Knowing the time, budget, personnel and other materials required by the project can set you up for successful project delivery.

There are several benefits to planning your project. A few key benefits are below:

Planning can enable you to gather input and feedback from stakeholders before a lot of work is already done on the project. Can you imagine doing a bunch of work and then realizing you’re off track? Planning enables you to stay aligned with your stakeholders. It builds trust and support for the project, contributing to its overall success.

Planning for a project prepares your team for success. A detailed plan for resources, RACI, timelines can promote collaboration and accountability within the project team. You set your team up for success because everyone knows their tasks, deadlines, expectations and deliverables. This also reduces confusion and enhances productivity.

Planning enables you to establish milestones and metrics, which make measuring project success easier. Project milestones allow easier progress tracking so that you can make timely adjustments to the plan.

Plan your mitigation strategies for project risks. Identifying risks and planning mitigation strategies reduces the likelihood of costly mistakes and disruptions.

Executing a project without planning it can make the project harder to manage. Why rely on sheer force to make the project successful when there is a smarter approach?

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Author: Niloma Kolay, Co-founder Acts Consultation