how to write an essay on implementation plan

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What is an implementation plan? 6 steps to create one

An implementation plan—also known as a strategic plan—outlines the steps your team should take when accomplishing a shared goal or objective. This plan combines strategy, process, and action and will include all parts of the project from scope to budget and beyond. In this guide, we’ll discuss what an implementation plan is and how to create one.

Projects require planning to be successful. Would you build a house without a blueprint? Probably not, because nailing pieces of wood together without a plan could lead to disaster. The same concept is true in the corporate world. An implementation plan functions as the blueprint for any shared objective. Your plan should include everything from the project strategy, to the budget, to the list of people working on the project. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss what an implementation plan is and how to create one. These steps can help you and your team prepare for projects both big and small.

What is the purpose of an implementation plan?

The purpose of an implementation plan is to ensure that your team can answer the who, what, when, how, and why of a project before moving into the execution phase. In simple terms, it's the action plan that turns your strategy into specific tasks.

A good way to know whether your implementation plan is effective is to hand it to someone outside of your team and see if they can understand the project in its entirety. Your implementation plan should leave no questions unanswered.

How to create an implementation plan in 6 steps

If you want your implementation plan to be comprehensive and beneficial to your project team, you’ll need to follow specific steps and include the right components. Use the following steps when creating your plan to reduce the risk of gaps in your strategy.

1. Define goals

The first step in the implementation process is defining your goals . Determine what you hope to accomplish when your project is complete, like whether you hope to win over a new marketing client or revamp your internal content strategy. Starting with your project objectives in mind can help flesh out your project plan. 

Tips to consider:

Ask questions: When defining your goals, you and your team may want to ask questions about your project such as, “What are we trying to achieve with this project? What deliverables do we hope to produce? Who are the stakeholders we plan to share our project deliverables with?”

Brainstorm risk scenarios: Although you’ll perform a more in-depth risk assessment later on in your implementation plan, brainstorming potential risk scenarios early on gives you a more realistic idea of what you’re able to achieve. 

2. Conduct research

Once you have a broad idea of the project goals you want to achieve, you can hone in on these goals by conducting research such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, or observations. Your research should come from key experts in your field. These experts may be team members or external stakeholders. Your research outcomes should include a list of what your project timeline, budget, and personnel may look like.

Collaborate using shared tools: Collaboration is easier when you have the right communication tools in place to do so. Use a team collaboration tool to share your project goals and get feedback from others, regardless of their location. 

3. Map out risks

You brainstormed risk scenarios in step one of your implementation strategy, and in step three, you’ll map out all the potential risks you may face in your project. Risks can include anything from paid time off and holidays to budget constraints and loss of personnel. 

A great way to map out your risks is by using a risk register. This tool will help you prioritize project risks and prepare for them accordingly. You can also conduct a SWOT analysis , which will identify any weaknesses or threats affecting your project. 

Be flexible and proactive: Mapping out risks is more than just a preparation strategy. If you identify preventable risks during this stage of the implementation plan, you can take action to prevent those risks. This may mean adjusting your initial project goals. 

4. Schedule milestones

Scheduling your project milestones is an important step in the planning process because these checkpoints help you track your progress during execution. Milestones serve as metrics—they are a way to measure how far you’ve come in your project and how far you have left to go. 

To visualize project milestones and keep your entire team on track, use a Gantt chart . With a Gantt chart, you can visually lay out your implementation schedule and show how long you think each task will take.

Add wiggle room: Things don’t always go as planned, even if you do everything in your power to a schedule. By adding wiggle room to your schedule, you can ensure your project stays on track instead of keeping tight milestones and failing to meet them.

Clarify dependencies: Dependencies are tasks that rely on the completion of other tasks. Clarifying your dependencies makes it easier to keep the project on track and hit your milestones.

5. Assign responsibilities and tasks

Every action plan must include a list of responsibilities with team members assigned to each one. By assigning responsibilities, you can assess the performance of each team member and monitor progress more closely. Using a RACI chart can be an effective project management tool for clarifying roles and responsibilities. 

Assigning responsibilities is different from assigning individual tasks. One team member may be responsible for overseeing the project review, while you may assign three other team members to handle the delivery and communication of the project to various teams for review. When you assign responsibilities and tasks, be sure to make your expectations clear. 

Communication is key: When you assign roles, responsibilities, or tasks, it’s best to communicate why you’re choosing one team member over another. Instead of letting team members question why they have specific roles, you can use this step in the planning process as an opportunity to highlight team member strengths.

Track responsibilities in a shared tool: Having a shared tool, like project management software, can give team members clarity on who's doing what and by when.

6. Allocate resources

Resource allocation is one of the best ways to reduce risk. If you can plan out what resources you need for your project and ensure those resources will be available, you’ll avoid the risk of running out of resources mid-project. If you notice that you don’t have enough resources in this step of the implementation process, you can adjust your project accordingly before it kicks off. 

Resources may include money, personnel, software, equipment, and other physical or technical materials. Time can also be a resource because the team members you need to complete the project may be working on other projects.

Tips to consider: Ask yourself the following questions when identifying available resources for your project: 

What is the project’s priority level? 

Who is available to work on this project? 

What budget or tools are available? 

What additional resources do we need? 

Who needs to approve the resource allocation plan?

Following these steps as you create your implementation plan will increase the likelihood of hitting your project goals. Having a checklist of the items to include in your implementation plan can also lead to successful implementation. 

What to include in an implementation plan

Knowing how to create your implementation plan is crucial, but you also need to know what to include in your plan. This checklist includes the six most important items you’ll want to consider if you want to move forward with a successful project. 

1. Objectives

You’ll outline your project objectives in step one of the implementation process. Set your goals and decide what metrics your team will use to measure to monitor progress. By clearly identifying your project objectives, you and your team can measure progress and performance as you move forward.

2. Scope statement

You’ll set the scope of your project in step two when conducting research. Your project scope statement should outline the boundaries you’ve set for your project and broadly define what goals, deadlines, and project outcomes you’ll be working toward. Defining your project scope in the implementation plan can help prevent scope creep when you’re farther along in the project.

3. Outline of deliverables

Deliverables are the tangible goals of your project. Outlining the deliverables you hope to create can serve as a resource when managing time frames, delegating tasks, and allocating resources. 

4. Task due dates

Although the project timeline may change as your project progresses, it’s important to clarify your expected due dates during implementation planning. When you estimate task due dates, you can schedule milestones around these due dates and plan for project completion. You will commonly see Gantt charts used for strategic planning and implementation planning. This is because Gantt charts display information in a follows a linear path, similar to a timeline. 

5. Risk assessment

You’ll conduct your risk assessment in step three of the implementation process. Whether you use a   risk register , SWOT analysis , or contingency plan to identify risks , be sure to include these documents in your plan. That way, others involved in the project can look through your findings and potentially help you prevent these risks. 

6. Team member roles and responsibilities

You assigned roles and responsibilities to team members in step five of your plan, and keeping a detailed record of what these are can hold everyone accountable. Whether you use a RACI chart or another tool to clarify team member roles, there should be a place in your plan for everyone to refer to in case questions arise. 

Your implementation plan will likely be unique to the project you're working on, so it may include other components not listed above. However, you can use the six items above as your guide so you know your plan is comprehensive.

Many aspects of project implementation overlap with strategic planning. As a project manager , working on the project implementation plan while you are also working on the strategic plan can help minimize the total time spent on planning.

Another way to save time during the planning process is to house all of your plans in a work management platform. When your project team is ready to start the implementation process, everything is in one convenient place.

Benefits of having an implementation plan

There are many benefits to implementation planning, with the top benefit being an increased chance of project success. Implementing a project plan creates a roadmap for executing your project so you can prevent issues from occurring. 

Other benefits to having an implementation plan include:

Improved communication between team members and key stakeholders

Better organization and management of resources

Increased accountability for everyone involved in the project

More structured project timeline and daily workflow

Easier collaboration between team members

Going straight into the execution phase without an implementation plan may feel like walking on stage to give a speech without knowing what you’re going to say. Preparation is key for top-notch performance. 

Simplify implementation planning

Knowing the steps for implementation planning is the foundation of project management. A well-planned project leads to a successful project.

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Your Guide to Implementation Plan: What It Is & How to Create One

Organizations are successful because of good implementation, not good business plans ~Guy Kawasaki

Planning is necessary to map out what you need to do in order to achieve your goals. However, without the execution of those plans, you won’t get anywhere. The implementation of an idea is how you start your journey towards achieving your goals and eventually reach your destination.

For businesses, an implementation plan plays a crucial role in the development and execution of an idea, project, or methodology. In fact, the  Harvard Business Review reported  that companies with an implementation and execution plan saw 70 percent greater returns than those who don’t have one. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Let’s first quickly understand what is an implementation plan, how do you make one, and how to execute it successfully? Read on…

What is an Implementation Plan? (Definition)

The implementation plan facilitates the execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy by presenting clear implementation steps that need to follow. Thus, an implementation plan is the documented steps you need to take to successfully achieve your implementation pursuits.

Implementation plans are usually made to support the strategic plan created by an organization. Now, what is a strategic plan you ask? Well, a strategic plan is a document defining the strategy by which your team will accomplish certain goals or make decisions. Strategic plans are made to guide a business decision, a new business venture, or an upcoming project or initiative.

Therefore, the goal of the implementation plan is to effectively implement company strategy and lay down the step-by-step process of bringing the project to success.

What are the Benefits of an Implementation Plan?

An implementation plan puts organizational resources to use and develops a tactical plan to execute the strategic initiative. It thus plays a huge role in the success of your overall strategic plan. Even if you have the greatest, iron-clad plan or strategy, it’s totally pointless if you don’t put the plan into action. Here are some of the many benefits of an implementation plan:

1. Provides Clarity

Writing an implementation plan gives you better clarity of thought and improves your own understanding of the project. When you are forced to think things through, you are better able to document as well as communicate the plan to team members, upper management, and get everyone on board.

2. Keeps Everyone on Track

Your implementation plan lays down exactly what tasks need to be done, how to do them, who needs to do them, keeping everyone on board, and removing any sort of confusion or doubts. When everyone knows what their roles and responsibilities are, it’s easier to stay on track and keep everyone accountable.

3. Improved Cooperation

Working on projects requires the cooperation and collaboration of many employees. The better the cooperation amongst team members, the better the synergy and the overall execution.

Read more:  How to Create a Strategic Process Improvement Plan?

4. Increased Buy-In

When you have a solid implementation plan that is well researched, documented, and presented, you ensure buy-in from all key stakeholders of your organization. When upper management is on board, it’s easier to get resources allocated to your project and ensure smooth project execution.

6 Key Components of an Implementation Plan

Every implementation plan comprises of some key components that need to be analyzed and thought-through before communicating the plan with your team:

1. Outline Goals/Objectives:  Start with defining the goals and objectives of the implementation plan. What do you want to accomplish? What is the project scope ? Why are these goals important? How do these goals fit into the overall organizational vision and mission?

2. Assign Responsibilities:  Assigning roles and responsibilities provides a clear picture of what needs to be done and by whom. The clearer you define these responsibilities, the easier it will be to keep people accountable.

3. Implementation Schedule:  Schedules help track, communicate, and keep an eye on progress for your project, keeping all stakeholders in the loop with what’s going on.

4. Resource Allocation:  One of the main purposes of an implementation plan is to make sure that your team has access to enough resources in order to execute the plan effectively and without any hiccups. Make sure you know exactly what you need, how much you already have, and how you will procure what’s needed.

5. Define Metrics:  How will you determine project success? Every implementation plan must identify KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to establish how it will measure success and failure. This also allows you to measure progress and celebrate milestones to keep the team excited.

6. Contingency Plan :  Planning for challenges is as important as planning for success. Make a plan for how your team will navigate rough waters in case you go over budget, don’t have enough resources, or are approaching deadlines. This way you won’t get off-track when challenges arise, and you will be able to steer clear of them easily.

Now that you know the key components of an implementation plan, it’s time to put this knowledge to use and learn how to write an implementation plan for yourself…

Read more:  How to Create an Effective Operational Plan for Your Business?

How to Write an Implementation Plan? Follow these Steps and Processes:

Okay Folks, it’s time to get into the ‘how’ of the implementation plan and create a solid document. When creating such a document, you need to be more detailed and thorough, explaining everything clearly to all team members who will be viewing this document.

Make sure you include the following steps in your implementation plan:

Step 1. Introduction

Kickoff your implementation plan with a brief introduction, outlining the vision, mission, and purpose of your project or initiative. You can additionally include how this project ties up with the overall organizational mission and lay down all the assumptions or limitations of your project.

Step 2.  Team Members Involved

In this segment, you can describe the team involved in the implementation of the project. Include the names, roles, and responsibilities of key project stakeholders, and key points of contact.

Step 3.  Tasks

This is an important area in your implementation plan as here you need to describe the key tasks and steps involved in the implementation of the strategy. If you have already begun with a task, note down the status and progress of the task in this section.

Step 4.  Implementation Schedule

An implementation schedule outlines project timeframes and milestones. Schedules keep everyone on track with task progress and help to keep everything on time and under budget.

Step 5.  Resource Management

Describe the resources needed (people, time, money, equipment, software, departmental help, etc.) to support successful implementation. Think through this section thoroughly to ensure smooth project implementation, and support fair asset allocation.

Step 6.  Additional Documentation

In this segment, you can attach any other documentation that supports your implementation plan. This could include proof of successful past project executions or a PDF of your strategic plan.

Step 7.  Define Metrics

Without specifying success metrics, you will never know if you are on the right track or are even executing the right strategy. Define the metrics you will use to measure success and how and when will you review your progress.

Step 8.  Project Approval

If you need upper management’s approval before kicking off implementation, add some space for a formal signoff.

Read more:   Change Management Plan: What, Why, and How to Write?

Use a Documentation Tool like Bit to Create a Robust Implementation Plan

The key to successful planning and implementation is…*drumroll*… DOCUMENTATION. This is exactly why all smart project managers use documentation tools like Bit.ai to create a solid, interactive, and visually appealing implementation plan for their team.

What the heck is Bit.ai? Well, it’s an all-in-one document collaboration platform designed for the modern-day workplace. Using Bit, your team can collaborate in real-time and create implementation plans and all other documents – under one single roof!

1. Pre-Built, Beautiful & Fully Responsive Templates: Okay, you’ve created the implementation plan for your team to understand their goals and responsibilities. But, what if the plan itself looks dull and poorly formatted? Your team members won’t understand a thing, and that’s for sure.

You might not have the time to pay attention to the presentation aspect but don’t worry, because Bit does the formatting and designing for you! Bit.ai has over 90 fully responsive and gorgeous templates . Just pick one, insert your content and let Bit handle the rest.

