2 methods and 6 principles of effective planning

Complying with planning principles will make it easier for managers to create effective and logical strategies. Planning is a familiar task for every business, but not everyone understands the principles to create an effective plan. Read the article below with 1C Vietnam to better understand these principles and how to apply them in practice.

1. Plan using the 5w2h method

The most common mistake in plans is setting goals that are too far-fetched, which is also the reason why plans often fail. Unclear and "out of reach" goals often make employees easily discouraged or give up midway. To overcome this problem, administrators can apply the 5W2H method to clearly identify the basic elements of the plan, making it easier for implementers to follow to better achieve goals.

This is a method of asking research questions derived from the "Wh-questions" rule in English, specifically:

• Who: Who does it? Who will do it? Who will be responsible?
• What: Do what? Describe the steps and actions to be taken
• When: When was the action performed? Specific time, day, month, year...
• Why: What is the purpose of that action? Cause, reason?
• How: How to do? State methods and procedures
• How much: How much is the necessary cost?

2. Plan using the 5W1H2C5M method

One of the very important factors in the planning process is determining the scope of work. Accordingly, the 5W1H2C5M method is used by many businesses and is considered the "backbone" to help shape a complete plan. Specifically, 5W1H2C5M helps administrators create a detailed plan by answering the following groups of questions:

• 1W - Why: Clearly defining the goals and objectives of the plan will help administrators build plans in the right direction, avoiding the situation of setting distant, out-of-reach goals.
• 1W - What: Determine the exact volume and content of work to be done in the plan.
• 3W - Where, When, Who: Identify factors related to time, place and people involved in implementing the plan.
• 1H - How to: Determine the most appropriate methods, processes and implementation methods for the business's conditions.
• 2C - Control, Check: Ensure work is carried out according to plan.
• 5M - Man, Money, Machine, Material, Method (people, money, machines, materials and methods: Determine the resources needed to implement the plan.

3. 6 principles of effective project planning

No matter which method a business chooses to plan, it needs to comply with certain principles to ensure the plan is qualified to be put into practice and can be effective. Here are the detailed planning principles:

3.1 Principle of focusing on goals

Focusing on goals is the first planning principle to follow. According to this principle, every plan should be designed to contribute positively to achieving the organization's goals. To determine accurate and clear goals, administrators can refer to the 5W1H2C5M, 5W2H methods in the content above or the SMART application to help set effective goals:

• S - Specific - Specificity: The method and objects of implementation to achieve the goal should be clearly specified in the plan. For example, you need to increase the number of followers of Tik Tok channel by running ads with short videos.
• M - Measurable - Measurable: Goals need to be quantified with specific numbers, can be clearly quantified and progress can be tracked. Example: Increase 1000 followers in a month.
• A - Achievable - Feasibility: Goals need to be consistent with the business's existing resources and be achievable. For example, the budget for short video advertising is 60% of the entire campaign's advertising budget.
• R - Relevant - Relevance: The goals set should be related to the direction of the business as well as towards the company's overall goals. For example, if a business wants to expand its customer base, the goal of increasing 1,000 followers on Tiktok channel is reasonable. Because this goal will help spread the word and increase brand awareness.
• T - Timebound - Implementation time: How long does the goal implementation plan take? For example, increase 1000 followers after 1 month of running ads.

3.2 Principle of work prioritization

Among the principles of planning, prioritizing work is one of the most difficult to adhere to. This requires managers to regularly update the progress of the implementation plan as well as analyze and evaluate the level of importance from high to low to prioritize important tasks first. To make this easier, managers can refer to the Eisenhower time management matrix to classify tasks into 4 levels. Specifically:

• Urgent and important: These are the tasks that need to be completed first.
• Important but not urgent: Implementers need to arrange time to complete these tasks and minimize interruptions during the processing process.
• Urgent but not important: Can transfer work to someone else.
• Not urgent and not important: Remove from the to-do list or only do it when the above tasks have been completed.

3.3 Principles of flexible plan changes
In the face of today's rapid market fluctuations, business plans need to be flexible and able to change appropriately to adapt quickly. This helps businesses minimize risks as well as minimize unnecessary losses. For example, during the quarantine period due to the epidemic, the plan to reach customers online needs to be prioritized and promoted.

3.4 Principles of time management

Based on the SMART principle, goals need to be achieved within a specific time period in the plan from the beginning. Based on the general timeline, the administrator will set small deadlines for tasks to ensure timely progress and avoid "burning" the plan.

3.5 Principles of identifying limits

When planning, administrators need to pay attention to resource and internal factors as well as the limits of the enterprise's ability to perform. Businesses need to consider whether the organization has enough resources to meet the set tasks? Administrators need to predict the limitations and difficulties as well as have alternative plans to avoid the risks of lack of resources.

3.6 Principle of commitment to goals

No matter how perfect a plan is, it cannot be successful without the people working together. Therefore, in the process of implementing the plan, businesses need to introduce policies to encourage, motivate, and strictly manage so that individuals commit to properly implementing the tasks and goals stated in the plan. .

Complying with planning principles will help businesses have a more effective plan, increasing the likelihood of achieving their goals. Hopefully these principles will help your business in managing and operating your company. If you have any questions, please contact 1C Vietnam for support.