Comments on: Plans Don’t Work http://ifacethoughts.net/2007/09/02/plans-dont-work/ Thoughts on software development and related, by Abhijit Nadgouda Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:59:15 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: PHP Encoder http://ifacethoughts.net/2007/09/02/plans-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-98556 PHP Encoder Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:12:17 +0000 http://ifacethoughts.net/2007/09/02/plans-dont-work/#comment-98556 I spent many many years making plans and then finding I was getting nowhere. Some of these were personal plans, some business, some long-range and some daily. I was setting myself up for failure each time. What I say is that on a personal level, whatever works for you should be used. I have a list of *everything* that I know needs to be done and each week I take elements of this and add it into what I need to do each week. I've become more selective. I've become more aware of how much I can do in a day - this is a big factor as plans previously really didn't take into consideration that the reality was I was over estimating how much I could achieve in a day. These days I use a combination of carrot and stick for myself and also for the team. If we achieve X by this date then we all do something, get something, etc etc. I also find having a "boss" helps - most freelancers don't have bosses in the normal sense. We implemented a system with some non-executive directors who now watch over us and give us a kick if we start to fail in some area. I spent many many years making plans and then finding I was getting nowhere. Some of these were personal plans, some business, some long-range and some daily. I was setting myself up for failure each time. What I say is that on a personal level, whatever works for you should be used. I have a list of *everything* that I know needs to be done and each week I take elements of this and add it into what I need to do each week. I’ve become more selective. I’ve become more aware of how much I can do in a day – this is a big factor as plans previously really didn’t take into consideration that the reality was I was over estimating how much I could achieve in a day.

These days I use a combination of carrot and stick for myself and also for the team. If we achieve X by this date then we all do something, get something, etc etc. I also find having a “boss” helps – most freelancers don’t have bosses in the normal sense. We implemented a system with some non-executive directors who now watch over us and give us a kick if we start to fail in some area.

]]> By: Dushan http://ifacethoughts.net/2007/09/02/plans-dont-work/comment-page-1/#comment-98219 Dushan Sun, 02 Sep 2007 06:45:46 +0000 http://ifacethoughts.net/2007/09/02/plans-dont-work/#comment-98219 Hi Abhijit, thanks for picking up the thought and developing it so much further! I support your interpretation that "plans only" don't work. Plans are okay, as long as they are guidelines, ideas of the goal and such. They have no reality of their own. Greetings Dushan Hi Abhijit,

thanks for picking up the thought and developing it so much further! I support your interpretation that “plans only” don’t work. Plans are okay, as long as they are guidelines, ideas of the goal and such. They have no reality of their own.

Greetings
Dushan

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