Few documents templates you might be interested in:

• SWOT Analysis Template
• Business Proposal Template
• Business Plan Template
• Competitor Research Template
• Project Proposal Template
• Company Fact Sheet
• Executive Summary Template
• Operational Plan Template
• Pitch Deck Template

2. Rich Embeds:  What if you could embed all your important files – in one single document? We’re talking about those charts, excel sheets, presentations, and the other files that you created while brainstorming the strategies.

Won’t that make your implementation plan so much more comprehensive? And your team won’t have to jump through different files to get information! Luckily, Bit lets you embed over 100 rich media integrations ! That means you can create media-rich and interactive, modern workplace documents!

3. Real-time collaboration : If your team members work on the implementation plan together and take inputs and ideas from one other, it is bound to be perfect! Luckily, Bit.ai helps you with that.

It allows you and your team to collaborate on a Bit document in real-time using @mentions, highlight features, and comments. Every document comes with a separate comment stream!

4. Organized Workspaces & Folders:  An implementation plan isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” thing. You’ve to customize it for every project that your company undertakes. This is exactly why you need to use Bit! On Bit, you can create infinite workspaces around projects, teams, departments, and clients to keep all your work organized.

There’s nothing like Bit.ai out there when it comes to creating documents like implementation plans! With a FREE account for up to five members, there’s no reason why you should not give this super cool platform a try!

Watch the video below to learn more or sign up for a FREE account and start exploring yourself!

What are You Waiting For?!

Without implementation plans, your strategic initiatives will never see the light of the day. Good implementation planning lays the foundation for successful project execution.

It creates a blueprint which your team can follow to successfully execute projects and measure their progress along the way. With tools like Bit, creating such documentation is easier than ever. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free account and start creating your implementation plan today!

Further reads:

How to Create a Procurement Management Plan: Step by Step Guide

Business Development Plan: What Is It And How To Create A Perfect One?

Risk Management Plan: What, Why, and How to Write?

Cost Management Plan: What, Why, and How?

How to Create a Product Plan the Right Way?

How to Create a Project Management Communication Plan?

What is a Marketing Plan and How to Create One for Your Business?

What is Product Adoption & How to do it Right?

Top Email Automation Software for Marketers!

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About Bit.ai

Bit.ai is the essential next-gen workplace and document collaboration platform. that helps teams share knowledge by connecting any type of digital content. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can work visually and collaborate in real-time while creating internal notes, team projects, knowledge bases, client-facing content, and more.

The smartest online Google Docs and Word alternative, Bit.ai is used in over 100 countries by professionals everywhere, from IT teams creating internal documentation and knowledge bases, to sales and marketing teams sharing client materials and client portals.

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Turn strategy into action with an implementation plan

Browse topics.

Meeting the goals of a project while reducing time to market takes careful planning and coordination. An implementation plan puts strategy into action so teams can confidently execute their work, meeting objectives faster and more efficiently. 

These documents allow teams to optimize resources, mitigate risks , and align team members, leading to informed stakeholders and project success.

Implementation planning aligns project objectives, strategy, scope, budget, and processes with the actual work. This guide explores the essentials of an implementation plan, including its components and the steps to create one effectively.

Create an implementation plan in Confluence for free .

What is an implementation plan?

A project implementation plan is an essential component of your project documentation . It’s a detailed document that defines the execution of a project or initiative. Teams use implementation plans to coordinate and manage resources, tasks, and potential risks throughout the project life cycle . Beyond that, it aligns the work with business objectives, timelines, and budgets.

An implementation plan is a thorough set of instructions for a project. It’s more detailed than a project plan and informs team members and stakeholders of the specific actions, tasks, and responsibilities throughout the project life cycle. The implementation plan succeeds best when all project contributors collaborate, from product development to finance and marketing.

Why do you need an implementation plan?

An implementation plan provides clarity and direction for project teams, as well as detailed information for stakeholders. It facilitates collaborative communication , which helps identify potential risks and define mitigation strategies. It also enhances accountability and allows you to track project progress more effectively.

Many teams think of the implementation plan as a set of blueprints. Before building a complex product, the team defines and agrees on every detail. With this plan, teams understand what they are building and how they will perform the work. This reduces ambiguity, improves efficiency, and prevents unnecessary lags in progress.

Benefits of using an implementation plan

An implementation provides transparency and simplifies communication, allowing you to:

Ensure strategic alignment

Strategic planning is hard work but results in a clear understanding of what you plan to build and why. Still, projects can quickly go off course without an equally clear understanding of how to create them. The implementation plan ensures alignment between what you plan to develop and what you actually produce.

Optimize your resources

With project collaboration , creating an implementation plan optimizes resources across the business. By procuring necessary equipment, identifying gaps in team availability, and briefing the marketing team on product features , an implementation plan allows you to organize work throughout the project life cycle.

Mitigate potential risks

Unforeseen risks can derail your project, but team members often have deep experience in specific areas and can identify potential risks early. The implementation plan includes the risks and mitigation plans to manage them. With these plans in place, teams know what to do when risks become a reality, reducing downtime and keeping the project moving forward.

Engage all stakeholders

When teams collaborate on the entire process, from goal setting and creating a strategic framework to building the implementation plan, it fosters a sense of ownership. Participants remain engaged throughout the process and invested in the outcome.

Ensure project success

Understanding what you are building, how to create it, and what you will do if a risk becomes a reality helps teams execute a successful project. Taking the guesswork out of the project improves efficiency, increases quality, and speeds up time to market.

Steps to create an effective implementation plan

You can create an effective implementation plan by following a few key steps:

Preparation

Gather the project team and key stakeholders to review the strategic plan, then define the project scope, objectives, and success criteria for the specific project. The implementation plan may address only a portion of your overall strategic plan, so it’s important to define how you will measure success for the scope of the work you plan to do.

This is similar to goal setting in that you are identifying the types of goals for the project, such as time-based, performance-based, or outcome-oriented. Many businesses find that the goal-setting theory helps motivate teams and enhances this process.

During the planning step, break down the project work into manageable tasks and activities. Define each task as precisely as possible to easily measure progress and identify roadblocks earlier.

These tasks are then sequenced based on dependencies and available resources. Define the duration of each task and group them into milestones with clear, measurable endpoints, such as completing third-party integration or handing off a product for user acceptance testing.

When assigning resources, it’s essential to define the roles and responsibilities . For example, a developer may be accountable for the overall completion of one task and serve as a resource on another task. When people understand their role, they can work collaboratively to achieve the goal.

Risk assessment

Identify the potential risks you may encounter. As part of the risk assessment , determine the probability and impact of each risk. The following process can be helpful:

• Determine the probability of the risk occurring using a high, medium, and low number scale.
• Assess the potential impact on the project using the same number scale for high, medium, and low.
• Calculate the risk score by multiplying the probability by the impact 

A risk register can help track risks and document the mitigation plan should the risk become a reality.

Communication strategy

Communicating the project's status throughout the lifecycle is important to keeping everyone engaged and ensuring it stays on track. The implementation plan includes communication channels (meetings, dashboards, and emails), the frequency, and protocols (such as what is communicated and how). With a strategy in place, communication becomes part of the standard process rather than an afterthought.

Monitoring and evaluation

Using the goals you defined in the preparation step, establish the metrics for tracking progress and evaluating project success. Often, the measure of success is tied to the milestones to ensure the project is on track before progressing to the next phase. 

Define the mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on project performance, such as completed integrations or customer feedback during user acceptance testing. To maintain transparency, you can include standard performance measures in the communication strategy.

Contingency planning

Few projects go as flawlessly as planned, but contingency planning can tame potential chaos. Setbacks may result from changes in the project scope, risks that become realized, or equipment failure. Having a clear plan for how you will handle setbacks provides the team with instructions they can work on immediately rather than waiting for review and approval.

Identify triggers and response strategies for activating contingency plans. Contingency planning is a team effort. Draw on the experience and expertise of the project team to recognize potential setbacks and clearly define a planned response.

What’s the difference between an implementation plan and a project plan?

Project plans and implementation plans go hand in hand, but there are a few key differences to know:

• Implementation plans focus on the detailed execution of the project. They provide the tasks, resource assignments, timelines, and milestones the team is working on. The implementation plan is the reference point for all work in its sequential order, highlighting potential risks and mitigation plans. It is ultimately a decision-making document for executing the defined work.
• Project plans provide a comprehensive overview of the entire project from initiation to closure, including the overarching strategy and vision. They also include milestones and phases that align with the implementation plan. The project plan contains higher-level information and is important for communicating the entire project to executives, partners, and customers.

Ensure easy collaboration with an implementation plan in Confluence

Creating an implementation plan with Confluence can improve project success by providing teams with detailed tasks, milestones, resource assignments, and timelines in one centralized workplace. Confluence allows you to invite your peers to collaborate in real-time, where you can leave comments and feedback. Then, when you’re ready, you can easily share your implementation plan with the company. 

Confluence brings everyone together in a collaborative environment to move projects forward. Automate repetitive tasks and create, edit, and summarize content with Atlassian Intelligence to get projects off the ground faster and accelerate progress across all teams. 

Confluence handles the busy work so teams can get down to business, enabling you to easily create, edit, and share implementation plans with your company.

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How to create an effective implementation plan

An implementation plan is a formal document outlining step-by-step instructions and specific tasks required of team members to successfully achieve project goals or objectives. It’s a crucial component of project management , serving as a helpful roadmap for completing projects that support larger strategic initiatives. 

Once organizational strategies have been determined, the individual actions and step-by-step process of achieving these strategic objectives necessitate introducing an implementation plan.  

According to KBV Research, the global Project Management Software Market is anticipated to reach $17.75 billion by 2030 . However, additional research shows that up to 80% of IT projects fail to meet their objectives and experience considerable delays or exceed planned costs.

This article explores the vital role of an implementation plan in project management, covering its definition, benefits, challenges, and essential components. It also guides readers in creating their own plans, offering key advice for successful project outcomes.

What is an implementation plan?

An implementation plan is a formal document detailing the individual steps and tangible actions project teams must take when pursuing a shared goal or objective.

The plan is a process in project management and supports an organization’s wider strategic busi n ess priorities , setting out the specific requirements and responsibilities for orchestrating successful project execution.

The plan provides project teams with a holistic view, giving them insights into a range of factors, i.e., the project’s value proposition, budgetary requirements, timeframes, potential risks, and time-to-completion. 

It should encompass the end-to-end project lifecycle, enabling teams to determine the scope (the extent of what the project covers) and scale (the size or proportion of the project) while ensuring all actions are aligned with overarching strategic prerogatives.

11 Essential components of an implementation plan

Implementation plans will undoubtedly differ depending on the project’s scale, scope, perceived time-to-value driving organizational objectives, etc. 

The foundation of any effective implementation plan, however, includes meeting some essential criteria, which include :

1. Outline project objectives

Before the project launch, an implementation plan should identify the project’s end goal to create a consensus on project parameters. Project leaders can refer to SMART criteria to define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives to make up key project milestones. 

Defining the project’s ultimate aim better enables teams to ensure project activities align with the organization’s wider strategic direction. To keep things on track, create a checklist that monitors the completion rate of key project goals, milestones, and other strategy-dependent factors.

2. Create a scope statement

A scope statement outlines the project’s actions and deliverables, identifies the project boundaries, and sets standards for meeting acceptance criteria. 

An implementation plan should produce a structured document for stakeholder alignment. This will give them a critical reference throughout the project timeline and clearly communicate what is within and outside the project trajectory to clarify its parameters. 

Scope statements help provide a clear understanding of what is expected–helping to prevent misunderstandings and ensure alignment between teams and stakeholders.

3. Launch a thorough risk analysis

Identifying potential risks and uncertainties raises awareness of any unforeseen challenges that may affect the project’s success. 

Implement risk mitigation strategies such as a SWOT analysis that gives teams a robust framework for honing in on any Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that may arise throughout project execution. 

Implementation plans should aim to include contingency plans that provide project teams with solutions for combatting project obstacles, i.e., missed deadlines or budget limitations, and regularly revisit and update risk management efforts as the project progresses.

4. Success criteria

Success criteria outline ideal project outcomes, identifying the milestones shaping what success means for your project. 

Start by connecting these criteria to your project’s goals that turn abstract objectives into tangible accomplishments. Involve stakeholders in determining viewpoints, giving teams a well-rounded understanding of what exactly project success looks like. 

Collaboratively refine these criteria, incorporating different data points to establish a comprehensive evaluation framework. Regularly reassessing and adapting the requirements as your project unfolds allows your team to navigate changing dynamics and enables a more targeted path to project success.

5. Outline of project deliverables

Project deliverables are the tangible outcomes that define project success. For example, in an implementation plan for an IT project, teams establish project deliverables through key steps. The team first figures out exactly what they want the system to do and writes it down in a detailed plan (Functional Specifications Document). 

Then, they start building the system by writing the code and creating a guide on how to test it (Test Case Documentation). After testing to make sure everything works and tracking any issues, they release the final product (Live System) along with guides for users (User Manuals). 

Each of these steps outlines concrete project deliverables, making it clear and organized for everyone involved.

6. Team roles and responsibilities

In crafting an implementation plan, defining team roles and responsibilities is pivotal. Start by envisioning the project landscape, identifying the key players and their distinct contributions. 

Foster open communication channels to ensure a shared understanding of each team member’s role, promoting collaboration. Use clear communication tools and regular check-ins to reinforce accountability and streamline workflow. 

This approach to team roles and responsibilities ensures a cohesive and efficient working environment, where each member contributes strategically to the project’s success.

7. Project resource plan

Develop a resource plan outlining the required personnel, equipment, and materials. Address resource constraints and explore alternatives. Regularly monitor and adjust the resource plan to accommodate changing project needs. 

8. Implementation timeline

Create a detailed timeline outlining key milestones and activities. Use project management software to visualize dependencies and critical paths. Regularly update and communicate the timeline to keep all stakeholders informed.

9. Implementation plan milestones

Establish significant milestones to mark key achievements throughout the implementation process. Celebrate these milestones to boost team morale and maintain momentum. Ensure milestones are well-defined and aligned with project objectives.

10. Implementation plan metrics

Identify and establish key metrics to measure the success of the implementation plan. Regularly track and analyze these metrics to gauge progress and identify areas for improvement. Adjust the plan as needed based on metric insights.

What are the benefits of an implementation plan?

Implementing a robust implementation plan in project management can be a game-changer, offering a range of benefits. A clear roadmap for streamlined processes and enhanced resource efficiency brings plentiful advantages.

Let’s explore further: 

Clarity of purpose

Implementation plans provide a clear roadmap, offering a tangible structure for project teams to follow. This clarity of purpose aligns everyone involved with the project’s overarching goals and objectives.

Efficient resource allocation

A well-crafted implementation plan helps efficiently allocate resources, be it human, financial, or technological. This optimization ensures that resources are utilized judiciously, preventing unnecessary bottlenecks.

