Time management - Assessment and planning

Assessment and planning

Best v easy

Once you have a series of potential solutions to your task or problem (perhaps via a brain storm) it may be difficult to decide which one to pursue.
Logical assessment of all of the implications of each of the potential solutions should lead to the preferred one. However, this is not always the case.
People often pursue easier options rather than the best.
Best could be from a technical viewpoint or from a cost standpoint, for example.
It depends on your perspective.

Work area ideas

Try to make your work area a pleasant one. If necessary, get new equipment and stationary items which may help you work more efficiently.
If you get post-its, pens, pencils, paper clips etc you may wish to get multi-colour items that will help your personal organisation of you daily routine.
Use a white board or set up a good notice board for manipulation of ideas and information.

Making the work routine a more pleasant experience will help relieve stress and should improve personal performance.

Take a break

Don’t forget to take a break from mundane activities to recharge your batteries.
This may be more necessary when tackling difficult tasks or ones that you just don’t like.

Taking notes

We come up with ideas all the time. This is especially the case for assessment and planning stages. Make sure that you have somewhere to make a note of these ideas and don’t let them slip. Keep a notepad and pencil handy, keep a computer file for easy access or write the idea up on your white board or use post-its. Once you have them down you will need to review them and process them like other information on a regular basis.

Prioritising

This is covered in more detail elsewhere, see ‘prioritising objectives’.

Non - PRINCE2 information

Purchase the full product

Time management

Planning

Implementing [see Implementing]
Prioritising [see Prioritising]
Scheduling [see Scheduling]
Review [see Review]

Project management

Introduction

What is a project? [see What is a project?]
What is project management? [see What is project management?]
Project management system [see What does a project management system consist of?]
Project visualisation [see Project visualisation]
Work breakdown [see Why breakdown a project?]
Concept [see Concept or idea]
Feasibility [see Feasibility study]
Initiation [see Initiation]
Specification [see Specification]
Project management design [see Design]
Project management build [see Build]
Project management implementation [see Implementation]
Project management operation and review [see Operation and review]
The Project Notebook [see The Project Notebook]

Plans

Planning [see Planning - part 1]
Planning [see Planning - part 2 – Introduction - need to answer]
Planning [see Planning - part 3 - Introduction - schedule overview] Plans [see Types of plans]

Detailed planning

PRINCE2 2005

Introduction

Definition [see Introduction part 1]
Terminology [see Introduction part 2]
What is a project? Scope [see Introduction part 3]
The processes [see Introduction part 4]
Introduction to processes [see Introduction to processes]
59The components [see The components]

Planning

Fundamental principles [see Planning (PL) part 1]
Designing a Plan [see Planning (PL) part 2]
Defining and Analysing Products [see Planning (PL) part 3]
Identifying Activities and Dependencies [see Planning (PL) part 4]
Estimating [see Planning (PL) part 5]
Scheduling [see Planning (PL) part 6]
Analysing Risks [see Planning (PL) part 7]
Completing a Plan [see Planning (PL) part 8]

Plans

What is a plan? [see Plans part 1]
Levels of plan [see Plans part 2]

PRINCE2 2009

Introduction

Foreword [see Foreword]
Purpose [see Introduction part 1]
What does a project manager do? [see Introduction part 2a]
What is it we wish to control? [see Introduction part 2b]
The structure of PRINCE2 [see Introduction part 2c]
What PRINCE2 does not provide [see Introduction part 3]

Plans

Directing Projects with PRINCE2

Introduction DPP2

Purpose [see Introduction]
Key definitions [see Overview of PRINCE2 - Key definitions]
Structure of PRINCE2 [see Overview of PRINCE2 - Structure of PRINCE2]
The role of senior management in PRINCE2 [see Overview of PRINCE2 - The role of senior management in PRINCE2]
What PRINCE2 does not provide [see Overview of PRINCE2]

Authorize a Stage or Exception Plan DPP2

Risk management

Introduction

What is risk? [see What is risk?]
6 questions to define the project [see 6 questions to define the project]
The key areas of concern [see The key areas of concern]
What should risk analysis provide? [see What should risk analysis provide?]
3 Ways to view risk management [see 3 Ways to view risk management]
General comments on risk assessment [see General comments on risk assessment]
Accountability [see Accountability]
General comments on planning [see General comments on planning]
What are the core process steps to assess a risk? [see What are the core process steps to assess a risk?]
Simple process outline [see Simple process outline]
What are the basic overall process steps? [see What are the basic overall process steps?]
Stakeholders [see Stakeholders]
Success measures [see Success measures]
Why carry out Risk Assessment? [see Why carry out Risk Assessment?]

Leadership

Introduction

Definition of leadership [see Definition of leadership]
Leadership and effectiveness [see Leadership and effectiveness]
Leadership qualities [see Leadership qualities]
Leadership functions [see Leadership functions]

Time management

Prioritise [see Prioritise]
Prioritise Basics [see Prioritise Basics]
Timing [see Timing]

other sites of interest in the series