Backwards Planning

Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.
— Dwight D. Eisenhower

  1. Determine the desired ending point, aim, goal, intent, or objective. By When?

    • Timing? When is it to be reached?

  2. Identify how you will know you reached it.

    • What standards or criteria apply?

    • What will the situation be like?

  3. Visualize it complete, achieved, as desired.

  4. Choose the action closest to the ending point. By when?

    • What needs to be done?

    • By when?

  5. Work backwards from that action and choose the second-to-last action.

    • What alternatives are there?

    • Which is best?

  6. Continue to work backwards from that action and choose the next action needed just before that.

    • Mentally walk backwards from the ending point, putting time points at each important step.

    • What needs to happen? By when?

    • Who’s help is needed?

    • What information, provisions or resources are needed?

      • What assumptions are in play?

      • What resources are available?

      • What information will help achieve the ending point (fact or assumption)?

      • Food and water

      • Clothing

      • Equipment, tools

      • Specialty items

      • Medical

      • Repair parts

  7. Create ways to check your progress along the way.

  8. Identify the starting point and starting time.

  9. List people whose help is needed.

    • If you believe in God, pray for specific help.

    • Who has a stake in the outcome?

    • Don’t spread yourself too thin, share the load.

    • What is the current trust level with this person?

    • What coordination is needed among these people?

    • When do they need to start getting ready?

    • Meeting locations and times?

    • Are there so many that sub-leaders needed?

    • Plan how people will communicate.

    • If they need time to plan leave them enough time.

    • What is the priority of effort?

    • How will they report progress?

    • Who will they report opportunities or obstacles they observe along the way?

    • Everyone knows location of leader and key people?

    • If presiding leader is unavailable, who’s next to decide things?

    • Method of communication by priority (phone, radio, messenger)?

    • Pre-arranged signals (near/far, daylight/night), code words?

    • When to initiate necessary movement?

    • Rehearsal needed?

    • How will people be accountable for their part?

    • What relationships need strengthening?

    • Which people need developmental or stretch assignments?

    • How and when to explain the plan to people involved?

    • How will others know if the plan changes?

  10. List information and provisions needed.

  11. Think of "what if" opportunities that may arise and how to exploit them.

    • Which potential opportunities are "good"--well aligned with the goal. Why?

    • Which potential opportunities are "not-so-good"--poorly aligned with the goal. Why?

    • What are the time windows for opportunities?

    • Thinking about this during planning helps recognize and seize upon good unplanned opportunities after starting.

  12. Think of "what if" obstacles or risks that may have a big impact on reaching the ending point, and think of ways to mitigate them.

    • Safety hazards and how to avoid them?

    • Weather (temperature, wind)?

    • Daylight? Nightime?

    • Competitors?

    • Constraints?

    • Medical power of attorney?

  13. Adjust the plan to comply with any applicable principles, patterns, guidance, rules, policies, laws.

    • What principles apply? How can you tailor the principle for specific conditions?

    • What patterns apply?

    • How ethical are the actions planned?

    • Does this plan support a parent organization’s plan?

  14. Write down the goal and plan if it is a long way off.

  15. Flex, adapt, respond and adjust to the conditions on the way.

    • The purpose of planning is not to reliably predict the future. It is to be prepared to adjust quickly.

    • The planning process builds a mental model of all the variables which helps to decide all the adjustments that will be necessary. Planning adds insight and wisdom to decision making. The value is in the learning and discovery pro- cess.

    • Planning improves making informed decisions.

    • Planning expands thinking while following a plan limits thinking.

    • Life rarely goes according to plan. Most plans are rendered out-of-date almost from the start. Life is complex.

    • The planning process helps adjust quickly.

    • Experiment to gain experience.

    • Take in new information.

    • Be aware of people around us.

    • The expected resources are not available, now what?

    • Pivot as needed.

    • Prioritize.

    • Work around obstacles.

    • Be creative.

    • The original "plan" is not the point, planning is the mental preparation to adjust quickly for success.

  16. Learn lessons to apply the next time a plan is needed. Continually get better.

Common Problems

  • Forget to measure success along the way or at the end.

  • Actions do not align with the goal.

  • Sub-goals do not lead to the final goal.

  • Actions are not purposeful.

Updated on 07 Nov 2015

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