Risk mitigation

One of the primary advantages of an implementation plan is its ability to identify potential risks and challenges early. This foresight enables teams to develop effective risk mitigation strategies, minimizing the impact of unforeseen obstacles.

Enhanced communication

Implementation plans establish a foundation for effective communication. Team members, stakeholders, and management are kept informed about project milestones, progress, and potential hurdles, fostering a collaborative work environment.

Measurable progress

Breaking down the project into milestones with defined deadlines allows for measuring progress. This keeps the project on track and provides stakeholders with a tangible sense of achievement.

What are the challenges of an implementation plan?

While the plan provides structure and guidance, adaptability and responsiveness to evolving circumstances are equally critical for navigating the dynamic landscape of project execution.

Finding balance in the implementation process is important for realizing the full potential of a well-crafted plan. This will mean identifying and understanding several challenges that may arise during project implementation. 

Resistance to change

Team members often resist implementing a new plan because they have become accustomed to existing processes. Overcoming this resistance requires effective change management strategies and clear communication about the benefits of the new plan.

Resource constraints

Despite meticulous planning, resource constraints may arise, leading to potential delays. This challenge requires ongoing monitoring and flexibility to adjust the plan as needed.

Balancing detail and flexibility

Striking the right balance between a detailed plan and the flexibility to adapt is challenging. Too much rigidity can stifle creativity and problem-solving, while excessive flexibility may lead to a lack of accountability.

Communication overload

While effective communication is a benefit, an overload of information can lead to confusion. Finding the right cadence and channels for communication is essential to prevent information fatigue.

How to create an implementation plan

The implementation plan drives a project forward in project management, fusing strategic blueprints and plans into concrete results. 

Project leaders must follow a structured approach encompassing several key steps to navigate this crucial stage successfully.

Define project goals

A clear articulation of project goals is at the heart of any successful implementation plan. Often aligned with broader organizational objectives, these goals act as the guiding lights that inform subsequent decisions and actions. Defining these goals with precision not only provides a sense of direction, but also facilitates the establishment of measurable success criteria.

Conduct research

A thorough understanding of the project’s landscape is essential for effective implementation. Research involves delving into industry best practices, analyzing market trends, and evaluating similar projects. This information enriches decision-making and enables teams to expect challenges and devise adaptive strategies.

Define project outcomes and deliverables

Building on the foundation of project goals, the next step involves clearly defining the outcomes and deliverables expected from the implementation. These tangible markers serve as benchmarks for success and guide the team’s efforts toward producing measurable and impactful results.

Identify potential risks and challenges

In any project, uncertainties and obstacles are inevitable. Identifying potential risks and challenges allows project managers to develop risk mitigation strategies. This proactive approach empowers teams to navigate unforeseen hurdles with agility, ensuring the project stays on course.

Set project milestones and deadlines

Breaking down the implementation process into manageable milestones is essential for tracking progress and maintaining momentum. Establishing deadlines for each milestone creates a sense of urgency and accountability, fostering a structured and time-bound approach to project execution.

Assign team roles and responsibilities

Successful implementation hinges on the collaboration and coordination of a well-structured team. Assigning clear roles and responsibilities ensures that each team member understands their contribution to the project. This clarity minimizes confusion, optimizes workflow, and enhances overall efficiency.

Determine resources needed

Resource allocation is a critical aspect of implementation planning. This step involves identifying and securing the human, financial, and technological resources required for successful project execution. Adequate resource planning prevents bottlenecks and delays, ensuring a smoother implementation process.

Acquire management and stakeholder buy-In

Securing the support and buy-in of key stakeholders and upper management is fundamental to the success of any project. Communicating the value proposition, addressing concerns, and aligning expectations fosters a collaborative environment that enhances the likelihood of success.

Ensuring swift project management in the digital transformation era

Implementation plans are indispensable roadmaps in project management, gaining heightened significance in our technology-driven era. 

Beyond basic guidance, they are pivotal in optimizing resource usage, addressing risks, and facilitating seamless communication. Their importance lies in their ability to provide a detailed and well-coordinated approach, guiding businesses through the intricacies of digital transformation with precision. 

Implementation plans emerge as essential tools, ensuring projects align with objectives and successfully navigate the challenges posed by technological advancements. 

As organizations strive to stay ahead in this dynamic environment, the strategic nature of these plans becomes increasingly evident, offering a structured path for effective project execution amidst the complexities of technological evolution.

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What is an Implementation Plan & How Do I Create One

The primary purpose of creating a project plan is to execute the project successfully. Successful execution of a project is impossible without an implementation plan.

An organization may get stuck on how to execute its project or may execute it incorrectly without an implementation plan.

Project managers can easily and effectively manage the project process if they follow the steps highlighted in the project implementation plan and get the desired result.

You can avoid failure in the project execution phase and attain project success with a well-detailed implementation plan.

This article will reveal every important detail you need to know to create an effective implementation plan.

Let’s get started.

What is an Implementation Plan in Project Management?

You can define an implementation plan as a project management tool that outlines a step-by-step process to bring a project from start to completion.

In other words, your implementation plan lays down the process or procedure a project manager and the project team must follow to execute a project successfully.

A project implementation plan is a detailed document containing a list of tasks with individual roles and responsibilities . It determines the project goals, timeline, and resources needed to support successful implementation.

There is a difference between a strategic plan and an implementation plan. The simple difference is that strategic plans describe the project manager's implementation strategy while implementation plans convert a strategy into an actual task.

Key Components of an Implementation Plan

1. project goals and objective.

A project needs to have a goal or objective. An object is a key milestone that the project team must complete to achieve the goal. The organization can choose an objective during strategic planning sessions.

2. Success Criteria

Key stakeholders and project leaders have to reach a mutual conclusion on what would be described as the project’s critical success factor ( CSF ) and how to measure success.

3. Scope Statement

The scope statement is a critical component of an implementation plan. It is a brief description of your project scope. Proper project scope management is critical for effective project planning .

4. Resource Plan

A resource plan is one of the key components of an implementation plan. Create a detailed resource plan containing every resource needed for successfully implementing the project.

These resources can be human resources, equipment, and every material required to carry out the project.

5. Risk Analysis

You can effectively use risk assessment tools to identify all the potential project risks you may encounter.

6. Implementation Timeline

To have a successful implementation plan, you will require a clear project timeline . You get a clear overview of individual tasks in your project and project deliverables with a project timeline.

7. Implementation Plan Milestone

If you want to measure progress when executing your project implementation plan, it is vital to identify key milestones which you will use to track project progress. Schedule milestones in your project execution plan around due dates set for project completion.

8. Team Roles and Responsibility

There is a need to assign responsibilities to team members, with everyone knowing what role or responsibility is assigned.

9. Implementation Plan Metrix

Define metrics such as the Key Performance Indicators ( KPIs ) and other key metrics to control the implementation plan's progress effectively.

How to Write a Project Implementation Plan

You must have accurate knowledge to create a solid implementation plan. Here is a detailed outline of how to write a project implementation plan.

1. Research and Discovery

The first step is identifying what you require to create an effective project implementation plan. You will have to conduct research to answer these questions.

• What kind of teams are needed to achieve the strategic goals?
• What is the time duration required to execute the strategic plan?
• What resources are required, and what quantity should be allocated from the budget?

You must conduct a strategic interview with key stakeholders, key partners, customers, and team members to gather the required information.

This strategic interview aims to determine what components and assignments are essential and what factors are of greater importance so you can prioritize. List all the set project goals you wish to achieve and cross-embed the strategic plan with the implementation plan.

Finally, everything must align with the strategic plan for the project implementation plan to work.

2. Identify Assumptions and Risks

Identifying risks and assumptions in your implementation plan is important. Examples of assumptions and risks in your implementation plan include paid time off or holidays, market instability, damaged tools, budget constraints, and losing personnel.

You must consider all these factors before executing the implementation plan.

3. Assign Responsibility

Assigning responsibilities is vital when carrying out each activity in the implementation plan. For a task to be properly assigned, the manager must delegate specific roles and responsibilities to team members.

After assigning tasks, monitor them to ensure that all assigned tasks are carried out effectively.

4. Determine Activities

Finally, you must recognize all the important activities to complete your plan. Here are some questions that can help you decide on important activities to include in your implementation plan.

• What is the organizational structure?
• Who are the project’s key players?
• What are the crucial steps and key milestones you want to accomplish?
• Do you have task dependencies you need to factor in?
• Which activities are essential for completing the project’s strategic initiative?
• What are the stakeholder requirements?
• What are the allocated resources?
• What are all the potential risks involved in the project?

After implementing these questions, your implantation plan is complete and ready for execution.

You may need project approval from the top executives before you can start implementing your plan.

Implementation Plan Example

Implementation plans are widely used across various organizations and have wholesome benefits.

The primary goal of an implementation plan is to implement company strategy effectively and create a workable step-by-step process of bringing the project to completion.

Here is a detailed example of how an implementation plan works.

Benefits of an Implementation Plan

The implementation plan plays a key role in the success of the overall strategic plan. Without the implementation plan, project managers will not be able to execute the project’s implementation strategy, resulting in project completion.

Throughout the project's implementation phase, the project manager, key stakeholders, and the entire team have a clear direction to execute the project easily.

1. Increased Cooperation

If each team member works in isolation or does not work well with other team members, it will affect the project’s result. With an implementation plan in place, you can foster cooperation within the team.

Working with other members is easier when everyone knows what is expected of them and the steps to be followed in the implementation plan with their tasks.

An implementation plan helps to bridge the gap between team members to ensure everyone works in sync with themselves.

Buy-in in project management means getting stakeholders on board with the project mission and vision and involved in the decision-making process.

Suppose you do a thorough job in your research and acquire all the relevant information for successfully implementing the strategic plan. In that case, you can buy in from key project stakeholders and important partners involved in the entire project.

The up-side to this is that you can always get buy-in with a well-structured and detailed implementation plan.

3. Meeting Goals to Ensure Project Success

Communication and clear understanding are key to accomplishing project goals. Setting a goal and getting every team member to understand how to accomplish this goal is possible through the implementation plan.

Ensure you carry along the strategy director and implementation leader when creating communication channels for the implementation plan.

Best Practices for Implementation Planning

Putting these principles to work within your team while executing the implementation plan will guarantee success in executing the project.

1. Create a Designated Implementation Team

A specific team focused on ensuring the productive implementation of a particular plan is essential. Create a specific team burdened with the responsibility of ensuring that the success of an implementation plan increases the chances of success even though it is not compulsory.

2. Create a Shared Vision Among All Team Members

Your team members must clearly understand the implementation plan's purpose. If the vision is clear to them, a deeper connection to the work will be established, which will serve as a motivating factor.

Always encourage team members to express their views on the strategic and implementation plans.

3. Choose a Dependable Team Leader

The team leader has to properly orient and coach the team members on the best ways to carry out their implementation plan tasks.

This individual should seek guidance from past implementation plan leaders and use the information gatherers to improve the implementation process.

In certain cases, you can have more than one team leader (multiple team leaders), and their responsibilities will differ a little from each other.

Within the team, a champion will be mostly responsible for getting things done, and a viable management sponsor who helps the team scale obstacles will be required.

4. Define Actionable Plans

To make remarkable changes in the implementation process, you must stay on course, identify challenges and discover the reasons for these problems.

You can identify these challenges through

• Brainstorming
• New-members information form
• Notecard method

With these techniques, you can easily identify various project management challenges , gain more insights into the project implementation plan and create solutions to the identified challenges.

You can effectively implement the Notecard method in this manner. You need to ask the team members three important questions.

• What is the single biggest challenge facing the team?
• What will be the most relevant issue in the next five years?
• What is the best strategy to tackle these issues?

After the cards have been submitted, the next step is to identify the most similar answers and isolate them to be deliberated.

5. Create an Action-Oriented Plan

Create an action plan focused on incremental action and not just having continuous discussions. Your plan must encourage you to take significant steps that will accumulate in you getting the desired result.

While creating a project implementation plan, ensure it is reality-based. Creating a non-reality-based plan means trying to achieve something you cannot. In other words, your plan should not be trying to solve a proxy problem.

In creating your plan, it is important to identify what you require to impact the identified challenges and make notable changes.

For example

• What organizational resources are required to get the work done?
• How do you allocate resources to the needed areas?
• What are the additional resources required to complete the project?

You will create a detailed plan to impact the identified issues with this knowledge.

6. Value Communication

Constant communication with the team enables you to see the project better, keeps the project transparent, helps generate new ideas and strategic initiatives, and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Regular and honest communication among team members will foster cooperation and enhance productivity. Ensure that the team’s contributions during discussions are perceived as valuables and let them know they are expected to contribute.

You can use team management software to foster better communication among your teams and manage your teams effectively.

7. Monitor Progress and Incremental Success Consistently

Ensure you perform constant evaluations and analyses to ensure you are still on track regarding the implementation process. You can hold progress report meetings to measure and analyze development.

By constantly monitoring progress, you will be able to identify potential risks, make the necessary adjustment before a crisis hits, and allow you to adapt before processes or expectations become solidified.

Celebrating milestones encourages team members and helps them to feel valued and part of something that works. The team will remain motivated and willing to see the process through by celebrating milestones. You can use project tracker software to track your tasks and projects.

8. Involve the Right at the Appropriate Time

This best practice involves discovering the best time to involve upper management. In the project initiation phase , you must include key decision makers and not just any team member.

You should list out critical tasks that you must execute and select the right personnel to carry out these tasks. The next move is allocating resources and determining what tasks you require to complete the larger task.

Having the right people working with you will guarantee the success of the project implementation plans.

9. Publicize Your Plan

Maintaining transparency with team members and management is important to the success of the implementation plan. During implementation planning, it is not advisable to indulge stakeholders' involvement at all times.

Ensure you make your plan available to higher-ups to keep your team accountable down the line.

Implementation Plan FAQs

The most significant difference between an action plan and an implementation plan is that an implementation plan addresses various factors that affect the implementation process, such as risks, resources, and team roles and responsibilities. On the other hand, an action plan is focused on describing work packages and tasks.

The project manager is responsible for creating the implementation plan for a particular project or series of projects.  With the help of stakeholders and certain team members, the project manager can develop a comprehensive implementation plan. 

The implementation process in project management is a series of events in which plans, strategies, and goals are converted into actions to accomplish strategic project objectives and goals.

Useful Project Management Software for Successful Implementation Planning

You do not have to go through the rigorous stress of creating your implementation plan in a spreadsheet or Word document.

Many simple project management software tools help you create your implementation plan with an implementation schedule best suited for your implementation and execution plan.

Here are the project management software tools that will give you your desired results.

