An action plan is a project management tool anyone can use to plan their next project. An action plan is a useful step-by-step outline for organizing and prioritizing tasks in business and your personal life. For example, it could be valuable for getting ready for a vacation or something that has to do with your business life, like planning an awards ceremony event.
Let’s take a wedding as an example. There are many things on a to-do list that need to happen before the big day. This includes searching for and finding a venue, hiring a caterer, booking a photographer, creating and sending out invitations, securing the location for the rehearsal dinner, and preparing the bridal party attire. That’s a lot of things that need to get done in a timely manner.
An action plan breaks the wedding down into doable and realistic tasks. Ultimately, it's a reference tool, acting as a plan of action for everyone involved in the wedding, responsibilities, and deadlines. It helps organize and prioritize everything and everyone.
It may seem daunting for some to break down a big project into smaller tasks, but an action plan isn’t as difficult as you might think. You're on the right track if you consider the overall goal or end result and what it takes to get there. Keep in mind that there's no one perfect way to create an action plan. They can be to-do lists, checklists, listicles, graphics, spreadsheets, journal entries, charts, or all of the above. An action plan takes your idea, puts it on paper, and provides an organized and timely visual to make your concept a reality.
What is an action plan?
An action plan acts as an outline, helping you understand what steps are necessary to achieve a certain goal. It's essentially a list of tasks and resources required to reach an objective or complete a project. An action plan also serves as documentation.