2 What is an action plan?
We all make action plans, very often in our heads if not actually written down. Action plans are simply a list of all the tasks that you need to complete in order to reach an objective or a goal. You may be familiar with writing a ‘to-do list’, but an action plan differs from this in that a to-do list is simply a list of necessary tasks to be addressed that may be completely unrelated. An action plan, by contrast, implies that the tasks are unified by all leading to the same objective.
We use action plans in order to ensure that:
- we have a framework for considering how we will meet our objective
- nothing is overlooked, for example a key step or item
- tasks are tackled in the right order, at the appropriate time and deadlines are met
- we have a record and sense of what we have achieved in the pursuit of an objective.
Even very small projects require some form of action plan, although this might be fairly minimal. Bigger projects – such as career planning – clearly require more thought and monitoring so building an action plan is a sensible approach to adopt.
Activity 2 Writing a simple action plan
This short activity is designed to help you think about the key aspects of an action plan.
Imagine you are planning a surprise birthday party for your sister. You have listed a number of tasks that you feel you will need to accomplish but this does not yet amount to an action plan.
| Tasks | Tasks |
|---|---|
|
|
Create your action plan by considering the tasks, who else you might need to involve and the timescale (short, medium and long term) in which everything needs to be done.
| Tasks | Who else is involved | Timescale |
|---|---|---|
| Look at potential venues | ||
| Book venue | ||
| Invite guests | ||
| Book catering | ||
| Draw up guest list | ||
| Buy present | ||
| Book band | ||
| Buy invitation cards | ||
| Order cake | ||
| Book photographer | ||
| Decide what to wear | ||
| Buy cake |
Comment
There is no absolutely correct answer to this problem but the following is a possible solution.
| Tasks | Who else is involved | Timescale |
|---|---|---|
| Look at potential venues | Venue managers | Short |
| Book venue | Venue manager | Short |
| Invite guests | Sister’s friends and family | Medium |
| Book catering | Venue; catering companies | Medium |
| Draw up guest list | Ask sister’s best friend | Short |
| Buy present | Shop | Medium |
| Book band | Band agent | Short |
| Buy invitation cards | Shop | Medium |
| Order cake | Bakers | Medium |
| Book photographer | Local photographers | Medium |
| Decide what to wear | Partner or friend | Long |
| Buy cake | Bakers | Long |
The difference between your initial list and the action plan above is clear; the action plan gives some indication of task priority, timescale and others involved. As a result, it probably has a greater chance of success in meeting your objective of organising a memorable birthday party for your sister.
Having identified the important features of an action plan, and in particular the fact that it must have a unifying objective, you can now begin to construct one for progressing your career.