• Monday.com is a highly-customizable project management tool that provides users with various tools for creating and tracking your implementation plan, dependencies and budgets, and delegating responsibilities.
• ClickUp is an affordable project management software that offers the most inclusive free-forever plan with extensive functions not limited to successful project implementation planning and execution.
• Wrike is a powerful project planning tool that helps you create and execute your strategic implementation plan.

Every wise project manager knows that having a well-structured implementation plan increases the likelihood of completing the entire project. Taking the implementation planning process as a vital part of the project is very important because a lot depends on this process. With the right software tool, you can easily create an implementation plan suited to your specific project need.

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Anastasia belyh.

Anastasia has been a professional blogger and researcher since 2014. She loves to perform in-depth software reviews to help software buyers make informed decisions when choosing project management software, CRM tools, website builders, and everything around growing a startup business.

Anastasia worked in management consulting and tech startups, so she has lots of experience in helping professionals choosing the right business software.

How to Create an Implementation Plan: a Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to create an implementation plan with our step-by-step guide. Get practical insights and tips to guarantee your plan’s successful implementation.

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As much as we’d love for it to be true, ideas and visions alone are not enough to bring about transformative change. Whether it’s a groundbreaking business strategy or an ambitious personal goal, success hinges on the ability to execute plans effectively.

Implementation plans translate vision into action, turning your aspirations into tangible achievements.

This article covers everything you need to know about implementation plans, from what they should include to how to create one.

What is an implementation plan?

An implementation plan is a strategic roadmap that outlines the steps, resources, and  timeline  required to bring an idea or vision to fruition. It provides a detailed framework for translating goals and objectives into practical actions.

An effective implementation plan goes beyond simply assigning tasks to team members to include various components that collectively help the team execute the plan.

It typically includes specific activities, milestones, and deadlines to keep everyone on track. It also identifies the resources each task needs, including the required people, tools, and materials.

At the end of the day, an implementation plan allows for better coordination and communication among team members, making sure that everyone is working toward the same goal.

Key components of an implementation plan

An implementation plan is made up of several components that are crucial for a project’s success.

Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

‎Goals and objectives

Think about the desired outcomes and objectives for the implementation plan. What do you hope to achieve through the project? Your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Clearly defined work goals  help ensure a shared understanding and direction for everyone involved in the project. Without them, your project will be more likely to fail.

Scope and deliverables

Define the implementation plan’s boundaries and scope. What specific deliverables or milestones need to be accomplished? This helps set clear expectations and establish a timeline.

Timeline and milestones

What are the project’s time restraints? Create a detailed timeline that outlines the implementation process’s major phases, activities, and milestones. This  time management strategy  allows for better planning and progress tracking.

Roles and responsibilities

Identify the individuals or teams responsible for carrying out different tasks and activities. Clarify each person’s roles, responsibilities, and reporting structures to ensure accountability and coordination.

Resources and budget

At least  85% of every project  is over budget to some degree due to unforeseen events. To reduce the likelihood of running out of funds, determine the resources your team needs to successfully execute the  plan of action  and allocate a budget. Ensure  your team has the right technological tools  at their disposal.

Risk assessment and mitigation strategies

Identify potential risks and challenges that may arise during implementation. Develop strategies and contingency plans to mitigate those risks and minimize their impact on the project.

Communication plan

Establish a plan for effective communication throughout the implementation process. Define the target audience, key messages, communication channels, and frequency of updates to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.

According to a report on business communication,  72% of business leaders  believe that effective communication increases their team’s productivity.

Training and support

Determine the training needs of the individuals involved in the implementation, and develop a plan to provide the necessary training and support. This ensures everyone has the knowledge and skills to carry out their assigned tasks.

According to the World Economic Forum,  six in ten workers  will require training before 2027, but only half have access to adequate training opportunities today.

Evaluation and monitoring

Define the metrics and evaluation criteria to assess the progress and success of the implementation plan. Regularly monitor and measure the outcomes against the established objectives.

Documentation and reporting

Establish a system for documenting all relevant information, including project plans, progress reports, and any changes made during the implementation. This ensures transparency and provides a record for future reference.

Benefits of creating an implementation plan

Creating an implementation plan can be a difficult process. But when done well, it can bring many benefits for your team and a project’s success. We’ll discuss a few of them below.

‎Ensuring alignment and clarity of goals

A crucial aspect of any implementation plan is clearly defined outcomes and objectives, which give all stakeholders a shared understanding of what needs to be achieved. This alignment minimizes confusion and keeps everyone focused on the same target.

Facilitating effective resource management

An implementation plan gives teams a comprehensive overview of the required resources, including finances, personnel, and materials. This allows for better planning and allocation, ensuring that the right resources are available at the right times.

Project managers can easily identify potential resource gaps or bottlenecks early and take proactive measures to avoid them.

Minimizing risks and addressing potential obstacles

Implementation plans serve as a helpful tool to predict and handle problems while putting a plan into action.

They provide a structured way to identify and evaluate potential risks and challenges so that steps can be taken in advance to reduce their impact. Managers can monitor progress and make the necessary adjustments to ensure the project stays on track.

Enhancing communication and coordination among team members

A well-thought-out implementation plan becomes a structured framework for sharing information and providing progress updates. Roles, responsibilities, and dependencies are clarified, promoting seamless teamwork. This fosters effective communication, improves collaboration, and helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

‎For example, a team member may not know the plan’s next stage, or a project manager may want to follow up on a task’s progress. Instead of sending emails back and forth, they can both refer to the implementation plan as a source of truth.

Providing a framework for monitoring and evaluation

Implementation plans establish clear metrics and evaluation criteria, serving as benchmarks to assess the success of the plan. This systematic approach helps monitor key milestones and outcomes, empowering teams to make data-driven, informed decisions.

For example, say a non-profit organization develops an implementation plan for a community outreach program. The plan includes specific metrics to monitor the program’s success, such as the number of individuals reached, the impact of educational workshops, and participant feedback.

Regularly tracking these metrics and evaluating the program’s effectiveness means the organization can make informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate the program’s value to stakeholders and funders.

7 steps to create an implementation plan

Creating an implementation plan requires seven important steps. Let’s break down each one and use the example of a team developing a mobile app to illustrate the process.

Step 1: Define the objective and desired outcomes

The first step is to clearly define the objective of the mobile app or product launch. For example, the objective could be to develop a user-friendly app that simplifies online shopping, and the desired outcome could be a high user adoption rate and positive customer feedback.

Step 2: Identify the key stakeholders and their roles

Identify the key stakeholders involved in the development and launch process, such as the  product team , designers, developers, marketing team, and customer support. Clarify their roles and responsibilities to ensure effective collaboration and smooth project execution.

Step 3: Break down the objective into actionable tasks and steps

Break down the objective into smaller tasks and steps that need to be accomplished. These tasks could include conducting market research, designing a user interface, developing an app, creating marketing materials, and setting up customer support channels.

Step 4: Allocate resources and create a timeline

Allocate the necessary resources, including the budget, personnel, and technology, to support the project’s development and launch.  Create a detailed timeline  with specific deadlines for each task to help ensure that the development process stays on track.

Step 5: Conduct a risk assessment and develop mitigation strategies

Identify potential risks that may arise during the development and launch phase. These risks could include technical issues, competition, or market changes. Develop strategies to mitigate these risks, such as conducting thorough testing, staying updated on market trends, and establishing backup plans.

Step 6: Monitor progress and make the necessary adjustments

Regularly monitor the progress of the development and launch activities. Keep track of milestones, such as completing design iterations or reaching development checkpoints. If any issues or challenges arise, make necessary adjustments to the plan, such as reallocating resources or adjusting the timeline.

Step 7: Evaluate the outcomes and lessons learned

Once the mobile app or product is launched, evaluate its performance against the defined objectives in your implementation plan. Analyze user feedback, adoption rates, and sales data to measure success. Identify lessons learned from the development and launch process to improve future product releases.

Simplify your implementation plan process with Motion

With proper planning and a clear implementation plan, even the most ambitious ideas can become tangible realities. And the right tools make this process all the more efficient. That’s where  Motion’s Project Manager  comes in.

Say goodbye to tedious manual tasks and hello to streamlined efficiency with Motion. The app automates time-consuming aspects of your implementation plan, freeing up your team’s energy for what really matters: executing your vision. With Motion, you can easily align your team, track progress, and achieve successful project outcomes.

Simplify your implementation plan and supercharge your team’s productivity with Motion.  Sign up for a free 7-day trial today .

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How to plan an essay: Essay Planning

• What's in this guide
• Essay Planning
• Additional resources

How to plan an essay

Essay planning is an important step in academic essay writing.

Proper planning helps you write your essay faster, and focus more on the exact question.  As you draft and write your essay, record any changes on the plan as well as in the essay itself, so they develop side by side.

One way to start planning an essay is with a ‘box plan’.

First, decide how many stages you want in your argument – how many important points do you want to make? Then, divide a box into an introduction + one paragraph for each stage + a conclusion.

Next, figure out how many words per paragraph you'll need.

Usually, the introduction and conclusion are each about 10% of the word count. This leaves about 80% of the word count for the body - for your real argument. Find how many words that is, and divide it by the number of body paragraphs you want. That tells you about how many words each paragraph can have.

Remember, each body paragraph discusses one main point, so make sure each paragraph's long enough to discuss the point properly (flexible, but usually at least 150 words).

For example, say the assignment is

Fill in the table as follows:

Next, record each paragraph's main argument, as either a heading or  topic sentence (a sentence to start that paragraph, to immediately make its point clear).

Finally, use dot points to list useful information or ideas from your research notes for each paragraph. Remember to include references so you can connect each point to your reading.

The other useful document for essay planning is the marking rubric .

This indicates what the lecturer is looking for, and helps you make sure all the necessary elements are there.

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• How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples

How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

• Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
• Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
• Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

• Thesis statement
• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary/synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

• Importance of the internet
• Concerns about internet use
• Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
• Data exploring this effect
• Analysis indicating it is overstated
• Students’ reading levels over time
• Why this data is questionable
• Video media
• Interactive media
• Speed and simplicity of online research
• Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
• Evidence indicating its ubiquity
• Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
• Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
• Argument that it introduces students to citation
• Summary of key points
• Value of digital education for students
• Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
• Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
• Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
• Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
• Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
• Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
• Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
• Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
• Link to the Reformation.
• Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
• Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
• Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
• Summarize the history described.
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

• Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
• Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
• Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
• Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
• Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
• Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
• Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
• Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
• Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
• Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
• Answer the research question
• Indicate areas for further study

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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• Implementation Plan for Medical Intervention Words: 564
• The Care Plan Implementation Words: 554
• Implementation Plan Hydrocolloid Words: 1964
• Turnover of Nurses and Implementation Plan Words: 826
• Healthcare Resources Use: Project Implementation Words: 614
• Developing Patient Treatment Plan Words: 943
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Developing an Implementation Plan

Method of obtaining necessary approval and securing support, description of the current problem, explanation of the proposed solution, rationale for selecting proposed solution, description of implementation logistics, resources for required implementation, reference list.

At first, it is necessary to submit a written report to the administrators of the hospital since they should decide whether an intervention can be launched. This report will include several elements. In particular, one should explain the nature of the problem that should be addressed and why it should not be overlooked. Secondly, this document should contain a description of the strategies that are needed to reduce the risk of infection. Much attention should be paid to the implementation plan explaining the steps that the organization should take in order to achieve its goals. Finally, it is important to provide evidence which can illustrate the efficiency of the proposed intervention. Overall, this application is critical for gaining support of hospital administrators. Moreover, one should explain why funds should be provided for the implementation of this program. These are the main aspects of this report.

This plan is aimed at addressing such a problem as catheter-associated urinary tract infection or CAUTI. One should note that CAUTI is one of the most widespread hospital-acquired infections (Rhinehart & Friedman, 2005, p. 26). In particular, it comprises approximately 40 percent of all cases (Rhinehart & Friedman, 2005, p. 26). So, the scale of this problem is one of the reasons why it should attract close attention of healthcare professionals. Additionally, this problem is associated with such risks as urosepsis, cystitis, bacteremia, and many other complications that pose considerable threats (Rhinehart & Friedman, 2005, p. 26). Therefore, CAUTI can significantly impair the health of various patients. Moreover, these people often need to be re-admitted to hospitals. Therefore, it is critical to find methods of reducing the risk of CAUTI since it is a significant healthcare problem affecting a variety of people.

Overall, it is necessary to minimize the use of catheter. One can identify several possible interventions. In particular, medical workers should reduce the days of catheterization. In order to achieve this goal, medical workers should develop protocol which enables them to determine when it is possible to remove a catheter. The main issue is that very often patients continue to use catheters, even though it is no longer necessary. This is one of the details that should be taken into account. This intervention should be applied to both male and female patients who underwent catheterization.

The proposed solution can bring several important benefits. First, it can significantly reduce healthcare risks to which patients can be exposed. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about people who have to undergo catheterization. Therefore, this intervention is vital for improving the quality of patient care. Secondly, this recommendation can reduce the costs associated with urinary tract infection. Therefore, the implementation of this plan can bring several benefits to the organization. Admittedly, there are other methods which can minimize the incidence of CAUTI. For instance, researchers examine the efficiency of different catheters (Rhinehart & Friedman, 2005). Nevertheless, this issue still requires further studies. In contrast, the proposed intervention has already been tested in various hospitals.

Researchers pay close attention to the methods of reducing the risk of CAUTI. Many of the studies indicate that by minimizing the use of catheters, medical workers can prevent people from acquiring this type of infection. For instance, one can mention the study by Lateef et al. (2009) who argue that the decreased used of catheters is correlated with reduced rates of CAUTI. Certainly, very often, the use of catheter is the only method of helping a patient. Nevertheless, medical workers should limit the duration of catheterization. In particular, in many cases, nurses can initiate the removal of catheter, and this strategy can shield a person from the risk of infection (Mori, 2014, p. 15). Similar findings are derived by other scholars who examined the relation between such variables as the duration of catheterization and the risk of urinary tract infection (Yin-Y et al., 2013). It should be noted that this trends have been observed among various patients who could undergo catheterization (Yin-Y et al., 2013). They might differ in terms of gender, age, or medical history. So, the effectiveness of this strategy is the main reason why it has been chosen among others. These are the main aspects that can be identified. On the whole, the proposed intervention is backed up by empirical evidence.

In order to implement this plan, hospital administration should pay close attention to the training of the personnel. In particular, they need to know under what circumstance the use of catheters can be avoided. Moreover, it is critical to develop a protocol that enables medical workers to determine when a catheter can be removed. Furthermore, the implementation of this plan requires the assessment of medical workers’ knowledge about the use of catheters. On the whole, this implementation plan will involve both physicians and nurses. For instance, physicians should clearly determine whether a patient needs a catheter. In turn, nurses will be responsible for its removal. Furthermore, it is necessary to change the procedures which are related to the removal of catheters. For instance, medical workers can apply reminders which help them decide whether a patient should continue to use an indwelling catheter (Yin-Y et al., 2013, p. 108). The implementation of this plan should be overseen by nurse managers. These medical workers should make sure that the guidelines for the removal of catheter are followed by nurses who will be responsible for implementing this intervention. These are the main elements of this intervention.

In order to implement this procedure, the hospital should provide several resources. One should keep in mind that this plan can be implemented by at least ten healthcare professionals who will need to develop guidelines catheterization. Secondly, they need to design booklets that will be distributed to nurses. Secondly, it is necessary to provide booklets describing the eligibility criteria for using a catheter. Additionally, the organization should use printed reminders that are needed to make sure that medical workers remove catheters on time. These reminders can help nurses take better decisions regarding the application of catheters. These materials are needed for the success of this intervention.

Additionally, the organization should assess the readiness of medical workers and their knowledge. It is important to design a test which can show to what extent medical workers are knowledgeable about the application of catheters. This information is necessary for identifying and avoiding pitfalls associated with this intervention. Nurses should know exactly when the use of a catheter is indispensible. Yet, these professionals should also tell when there are alternatives that can be applied to assist a patient. Moreover, they should clearly identify the cases when it can be removed. The results of these tests can be needed for training of nurses. This is why this testing is important for proper implementation of this plan.

Furthermore, this program will involve the use of different software applications. In particular, these programs will be needed for the design of booklets and reminders. Additionally, in order to implement this plan, one should use software that facilitates the analysis of statistical data. This analysis will be carried out at the time when the program is implemented. In this way, one can better evaluate the efficiency of this intervention. This is one of the aspects that should be distinguished.

The cost of this program can range from $ 25 000 to $ 50.000. These expenses will be needed for implementing the following parts of the plan: 1) developing and conducting pre-program tests; 2) designing booklets and guidelines and 3) follow-up assessment. The exact amount of money will depend on the number of medical workers who may need to be trained. Nevertheless, these expenses can be justified because in the long term, the hospital can reduce the costs associated with CAUTI.

Additionally, one should focus on the evaluation of this program. In particular, it is critical to compare the rate of CAUTI before and after the implementation of this plan. This evaluation should measure the impact of the intervention on the rate of CAUTI. On the whole, this program can significantly improve the experiences of patients who may need to undergo catheterization. To some degree, this plan can offer the most cost-effective solution to this problem.

Lateef, O., Killeen, E. K., Ketchem, A., Wiley, A., & Patel, G. (2009) Reducing use of indwelling urinary catheters and associated urinary tract infections. American Journal of Critical care , 18 (6), 535-541.

Mori, C. (2014). Avoiding catastrophe: Implementing a nurse-driven protocol.  MEDSURG Nursing . 23 (2), 15-28.

Rhinehart, E., & Friedman, M. (2005). Infection Control in Home Care and Hospice . New York, NY: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Yin-Y, C., Mei-M, C., Yu C., Yu-J, C., Shin-S., & Fu-Der, W. (2013). Using a criteria based reminder to reduce use of indwelling urinary catheter and decrease urinary tract infections. American Journal of Critical Care,22 (2), 105-14.

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The Complete Guide to Writing a Strategic Plan

By Joe Weller | April 12, 2019 (updated March 26, 2024)

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Writing a strategic plan can be daunting, as the process includes many steps. In this article, you’ll learn the basics of writing a strategic plan, what to include, common challenges, and more.

Included on this page, you'll find details on what to include in a strategic plan , the importance of an executive summary , how to write a mission statement , how to write a vision statement , and more.

The Basics of Writing a Strategic Plan

The strategic planning process takes time, but the payoff is huge. If done correctly, your strategic plan will engage and align stakeholders around your company’s priorities.

Strategic planning, also called strategy development or analysis and assessment , requires attention to detail and should be performed by someone who can follow through on next steps and regular updates. Strategic plans are not static documents — they change as new circumstances arise, both internally and externally.

Before beginning the strategic planning process, it’s important to make sure you have buy-in from management, a board of directors, or other leaders. Without it, the process cannot succeed.

Next, gather your planning team. The group should include people from various departments at different levels, and the planning process should be an open, free discussion within the group. It’s important for leaders to get input from the group as a whole, but they don’t necessarily need approval from everyone — that will slow down the process.

The plan author is responsible for writing and putting the final plan together and should work with a smaller group of writers to establish and standardize the tone and style of the final document or presentation.

Sometimes, it’s a good idea to hire an external party to help facilitate the strategic planning process.

“It often can be helpful to have a really good facilitator to organize and pursue strategic conversations,” says Professor John M. Bryson, McKnight Presidential Professor of Planning and Public Affairs at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota and author of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement .

Byson says the facilitator can be in-house or external, but they need experience. “You need to make sure someone is good, so there needs to be a vetting process,” he says.

One way to gauge a facilitator’s experience is by asking how they conduct conversations. “It’s important for facilitators to lead by asking questions,” Bryson says.

Bryson says that strong facilitators often ask the following questions:

What is the situation we find ourselves in?

What do we do?

How do we do it?

How do we link our purposes to our capabilities?

The facilitators also need to be able to handle conflict and diffuse situations by separating idea generation from judgement. “Conflict is part of strategic planning,” Bryson admits. “[Facilitators] need to hold the conversations open long enough to get enough ideas out there to be able to make wise choices.”

These outside helpers are sometimes more effective than internal facilitators since they are not emotionally invested in the outcome of the process. Thus, they can concentrate on the process and ask difficult questions.

A strategic plan is a dynamic document or presentation that details your company’s present situation, outlines your future plans, and shows you how the company can get there. You can take many approaches to the process and consider differing ideas about what needs to go into it, but some general concepts stand.

“Strategic planning is a prompt or a facilitator for fostering strategic thinking, acting, and learning,” says Bryson. He explains that he often begins planning projects with three questions:

What do you want to do?

How are we going to do it?

What would happen if you did what you want to do?

The answers to these questions make up the meat of the planning document.

A strategic plan is only effective when the writing and thinking is clear, since the intent is to help an organization keep to its mission through programs and capacity, while also building stakeholder engagement.

Question 1: Where Are We Now?

The answer (or answers) to the first question — where are we now? — addresses the foundation of your organization, and it can serve as an outline for the following sections of your strategic plan:

Mission statement

Core values and guiding principles

Identification of competing organizations

Industry analysis (this can include a SWOT or PEST analysis)

Question 2: Where Are We Going?

The answers to this question help you identify your goals for the future of the business and assess whether your current trajectory is the future you want. These aspects of the plan outline a strategy for achieving success and can include the following:

Vision statement about what the company will look like in the future

What is happening (both internally and externally) and what needs to change

The factors necessary for success

Question 3: How Do We Get There?

The answers to this question help you outline the many routes you can take to achieve your vision and match your strengths with opportunities in the market. A Gantt chart can help you map out and keep track of these initiatives.

You should include the following sections:

Specific and measurable goals

An execution plan that identifies who manages and monitors the plan

An evaluation plan that shows how you plan to measure the successes and setbacks that come with implementation

What to Include in a Strategic Plan

Strategic planning terminology is not standardized throughout the industry, and this can lead to confusion. Instead, strategic planning experts use many names for the different sections of a strategic plan.

“The terms are all over the map. It’s really the concept of what the intention of the terms are [that is important],” says Denise McNerney, President and CEO of iBossWell, Inc. , and incoming president of the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP). She recommends coming up with a kind of glossary that defines the terms for your team. “One of the most important elements when you’re starting the strategic planning process is to get some clarity on the nomenclature. It’s just what works for your organization. Every organization is slightly different.”

No matter what terms you use, the general idea of a strategic plan is the same. “It’s like drawing a map for your company. One of the first steps is committing to a process, then determining how you’re going to do it,” McNerney explains.

She uses a basic diagram that she calls the strategic plan architecture . The areas above the red dotted line are the strategic parts of the plan. Below the red dotted line are the implementation pieces.

While the specific terminology varies, basic sections of a strategic plan include the following in roughly this order:

Executive summary

Elevator pitch or company description

Vision statement

Industry analysis

Marketing plan

Operations plan

Financial projections

Evaluation methods

Signature page

Some plans will contain all the above sections, but others will not — what you include depends on your organization’s structure and culture.

“I want to keep it simple, so organizations can be successful in achieving [the strategic plan],” McNerney explains. “Your plan has to be aligned with your culture and your culture needs to be aligned with your plan if you’re going to be successful in implementing it.”

The following checklist will help you keep track of what you have done and what you still need to do.

‌ Download Strategic Plan Sections Checklist

How to Write a Strategic Plan

Once you’ve assembled your team and defined your terms, it’s time to formalize your ideas by writing the strategic plan. The plan may be in the form of a document, a presentation, or another format.

You can use many models and formats to create your strategic plan (read more about them in this article ). However, you will likely need to include some basic sections, regardless of the particular method you choose (even if the order and way you present them vary). In many cases, the sections of a strategic plan build on each other, so you may have to write them in order.

One tip: Try to avoid jargon and generic terms; for example, words like maximize and succeed lose their punch. Additionally, remember that there are many terms for the same object in strategic planning.

The following sections walk you through how to write common sections of a strategic plan.

How to Write an Executive Summary

The key to writing a strong executive summary is being clear and concise. Don’t feel pressured to put anything and everything into this section — executive summaries should only be about one to two pages long and include the main points of the strategic plan.

The idea is to pique the reader’s interest and get them to read the rest of the plan. Because it functions as a review of the entire document, write the executive summary after you complete the rest of your strategic plan.

“If you have a plan that’s really lengthy, you should have a summary,” says Jim Stockmal, President of the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP). He always writes summaries last, after he has all the data and information he needs for the plan. He says it is easier to cut than to create something.

For more information about writing an effective executive summary, a checklist, and free templates, read this article .

If you want a one-page executive summary, this template can help you decide what information to include.

Download One-Page Executive Summary Template

Excel | Word | PDF

How to Write a Company Description

Also called an elevator pitch , the company description is a brief outline of your organization and what it does. It should be short enough that it can be read or heard during the average elevator ride.

The company description should include the history of your company, the major products and services you provide, and any highlights and accomplishments, and it should accomplish the following:

Define what you are as a company.

Describe what the company does.

Identify your ideal client and customer.

Highlight what makes your company unique.

While this may seem basic, the company description changes as your company grows and changes. For example, your ideal customer five years ago might not be the same as the current standard or the one you want in five years.

Share the company description with everyone in your organization. If employees cannot accurately articulate what you do to others, you might miss out on opportunities.

How to Write a Mission Statement

The mission statement explains what your business is trying to achieve. In addition to guiding your entire company, it also helps your employees make decisions that move them toward the company’s overall mission and goals.

“Ideally, [the mission statement is] something that describes what you’re about at the highest level,” McNerney says. “It’s the reason you exist or what you do.”

Strong mission statements can help differentiate your company from your competitors and keep you on track toward your goals. It can also function as a type of tagline for your organization.

Mission statements should do the following:

Define your company’s purpose. Say what you do, who you do it for, and why it is valuable.

Use specific and easy-to-understand language.

Be inspirational while remaining realistic.

Be short and succinct.

This is your chance to define the way your company will make decisions based on goals, culture, and ethics. Mission statements should not be vague or generic, and they should set your business apart from others. If your mission statement could define many companies in your line of work, it is not a good mission statement.

Mission statements don’t have to be only outward-facing for customers or partners. In fact, it is also possible to include what your company does for its employees in your mission statement.

Unlike other parts of your strategic plan that are designed to be reviewed and edited periodically, your company’s mission statement should live as is for a while.

That said, make the effort to edit and refine your mission statement. Take out jargon like world class, best possible, state of the art, maximize, succeed , and so on, and cut vague or unspecific phrasing. Then let your strategic planning committee review it.

How to Write a Vision Statement

Every action your company does contributes to its vision. The vision statement explains what your company wants to achieve in the long term and can help inspire and align your team.

“The vision is the highest-ordered statement of the desired future or state of what you want your business to achieve,” McNerney explains.

A clear vision statement can help all stakeholders understand the meaning and purpose of your company. It should encourage and inspire employees while setting your company’s direction. It also helps you rule out elements that might not align with your vision.

Vision statements should be short (a few sentences). They should also be memorable, specific, and ambitious. But there is a fine line between being ambitious and creating a fantasy. The vision should be clearly attainable if you follow the goals and objectives you outline later in your strategic planning plan.

Because you need to know your company’s goals and objectives to create an accurate vision statement, you might need to wait until you have more information about the company’s direction to write your vision statement.

Below are questions to ask your team as you craft your vision statement:

What impact do we want to have on our community and industry?

How will we interact with others as a company?

What is the culture of the business?

Avoid broad statements that could apply to any company or industry. For example, phrases like “delivering a wonderful experience” could apply to many industries. Write in the present tense, avoid jargon, and be clear and concise.

Vision statements should accomplish the following:

Be inspiring.

Focus on success.

Look at and project about five to 10 years ahead.

Stay in line with the goals and values of your organization.

Once you write your vision statement, communicate it to everyone in your company. Your team should be able to easily understand and repeat the company’s vision statement. Remember, the statements can change as the environment in and around your company changes.

The Difference Between Mission and Vision Statements

Mission and vision statements are both important, but they serve very different purposes.

Mission statements show why a business exists, while vision statements are meant to inspire and provide direction. Mission statements are about the present, and vision statements are about the future. The mission provides items to act upon, and the vision offers goals to aspire to.

For example, if a vision statement is “No child goes to bed hungry,” the accompanying mission would be to provide food banks within the city limits.

While many organizations have both mission and vision statements, it’s not imperative. “Not everyone has a vision statement,” McNerney says. “Some organizations just have one.”

If you choose to have only one statement, McNerney offers some advice: “Any statement you have, if you have just one, needs to include what [you do], how [you do it], why [you do it], and who you do it for.”

During the planning process, these key statements might change. “Early on in the process, you need to talk about what you are doing and why and how you are doing it. Sometimes you think you know where you want to go, but you’re not really sure,” McNerney says. “You need to have flexibility both on the plan content and in the process.”

How to Write Your Company’s Core Values

Company core values , sometimes called organizational values , help you understand what drives the company to do what it does. In this section, you’ll learn a lot about your company and the people who work with you. It should be relatively easy to write.

“The values are the core of how you operate [and] how you treat your people, both internally and externally. Values describe the behaviors you really want to advance,” McNerney says.

There are both internal and external values looking at your employees and coworkers, as well as customers and outside stakeholders. Pinpointing values will help you figure out the traits of the people you want to hire and promote, as well as the qualities you’re looking for in your customers.

Your values should align with your vision statement and highlight your strengths while mitigating weaknesses. McNerney says many organizations do not really consider or are not honest about their company’s values when working on strategic plans, which can lead to failure.

“Your strategies have to align with your values and vice versa,” she explains.

Many companies’ values sound like meaningless jargon, so take the time to figure out what matters to your company and push beyond generic language.

How to Write about Your Industry

When planning ahead for your business, it’s important to look around. How are matters inside your company? What are your competitors doing? Who are your target customers?

“[If you don’t do a thorough industry analysis], you’re doing your planning with your head in the sand. If you’re not looking at the world around you, you’re missing a whole dimension about what should inform your decision making,” McNerney advises.

Writing about your industry helps you identify new opportunities for growth and shows you how you need to change in order to take advantage of those opportunities. Identify your key competitors, and define what you see as their strengths and weaknesses. Performing this analysis will help you figure out what you do best and how you compare to your competition. Once you know what you do well, you can exploit your strengths to your advantage.

In this section, also include your SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. You can choose from many templates to help you write this section.

Next, identify your target customers. Think about what they want and need, as well as how you can provide it. Do your competitors attract your target customers, or do you have a niche that sets you apart?

The industry analysis carries a price, but also provides many benefits. “It takes some time and money to do [a thorough industry analysis], but the lack of that understanding says a lot about the future of your organization. If you don’t know what is going on around you, how can you stay competitive?” explains McNerney.

How to Write Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives

This section is the bulk of your strategic plan. Many people confuse goals and objectives, thinking the terms are interchangeable, but many argue that the two are distinct. You can think of them this way:

Goals : Goals are broad statements about what you want to achieve as a company, and they’re usually qualitative. They function as a description of where you want to go, and they can address both the short and long term.

Objectives : Objectives support goals, and they’re usually quantitative and measurable. They describe how you will measure the progress needed to arrive at the destination you outlined in the goal. More than one objective can support one goal.

For example, if your goal is to achieve success as a strategic planner, your objective would be to write all sections of the strategic plan in one month.

iBossWell, Inc.’s McNerney reiterates that there are not hard and fast definitions for the terms goals and objectives , as well as many other strategic planning concepts. “I wouldn’t attempt to put a definition to the terms. You hear the terms goals and objectives a lot, but they mean different things to different people. What some people call a goal , others call an objective . What some people call an objective , others would call a KPI. ” They key, she explains, is to decide what the terms mean in your organization, explain the definitions to key stakeholders, and stick to those definitions.

How to Write Goals

Goals form the basis of your strategic plan. They set out your priorities and initiatives, and therefore are critical elements and define what your plan will accomplish. Some planning specialists use the term strategic objectives or strategic priorities when referring to goals, but for clarity, this article will use the term goals.

“[Goals] are the higher level that contain several statements about what your priorities are,” McNerney explains. They are often near the top of your plan’s hierarchy.

Each goal should reflect something you uncovered during the analysis phase of your strategic planning process. Goals should be precise and concise statements, not long narratives. For example, your goals might be the following:

Eliminate case backlog.

Lower production costs.

Increase total revenue.

Each goal should have a stated outcome and a deadline. Think of goal writing as a formula: Action + detail of the action + a measurable metric + a deadline = goal. For example, your goal might be: Increase total revenue by 5 percent in three product areas by the third quarter of 2020.

Another way to look at it: Verb (action) + adjective (description) = noun (result). An example goal: Increase website fundraising.

Your goals should strike a balance between being aspirational and tangible. You want to stretch your limits, but not make them too difficult to reach. Your entire organization and stakeholders should be able to remember and understand your goals.

Think about goals with varying lengths. Some should go out five to 10 years, others will be shorter — some significantly so. Some goals might even be quarterly, monthly, or weekly. But be careful to not create too many goals. Focus on the ones that allow you to zero in on what is critical for your company’s success. Remember, several objectives and action steps will likely come from each goal.

How to Write Objectives

Objectives are the turn-by-turn directions of how to achieve your goals. They are set in statement and purpose with no ambiguity about whether you achieve them or not.

Your goals are where you want to go. Next, you have to determine how to get there, via a few different objectives that support each goal. Note that objectives can cover several areas.

“You need implementation elements of the plan to be successful,” McNerney says, adding that some people refer to objectives as tactics , actions , and many other terms.

Objectives often begin with the words increase or decrease because they are quantifiable and measurable. You will know when you achieve an objective. They are action items, often with start and end dates.

Use the goal example from earlier: Increase total revenue by 5 percent in three product areas by the third quarter of 2020. In this example, your objectives could be:

Approach three new possible clients each month.

Promote the three key product areas on the website and in email newsletters.

Think of the acronym SMART when writing objectives: Make them specific, measurable, achievable, realistic/relevant, and time-bound.

Breaking down the process further, some strategic planners use the terms strategies and tactics to label ways to achieve objectives. Using these terms, strategies describe an approach or method you will use to achieve an objective. A tactic is a specific activity or project that achieves the strategy, which, in turn, helps achieve the objective.

How to Write about Capacity, Operations Plans, Marketing Plans, and Financial Plans

After you come up with your goals and objectives, you need to figure out who will do what, how you will market what they do, and how you will pay for what you need to do.

“If you choose to shortchange the process [and not talk about capacity and finances], you need to know what the consequences will be,” explains McNerney. “If you do not consider the additional costs or revenues your plan is going to drive, you may be creating a plan you cannot implement.”

To achieve all the goals outlined in your strategic plan, you need the right people in place. Include a section in your strategic plan where you talk about the capacity of your organization. Do you have the team members to accomplish the objectives you have outlined in order to reach your goals? If not, you may need to hire personnel.

The operations plan maps out your initiatives and shows you who is going to do what, when, and how. This helps transform your goals and objectives into a reality. A summary of it should go into your strategic plan. If you need assistance writing a comprehensive implementation plan for your organization, this article can guide you through the process.

A marketing plan describes how you attract prospects and convert them into customers. You don’t need to include the entire marketing plan in your strategic plan, but you might want to include a summary. For more information about writing marketing plans, this article can help.

Then there are finances. We would all like to accomplish every goal, but sometimes we do not have enough money to do so. A financial plan can help you set your priorities. Check out these templates to help you get started with a financial plan.

How to Write Performance Indicators

In order to know if you are reaching the goals you outline in your strategic plan, you need performance indicators. These indicators will show you what success looks like and ensure accountability. Sadly, strategic plans have a tendency to fail when nobody periodically assesses progress.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) can show you how your business is progressing. KPIs can be both financial and nonfinancial measures that help you chart your progress and take corrective measures if actions are not unfolding as they should. Other terms similar to KPIs include performance measures and performance indicators .

Performance indicators are not always financial, but they must be quantifiable. For example, tracking visitors to a website, customers completing a contact form, or the number of proposals that close with deals are all performance indicators that keep you on track toward achieving your goals.

When writing your performance indicators, pay attention to the following:

Define how often you need to report results.

Every KPI must have some sort of measure.

List a measure and a time period.

Note the data source where you will get your information to measure and track.

ASP’s Stockmal has some questions for you to ask yourself about picking performance indicators.

Are you in control of the performance measure?

Does the performance measure support the strategic outcomes?

Is it feasible?

Is data available?

Who is collecting that data, and how will they do it?

Is the data timely?

Is it cost-effective to collect that data?

ls the goal quantifiable, and can you measure it over time?

Are your targets realistic and time-bound?

Stockmal also says performance indicators cannot focus on only one thing at the detriment of another. “Don’t lose what makes you good,” he says. He adds that focusing on one KPI can hurt other areas of a company’s performance, so reaching a goal can be short-sided.

Some performance indicators can go into your strategic plan, but you might want to set other goals for your organization. A KPI dashboard can help you set up and track your performance and for more information about setting up a KPI dashboard, this article can help.

Communicating Your Strategic Plan

While writing your strategic plan, you should think about how to share it. A plan is no good if it sits on a shelf and nobody reads it.

“After the meetings are over, you have to turn your strategy into action,” says Stefan Hofmeyer, an experienced strategist and co-founder of Global PMI Partners . “Get in front of employees and present the plan [to get everyone involved].” Hofmeyer explains his research has shown that people stay with companies not always because of money, but often because they buy into the organization’s vision and want to play a part in helping it get where it wants to go. “These are the people you want to keep because they are invested,” he says.

Decide who should get a physical copy of the entire plan. This could include management, the board of directors, owners, and more. Do your best to keep it from your competitors. If you distribute it outside of your company, you might want to attach a confidentiality waiver.

You can communicate your plan to stakeholders in the following ways:

Hold a meeting to present the plan in person.

Highlight the plan in a company newsletter.

Include the plan in new employee onboarding.

Post the plan on the employee intranet, along with key highlights and a way to track progress.

If you hold a meeting, make sure you and other key planners are prepared to handle the feedback and discussion that will arise. You should be able to defend your plan and reinforce its key areas. The goal of the plan’s distribution is to make sure everyone understands their role in making the plan successful.

Remind people of your company’s mission, vision, and values to reinforce their importance. You can use posters or other visual methods to post around the office. The more that people feel they play an important part in the organization’s success, they more successful you will be in reaching your goals of your strategic plan.

Challenges in Writing a Strategic Plan

As mentioned, strategic planning is a process and involves a team. As with any team activity, there will be challenges.

Sometimes the consensus can take priority over what is clear. Peer pressure can be a strong force, especially if a boss or other manager is the one making suggestions and people feel pressured to conform. Some people might feel reluctant to give any input because they do not think it matters to the person who ultimately decides what goes into the plan.

Team troubles can also occur when one or more members does not think the plan is important or does not buy into the process. Team leaders need to take care of these troubles before they get out of hand.

Pay attention to your company culture and the readiness you have as a group, and adapt the planning process to fit accordingly. You need to find the balance between the process and the final product.

The planning process takes time. Many organizations do not give themselves enough time to plan properly, and once you finish planning, writing the document or presentation also takes time, as does implementation. Don’t plan so much that you ignore how you are going to put the plan into action. One symptom of this is not aligning the plan to fit the capacity or finances of the company.

Stockmal explains that many organizations often focus too much on the future and reaching their goals that they forget what made them a strong company in the first place. Business architecture is important, which Stockmal says is “building the capabilities the organization needs to fulfill its strategy.” He adds that nothing happens if there is no budget workers to do the work necessary to drive change.

Be careful with the information you gather. Do not take shortcuts in the research phase — that will lead to bad information coming out further in the process. Also, do not ignore negative information you may learn. Overcoming adversity is one way for companies to grow.

Be wary of cutting and pasting either from plans from past years or from other similar organizations. Every company is unique.

And while this may sound obvious, do not ignore what your planning process tells you. Your research might show you should not go in a direction you might want to.

Writing Different Types of Strategic Plans

The strategic planning process will differ based on your organization, but the basic concepts will stay the same. Whether you are a nonprofit, a school, or a for-profit entity, strategic plans will look at where you are and how you will get to where you want to go.

How to Write a Strategic Plan for a Nonprofit

For a nonprofit, the strategic plan’s purpose is mainly how to best advance the mission. It’s imperative to make sure the mission statement accurately fits the organization.

In addition to a SWOT analysis and other sections that go into any strategic plan, a nonprofit needs to keep an eye on changing factors, such as funding. Some funding sources have finite beginnings and endings. Strategic planning is often continuous for nonprofits.

A nonprofit has to make the community care about its cause. In a for-profit organization, the marketing department works to promote the company’s product or services to bring in new revenue. For a nonprofit, however, conveying that message needs to be part of the strategic plan.

Coming up with an evaluation method and KPIs can sometimes be difficult for a nonprofit, since they are often focused on goals other than financial gain. For example, a substance abuse prevention coalition is trying to keep teens from starting to drink or use drugs, and proving the coalition’s methods work is often difficult to quantify.

This template can help you visually outline your strategic plan for your nonprofit.

Download Nonprofit Strategic Plan Template

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How to Write a Strategic Plan for a School

Writing a strategic plan for a school can be difficult because of the variety of stakeholders involved, including students, teachers, other staff, and parents.

Strategic planning in a school is different from others because there are no markets to explore, products to produce, clients to woo, or adjustable timelines. Schools often have set boundaries, missions, and budgets.

Even with the differences, the same planning process and structure should be in place for schools as it is for other types of organizations.

This template can help your university or school outline your strategic plan.

‌ ‌Download University Strategic Plan Outline – Word

How to Write a 5-Year Strategic Plan

There is no set time period for a strategic plan, but five years can be a sweet spot. In some cases, yearly planning might keep you continually stuck in the planning process, while 10 years might be too far out.

In addition to the basic sections that go into any strategic plan, when forecasting five years into the future, put one- and three-year checkpoints into the plan so you can track progress intermittently.

How to Write a 3-Year Strategic Plan

While five years is often the strategic planning sweet spot, some organizations choose to create three-year plans. Looking too far ahead can be daunting, especially for a new or changing company.

In a three-year plan, the goals and objectives have a shorter timeframe and you need to monitor them more frequently. Build those checkpoints into the plan.

“Most organizations do a three- to five-year plan now because they recognize the technology and the changes in business that are pretty dynamic now,” Stockmal says.

How to Write a Departmental Strategic Plan

The first step in writing a strategic plan for your department is to pay attention to your company’s overall strategic plan. You want to make sure the plans align.

The steps in creating a plan for a department are the same as for an overall strategic plan, but the mission statement, vision, SWOT analysis, goals, objectives, and so on are specific to only the people in your department. Look at each person separately and consider their core competencies, strengths, capabilities, and weaknesses. Assign people who will be responsible for certain tasks and tactics necessary to achieve your goals.

If you have access to a plan from a previous year, see how your department did in meeting its goals. Adjust the new plan accordingly.

When you finish your departmental plan, make sure to submit it to whomever is responsible for your company’s overall plan. Expect to make changes.

How to Write a Strategic Plan for a Project

A strategic plan is for the big picture, not for a particular project for an organization. Instead of a strategic plan, this area would fall under project management.

If you have a failing project and need to turn it around, this article might help.

How to Write a Personal Strategic Plan

Creating a strategic plan isn’t only for businesses. You can also create a strategic plan to help guide both your professional and personal life. The key is to include what is important to you. This process takes time and reflection.

Be prepared for what you discover about yourself. Because you will be looking at your strengths and weaknesses, you might see things you do not like. It is important to be honest with yourself. A SWOT analysis on yourself will give you some honest feedback if you let it.

Begin with looking at your life as it is now. Are you satisfied? What do you want to do more or less? What do you value most in your life? Go deeper than saying family, happiness, and health. This exercise will help you clarify your values.

Once you know what is important to you, come up with a personal mission statement that reflects the values you cherish. As it does within a business, this statement will help guide you in making future decisions. If something does not fit within your personal mission, you shouldn’t do it.

Using the information you discovered during your SWOT and mission statement process, come up with goals that align with your values. The goals can be broad, but don’t forget to include action items and timeframes to help you reach your goals.

As for the evaluation portion, identify how you will keep yourself accountable and on track. You might involve a person to remind you about your plan, calendar reminders, small rewards when you achieve a goal, or another method that works for you.

Below is additional advice for personal strategic plans:

There are things you can control and things you cannot. Keep your focus on what you can act on.

Look at the positive instead of what you will give up. For example, instead of focusing on losing weight, concentrate on being healthier.

Do not overcommit, and do not ignore the little details that help you reach your goals.

No matter what, do not dwell on setbacks and remember to celebrate successes.

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Implementing the Writing Process

About this Strategy Guide

This strategy guide explains the writing process and offers practical methods for applying it in your classroom to help students become proficient writers.

Research Basis

Strategy in practice, related resources.

The writing process—prewriting, drafting, revising and editing, rewriting, publishing—mirrors the way proficient writers write. In using the writing process, your students will be able to break writing into manageable chunks and focus on producing quality material. The final stage, publishing, ensures that students have an audience. Students can even coach each other during various stages of the process for further emphasis on audience and greater collaboration during editing.  Studies show that students who learn the writing process score better on state writing tests than those who receive only specific instruction in the skills assessed on the test. This type of authentic writing produces lifelong learners and allows students to apply their writing skills to all subjects. Success in writing greatly depends on a student’s attitude, motivation, and engagement. The writing process takes these elements into account by allowing students to plan their writing and create a publishable, final draft of their work of which they can be proud. It addresses students’ need for a real audience and to take the time to draft and redraft their work. You can help your students think carefully about each stage of their writing by guiding them through the writing process repeatedly throughout the year and across various content areas.

The writing process involves teaching students to write in a variety of genres, encouraging creativity, and incorporating writing conventions. This process can be used in all areas of the curriculum and provides an excellent way to connect instruction with state writing standards. The following are ways to implement each step of the writing process:

• Prewriting—This step involves brainstorming, considering purpose and goals for writing, using graphic organizers to connect ideas, and designing a coherent structure for a writing piece. For kindergarten students, scribbling and invented spelling are legitimate stages of writing development; the role of drawing as a prewriting tool becomes progressively less important as writers develop. Have young students engage in whole-class brainstorming to decide topics on which to write. For students in grades 3-5, have them brainstorm individually or in small groups with a specific prompt, such as, “Make a list of important people in your life,” for example. Online graphic organizers might help upper elementary students to organize their ideas for specific writing genres during the prewriting stage. Examples are the Essay Map , Notetaker , or Persuasion Map .
• Drafting—Have students work independently at this stage. Confer with students individually as they write, offering praise and suggestions while observing areas with which students might be struggling and which might warrant separate conference time or minilessons.
• Revising and Editing—Show students how to revise specific aspects of their writing to make it more coherent and clear during minilessons. You can model reading your own writing and do a think aloud about how you could add more details and make it clearer. Teach students to reread their own work more than once as they think about whether it really conveys what they want to their reader. Reading their work aloud to classmates and other adults helps them to understand what revisions are needed. Your ELLs will develop greater language proficiency as they collaborate with their peers when revising.
• Rewriting—Have students incorporate changes as they carefully write or type their final drafts.

Rubrics help to make expectations and grading procedures clear, and provide a formative assessment to guide and improve your instruction. The Sample Writing Rubric , for example, can be used for upper elementary students.

As you work with your students to implement the writing process, they will begin to master writing and take it into all aspects of life. Peer review, with clear guidelines for students to give feedback on each other’s work, motivates students, allows them to discuss their writing with their peers, and makes the work load a little lighter for you. The Peer Edit with Perfection! PowerPoint Tutorial is a useful tool to teach students how to peer review and edit. You can also have students can edit their own work using a checklist, such as the Editing Checklist . Editing is when students have already revised content but need to correct mistakes in terms of spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and word choice. Use minilessons, small-group lessons, or individual conferencing if necessary to make sure that students have made thoughtful changes to their writing content before moving on to the final draft.

• Publishing—Encourage students to publish their works in a variety of ways, such as a class book, bulletin board, letters to the editor, school newsletter, or website. The ReadWriteThink Printing Press tool is useful for creating newspapers, brochures, flyers and booklets. Having an authentic audience beyond the classroom gives student writing more importance and helps students to see a direct connection between their lives and their literacy development.
• Lesson Plans
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It's not easy surviving fourth grade (or third or fifth)! In this lesson, students brainstorm survival tips for future fourth graders and incorporate those tips into an essay.

Students are encouraged to understand a book that the teacher reads aloud to create a new ending for it using the writing process.

While drafting a literary analysis essay (or another type of argument) of their own, students work in pairs to investigate advice for writing conclusions and to analyze conclusions of sample essays. They then draft two conclusions for their essay, select one, and reflect on what they have learned through the process.

The Essay Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to organize and outline their ideas for an informational, definitional, or descriptive essay.

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

The Stapleless Book can be used for taking notes while reading, making picture books, collecting facts, or creating vocabulary booklets . . . the possibilities are endless!

Students examine the different ways that they write and think about the role writing plays in life.

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How to Write an Action Plan (Example Included)

You’re likely eager to meet your goals, whether they’re personal or professional. Without an action plan, however, there’s no roadmap on how to get there. This is where a well-designed plan can make it easier to track and meet your goals.

What Is an Action Plan?

In project management , an action plan is a document that lists the action steps needed to achieve project goals and objectives. Therefore, it clarifies what resources you’ll need to reach those goals, makes a timeline for the action items and determines what team members are required. We’ll define what project goals, project objectives, action items and action steps are later in this guide.

An action plan is similar to a project implementation plan, and it’s very helpful during the project planning and project execution phases. That’s because an action plan documents the execution of the project plan; it’s a detailed list of the work that must be done to complete the project goals, from the start of the project to the finish.

Not only are you figuring out the action steps and timeline, but you’ll also determine who you’ll assemble for your project team to work on those tasks. This requires robust project management software like ProjectManager . ProjectManager offers multiple planning tools such as Gantt charts, kanban boards, project calendars and more. Best of all, these project planning views sync with project dashboards, timesheets and workload charts to keep track of progress, project resources and costs.

What Is the Purpose of an Action Plan?

The main goal of an action plan is to outline the resources and timeline needed to reach the project’s goals. It helps clarify objectives and provides a clear vision of the desired outcome. As the name suggests, it breaks down the goal into actionable steps and assigns responsibilities, so everyone on the team understands the key deadlines and how resources will be used.

Beyond the logistics, an action plan also provides a framework to track progress and adjust to stay on track. For example, if the goal is to launch a new product by Nov. 1 but market research isn’t finished until Oct. 25th, the plan will need to be adjusted accordingly. If risks develop along the way, contingency plans can mitigate any adverse outcomes. Finally, it provides a basis for measuring success once the goals are achieved.

Who Should Make Action Plans?

While project managers use action plans, other team leaders and business managers who execute a project or a process can also use them. Action plans can be used alone or with a team; in scenarios where the team is involved, the leader will assemble the plan and gather everyone’s input.

Here’s an overview of who should be involved in creation and implementation:

• Project Management Professionals: Project, program and project portfolio managers and project management offices ( PMOs )
• Business Operations Management Teams: Department heads, functional managers and supervisors
• Organizational Planning Teams: Top management team, executives, board of directors and project sponsors

For example, the project manager will develop the action plan to oversee the project from start to finish. This ensures the project is executed on track and within scope. Project sponsors will look over the plan to confirm that it aligns with strategic goals, and stakeholders will use it to stay informed on the overall progress and how it impacts their interests.

Action Plan vs. Project Plan

While action plans and project plans are two important project management tools, they’re used differently. An action plan narrows the steps needed to achieve a particular goal. It’s often used for small tasks or project initiatives. Components of an action plan include tasks, responsibilities, deadlines, resources and status. For example, an action plan for launching a new product includes market research, product development and a plan to launch the product into the market.

A project plan , on the other hand, is an overarching framework of how to manage a project from beginning to end. It‘s broader in scope and covers all areas of the project. Components of the project plan include objectives, scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), schedule, budget, risk management plan, communication plan and quality plan.

Action Plan Components

An action plan answers the who, what and when of what you’re proposing. Those questions are answered by the various components that make up the plan. The following are the basic building blocks of a successful plan.

• Goals and Objectives: Before you make any plan, set goals and objectives. It’s key to understand what you are trying to achieve before you start defining steps to get there.
• Action Steps: These steps are the answer to the question of what. They’re the activities that’ll lead to achieving your goal. Steps detail what will happen, and the more detail, the better.
• Action Items: The action items are the specific, small tasks that make up the action plan steps. These are the tasks that, when executed, lead to the next  step. It’s important to define the priority level of these action items as well as the deliverables expected from them.
• Timeline: A  timeline is the whole action plan laid out from start to finish. It shows the full duration and every step and task is also plotted on this timeline, including their start and end dates.
• Resources: Resources are anything needed to execute the action plan. That includes labor, materials, equipment, etc. You’ll want to identify the resources you’ll need and attach them to the tasks to which they’ll be applied.
• Costs: Resources, such as people and equipment, are going to cost money. Be sure to identify the costs that are obvious or hidden deep within your action plan.
• Action Plan Matrix: A matrix is just a tool to help you determine which tasks you need to complete and in what order. Use our free action plan template to outline the steps, items, timeline and resources you’ll need to get the plan done right.
• Action Plan Report: You’ll need to ensure your actual progress matches your planned progress. To track progress, you’ll want to use an action plan report, which is a snapshot of your time, costs and more over a specific period.

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Action Plan Template

Use this free Action Plan Template for Excel to manage your projects better.

Types of Action Plans

There are many different types of action plans that are used on various kinds of strategic initiatives. Each is similar in makeup but differs in their goals. Here are a few of the varieties.

Business Action Plan

A business action plan is used to set goals and tasks when you want to start a business or grow an existing business. It outlines the vision for the business and the actions you’ll take to achieve that vision.

Project Action Plan

An action plan for a project is really no different from a general action plan. The only difference is that it’s about producing a deliverable at the end of the plan, whether that be a product or service.

Personal Action Plan

Again, a personal action plan differs little from any other, except for the goal. For example, a personal action plan might be for an individual to exercise more. Therefore, the goal might be to walk for a half-hour a day, say, during lunchtime.

How to Write an Action Plan for Project Management in 10 Steps

The benefits of an action plan are simple: you’ve now outlined what action steps and what resources are needed to reach your stated project goals. By having this collected in a single project management document, you can more successfully plan out how to execute your project plan.

People get overwhelmed by project management jargon when having to plan out a project, but the word “action” everyone can understand. The fundamentals to getting an action plan together for any project follow these four project planning basic steps:

1. Define Your Project Goals

There’s a difference between project goals and project objectives. Project goals refer to the high-level goals that the project will achieve. Those generally align with the strategic planning and business objectives of organizations.

2. Define Your Project Objectives

The project objectives are much more specific than the project goals. Project objectives refer to the deliverables and milestones that need to be completed to achieve your project goals.

3. Define Action Steps

The action steps are a group of related tasks or action items that must be executed to produce project deliverables.

4. Identify and Prioritize Action Items

Action items are small, individual tasks that make up the action steps that are outlined in your action plan. First, you need to identify task dependencies among them, and then assign those action items a priority level so that they’re executed sequentially.

5. Define Roles & Responsibilities

Now that you’ve divided the work required to accomplish your action plan, you’ll need to assign action items to your project team members and define their roles and responsibilities.

6. Allocate Resources

As with your project plan, your action plan has resource requirements. Having identified your action steps and action items will help you understand what resources are needed for each task and allocate them accordingly.

7. Set SMART Goals

Your action plan needs to be monitored and controlled to measure its performance. That’s why it’s important that you set SMART goals for your action items, action steps and your project objectives. SMART goals stand for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.

8. Set a Timeline for Your Action Plan

As a project manager, you’ll need to do your best to estimate how long it’ll take to complete your action items and action steps. Once you do so, you’ll have a timeline. You can use project management techniques like PERT charts or the critical path method to better estimate the duration of your project action plan.

9. Write an Action Plan Template

Create or use a simple action plan template to collect tasks, deadlines and assignments. This is the place where everything task-related goes in your project action plan, so you have a place for all this crucial information.

Writing an action plan template it’s a great idea because you’ll need to use that format throughout the project. That’s why we’ve created a free action plan template that you can download. There are also dozens of other free project management templates for Excel and Word that can help you with every phase of your project.

10. Use a Project Management Tool

Use a project management tool to keep you on task. ProjectManager has project planning features that help you monitor and report on project progress and performance. Get a high-level view of the action plan with our live dashboards. Unlike other tools, we don’t make you set up the dashboard.

Once you’ve mapped out your action plan, you can use project planning tools to zoom into all the details about your action steps and action items. With ProjectManager, you can calculate various metrics, such as project variance, workload and more. They’re displayed in easy-to-read charts and graphs. Share them with stakeholders to give them updates on action steps whenever they want.

Action Plan Example

We’ve been talking a lot about action plans, but the best way to learn how they work is to review an action plan example. Below, you’ll see our free action plan template . It’s set up for the development of a website.

Example Goals & Objectives

The first thing to do when making an action plan is to clearly define its goals and objectives. Objectives are the specific accomplishments or outcomes that are needed to achieve the larger goals, as shown in the image below.

Example Action Steps

Then, once these have been defined, the action plan is broken down into four action steps: market research, website development, site launch and site maintenance. You’ll see that specific tasks or action items are outlined for each action step, including a description of that task, who’s assigned to execute it, its priority level and even the status of its completion.

Example Action Plan Timeline

There’s also a timeline to define the start dates of each of the tasks in the action steps, including the planned hours. This allows you to determine the length of each task and the duration of the entire action plan, from start to finish.

Example Resources

Finally, there’s a place to add your resources. They’re broken down into departments, for example, marketing, web development, etc. Then the materials that are required for each task are listed, including their costs. This allows you to estimate the cost of the plan.

How to Make An Action Plan With ProjectManager

See how action plans are typically laid out using project planning software .

1. Plan with Multiple Project Views

ProjectManager can help you build your action plan and then execute it. Collect all your action steps tasks on our list view, which does more than light-weight to-do list apps because it allows you to then map your plan with Gantt charts , project calendars and kanban boards. These robust project management tools allow you to prioritize action items, customize tags and show the percentage complete for each task. Our online project management software gives you real-time data to help you create an action plan and stick to it.

2. Assign Action Items to Your Team Members

Once you’ve mapped out your action plan steps with ProjectManager’s project planning tools , you can assign tasks to your team members and indicate what resources are needed for the completion of each action item. Indicate their roles and responsibilities and set priority levels for each task to ensure the work is carried out properly.

3. Set Action Plan Steps and Deliverables

It’s important to note all the phases of the project timeline to know what action steps and tasks will take place and when. In addition, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart allows you to identify project phases, find the critical path, and set due dates for project milestones and deliverables

4. Track Progress With Real-Time Dashboards

Once you start the project, you’ll need to chart the progress of the work being done. This leads us to the real-time project dashboard , where you’ll check whether your action plan is on schedule and under budget.

Manage Your Project With an Action Plan

Getting a plan together is only the first part of managing a project . Remember, it’s not something to write and put away, but rather it’s a living document that should follow you throughout the project life cycle. Jennifer Bridges, PMP, offers more tips on how to write an action plan in the video below.

Here’s a screenshot for your reference:

ProjectManager gives you all the tools you need to create and implement a successful plan. Regardless of the type of action plan that you need to create, our award-winning project management software makes it easy to do so. Get started with a free 30-day trial today. 

Deliver your projects on time and on budget

Start planning your projects.

7 Steps for Writing an Essay Plan

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Have you ever started writing an essay then realized you have run out of ideas to talk about?

This can make you feel deflated and you start to hate your essay!

The best way to avoid this mid-essay disaster is to plan ahead: you need to write an Essay Plan!

Essay planning is one of the most important skills I teach my students. When I have one-to-one tutorials with my students, I always send them off with an essay plan and clear goals about what to write.

Essay Planning isn’t as dull as you think. In fact, it really does only take a short amount of time and can make you feel oh so relieved that you know what you’re doing!

Here’s my 7-Step method that I encourage you to use for your next essay:

The 7-Step Guide on How to write an Essay Plan

• Figure out your Essay Topic (5 minutes)
• Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes (20 minutes)
• Brainstorm using a Mind-Map (10 minutes)
• Arrange your Topics (2 minutes)
• Write your topic Sentences (5 minutes)
• Write a No-Pressure Draft in 3 Hours (3 hours)
• Edit your Draft Once every Few Days until Submission (30 minutes)

I’ve been using this 7-Step essay planning strategy since I was in my undergraduate degree. Now, I’ve completed a PhD and written over 20 academic journal articles and dozens of blog posts using this method – and it still works!

Let’s go through my 7 steps for how to write an essay plan.

Prefer to Watch than Read? Here’s our video on writing an Essay Plan.

how to write an essay plan

1. figure out your essay topic. here’s how..

Where did your teacher provide you with your assessment details?

Find it. This is where you begin.

Now, far, far, far too many students end up writing essays that aren’t relevant to the essay question given to you by your teacher. So print out your essay question and any other advice or guidelines provided by your teacher.

Here’s some things that your assessment details page might include:

• The essay question;
• The marking criteria;
• Suggested sources to read;
• Some background information on the topic

The essay question is really important. Once you’ve printed it I want you to do one thing:

Highlight the key phrases in the essay question.

Here’s some essay questions and the key phrases you’d want to highlight:

This strategy helps you to hone in on exactly what you want to talk about. These are the key phrases you’re going to use frequently in your writing and use when you look for sources to cite in your essay!

The other top thing to look at is the marking criteria. Some teachers don’t provide this, but if they do then make sure you pay attention to the marking criteria !

Here’s an example of a marking criteria sheet:

Sample Essay Topic: Is Climate Change the Greatest Moral Challenge of our Generation?

Now, if you have a marking criteria you really need to pay attention to this. You have to make sure you’ve ticked off all the key criteria that you will be marked on. For the example above, your essay is going to have to make sure it:

• Takes a position about whether climate change is a serious challenge for human kind;
• Discusses multiple different people’s views on the topic;
• Explores examples and case studies (‘practical situations’);
• Uses referencing to back up your points.

The reason you need to be really careful to pay attention to this marking criteria is because it is your cheat sheet: it tells you what to talk about!

Step 1 only takes you five minutes and helps you to clearly clarify what you’re going to be talking about! Now your mind is tuned in and you can start doing some preliminary research.

2. Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes. Here’s how.

Now that you know what your focus is, you can start finding some information to discuss. You don’t want to just write things from the top of your head. If you want top marks, you want some deep, detailed and specific pieces of information.

Fortunately, your teacher has probably made this easy for you.

The top source for finding information will be the resources your teacher provided. These resources were hand picked by your teacher because they believed these were the best sources available our there on the topic. Here are the most common resources teachers provide:

• Lecture Slides;
• Assigned Readings.

The lecture slides are one of the best resources for you to access. Lecture slides are usually provided online for you. Download them, save them on your computer, and dig them up when it’s time to write the essay plan.

Find the lecture slides most relevant to your topic. To take the example of our climate change essay, maybe climate change is only discussed in three of the weeks in your course. Those are the three weeks’ lecture slides you want to hone-in on.

Flick through those lecture slides and take quick notes on a piece of paper – what are the most important topics and statistics that are relevant to your essay question?

Now, move on to the assigned readings . Your teacher will have selected some readings for you to do for homework through the semester. They may be eBooks, Textbooks or Journal Articles.

These assigned readings were assigned for a reason: because they have very important information to read ! Scan through them and see if there’s any more points you can add to your list of statistics and key ideas to discuss.

Next, try to find a few more sources using Google Scholar. This is a great resource for finding more academic articles that you can read to find even more details and ideas to add to your essay.

Here’s my notes that I researched for the essay question “Is Climate Change the Greatest Moral Challenge of our Generation?” As you can see, it doesn’t have to be beautiful #Studygram notes! It’s just rough notes to get all the important information down:

Once you’ve read the assigned lecture slides and readings, you should have a good preliminary list of ideas, topics, statistics and even quotes that you can use in step 3.

3. Brainstorm using a Mind-Map. Here’s how.

Do your initial notes look a little disorganized?

That’s okay. The point of Step 2 was to gather information. Now it’s time to start sorting these ideas in your mind.

The best way to organize thoughts is to create a Mind-Map. Here’s how Mind-Maps often look:

For your essay plan Mind-Map, write the essay question in the middle of the page and draw a circle around it.

Then, select the biggest and most important key ideas that you think are worth discussing in the essay. To decide on these, you might want to look back at the notes you took in Step 2.

Each key idea will take up around about 200 – 350 words (1 to 2 sentences).

Here’s a rough guide for how many key ideas you’ll want depending on your essay length:

• 1000-word essay: 3 to 4 key ideas
• 1500-word essay: 5 to 7 key ideas
• 2000-word essay: 6 to 8 key ideas
• 3000-word essay: 9 to 12 key ideas

Once you’ve selected your key ideas you can list them in a circle around the essay question, just like this:

Last, we need to add detail and depth to each key idea. So, draw more lines out from each key ideas and list:

• Two sources that you will cite for each key idea;
• A statistic or example that you will provide for each key idea;
• Any additional interesting facts for each key idea

Here’s how it might look once you’re done:

4. Arrange your Topics. Here’s how.

You’re well and truly on your way to getting your essay down on paper now.

There’s one last thing to do before you start getting words down on the manuscript that you will submit. You need to arrange your topics to decide which to write first, second, third, fourth, and last!

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Start and end with your strongest points;
• Ensure the points logically flow.

To ensure your points logically flow, think about how you’re going to transition from one idea to the next . Does one key point need to be made first so that the other ones make sense?

Do two key points seem to fit next to one another? If so, make sure you list them side-by-side.

Have a play around with the order you want to discuss the ideas until you’re comfortable. Then, list them in order. Here’s my order for my Climate Change essay:

Each of these key ideas is going to turn into a paragraph or two (probably two) in the essay.

5. Write your topic Sentences in just 5 minutes. Here’s how.

All good essays have clear paragraphs that start with a topic sentence . To turn these brainstormed key points into an essay, you need to get that list you wrote in Step 5 and turn each point into a topic sentence for a paragraph.

It’s important that the first sentence of each paragraph clearly states the paragraph’s topic. Your marker is going to want to know exactly what your paragraph is about immediately. You don’t want your marker to wait until the 3 rd , 4 th or 5 th line of a paragraph before they figure out what you’re talking about in the paragraph.

So, you need to state what your key idea is in the first sentence of the paragraph.

Let’s have a go at turning each of our key ideas into a topic sentence:

6. Write a No-Pressure Essay Draft in just 3 Hours. Here’s how.

Okay, now the rubber hits the road. Let’s get writing!

When you write your first draft, don’t put pressure on yourself. Remind yourself that this is the first of several attempts at creating a great essay, so it doesn’t need to be perfect right away. The important thing is that you get words down on paper.

To write the draft, have a go at adding to each of your topic sentences to turn them into full paragraphs. Follow the information you wrote down in your notes and Mind-Map to get some great details down on paper.

Forget about the introduction and conclusion for now. You can write them last.

Let’s have a go at one together. I’m going to choose the paragraph on my key idea “Is climate change caused by humans?”

I’ve already got my first sentence and my brainstormed ideas. Let’s build on them to write a draft paragraph:

• “Most scientists believe climate change is caused by humans. In fact, according to the IPCC, over 98% of climate change scientists accept the scientific data that climate change is caused by humans (IPCC, 2018). This figure is very high, signalling overwhelming expert consensus. This consensus holds that the emission of carbon from burning of fossil fuels in the 20 th Century is trapping heat into the atmosphere. However, a minority of dissenting scientists continue to claim that this carbon build-up is mostly the fault of natural forces such as volcanoes which emit enormous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere (Bier, 2013).”

Your turn – have a go at your own draft paragraphs based on your Mind-Map for your essay topic! If you hit a rut or have some trouble, don’t forget to check out our article on how to write perfect paragraphs .

Once you’ve written all your paragraphs, make sure you write an introduction and conclusion .

Gone over the word count? Check out our article on how to reduce your word count.

7. Edit your Draft Once every Few Days until Submission. Check out this simple approach:

Okay, hopefully after your three hour essay drafting session you’ve got all your words down on paper. Congratulations!

However, we’re not done yet.

The best students finish their drafts early on so they have a good three or four weeks to come back and re-read their draft and edit it every few days.

When coming back to edit your draft , here’s a few things to look out for:

• Make sure all the paragraph and sentence structure makes sense. Feel free to change words around until things sound right. You might find that the first time you edit something it sounds great, but next time you realize it’s not as good as you thought. That’s why we do multiple rounds of edits over the course of a few weeks;
• Check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors;
• Print out your draft and read it on paper. You notice more mistakes when you read a printed-out version;
• Work on adding any more details and academic sources from online sources like Google Scholar to increase your chance of getting a top grade. Here’s our ultimate guide on finding scholarly sources online – it might be helpful for this step!

Before you go – Here’s the Actionable Essay Plan Tips Summed up for you

Phew! That essay was tough. But with this essay plan, you can get through any essay and do a stellar job! Essay planning is a great way to ensure your essays make sense, have a clear and compelling argument, and don’t go off-topic.

I never write an essay without one.

To sum up, here are the 7 steps to essay planning one more time:

The 7-Step Guide for How to Write an Essay Plan

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

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• ERP implementation

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5 steps of an ERP implementation communication plan

Communicating effectively about an ERP implementation is a must because of the complexity and stress of the project. Learn what steps to follow to create a communication plan.

• Reda Chouffani, Biz Technology Solutions

Change management is a major consideration for an ERP implementation. Communicating effectively with employees about the implementation can ensure the transition to the new software goes smoothly.

Communication about an ERP implementation can reduce stress for employees and create accountability for those performing the implementation if the communication mentions specific deadlines. The communication should include a way for employees to get in touch with questions and share the right level of details with its audience.

Learn more about how ERP implementation communication can help the process and the steps to follow when creating a communication plan.

How does a communication plan help ERP change management?

Creating a plan beforehand for communication about the new ERP software can benefit companies in several different ways:

• Helps the team provide clear and frequent updates about the project, which eliminates confusion and miscommunications.
• Creates accountability for the implementation team for project deadlines.
• Reduces employee stress about the project.
• Engages users about the new implementation regardless of their role within the company.
• Gives employees the opportunity to send feedback to the implementation team.

5 steps for creating an ERP implementation communication plan

An ERP implementation includes so many moving parts that communicating effectively about the implementation can fall to the bottom of the implementation team's to-do list. Here are the steps to follow to ensure that employees learn everything they need to know about the new software.

1. Establish a communication timeline

The first step is to decide when the team will send updates to employees and make sure information is sent out consistently. At this point, the implementation team should also decide who is responsible for sending out the information.

The implementation team should reference project deadlines when deciding on the timeline for sending out communication about the implementation. For example, team members could send an update to employees a week before the go-live date so employees receive a reminder.

2. Consider which details to share

After deciding when to send out the information, the implementation team members should decide how much information to share in the communication about the new ERP software.

For example, some employees might not need to know all the technical information about the software implementation and might feel overwhelmed if the implementation team sends out a detailed breakdown of the process .

Often, different messages are sent to different employee groups at an organization, with the messages tailored to specific roles.

Implementing new software is a big change for any company. The communication should also have a positive tone and acknowledge that employees might feel worried about the new technology.

3. Ensure alignment with stakeholders

To avoid confusion, implementation team members should make sure all company leaders are aligned on the information for employees and when to send it. For example, a company's CEO might want to wait to announce the new ERP software to employees until after the December holidays. In addition, lack of alignment between stakeholders could lead to leaders sharing different information about the implementation with employees, leading to confusion.

Team members should ensure they have discussed the content and timing of the communication with all stakeholders.

4. Create opportunities for feedback

The implementation team should give employees the opportunity to send feedback about the software implementation before and after go-live . Doing so can help reduce stress for workers and help the implementation team.

As the team plans communication about the ERP implementation, the group should consider how they will collect employee feedback about the project and who will share the feedback with the appropriate team members.

5. Be transparent about problems

If problems occur with the ERP implementation , the communication about the issues should be candid about the challenges and share the actions that the implementation team is taking to address them.

Doing so can encourage trust in the implementation team.

The implementation team should also communicate about any issues as soon as possible to reduce frustration for employees. For example, if the software go-live date is postponed, employees should learn about the delay as soon as possible.

Reda Chouffani runs a consulting practice he co-founded, Biz Technology Solutions Inc., and is CTO at New Charter Technologies. He is a technology consultant with a focus on healthcare and manufacturing, cloud expert and business intelligence architect who helps enterprises make the best use of technology.

Related Resources

• 5 key tips for successful ERP implementation –Be-Terna
• Top 5 key tips for successful ERP implementation –Be-Terna
• The Ultimate Buyer‘s Guide to ERP Software –Be-Terna
• 7 Steps to a Stress-Free ERP Roll-Out –Aptean

Dig Deeper on ERP implementation

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Part of: ERP implementations and their common issues

The stages of an ERP project lifecycle are selection, planning, training, testing, deployment, support and the post-implementation period. Learn more about the process.

ERP implementations are complicated processes that can easily go awry. Learn about some of the most common issues and ways to avoid them before they occur.

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