Action+Plan





Action Plan Template [[file:Action Plan Template.docx]]
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//“You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going because you might not get there.” (//**Yogi Berra)**
An action plan will help turn your personal aim into a reality. It will consist of a number of action steps or changes to help you decide what you need to do in order to achieve your personal aims. It should be a concrete timetable and set of clearly defined steps. It is difficult to hold each other accountable for the project goals unless there is a written plan of work to be accomplished - action plans make our work more intentional. If you have one than one personal aim, you will need to make an action plan for each. **This is a working document which you will add to and adjust throughout the year.**

Your action plan should contain the following information (@http://www.wikihow.com/Create-an-Effective-Action-Plan): 1) **Know where you’re going.** Successful leaders and professionals understand a simple core concept: if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re likely to wind up anywhere. 2) **Be specific.** Not only must your goal be specific, but you must also create a specific intention as well as very specific tasks or steps that will move you toward the completion of that goal. 3) **Create measurable milestones.** Once you have a clear picture of what you’re out to accomplish, as well as what targets you will need to hit throughout the time span of the project or period, the next step is to create measurable milestones. 4) **Make a list.** Create a list and accompanying time line of specific action items or tasks to complete in order to hit those milestones. 5) **Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks.** Some tasks or milestones may seem more daunting to achieve than others. That’s when it makes sense to break larger tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks. 6) **Put timelines on everything.** Without specific time frames and deadlines, work will definitely expand to fill the time allotted, and some tasks may never get completed. 7) **Create a visual representation - Once you’ve created your action items and set a specific timeline, the next step is to create some type of visual representation of your plan.** You might use a flowchart, a Gantt chart, a spreadsheet, or some other type of business tool to accomplish this. 8) **Schedule out your accomplishments.** Have each person involved, grab their schedule or day planner or smart phone and schedule out their accomplishments. 9) **Work your plan and don’t Stop until it’s complete.** Once your plan is established, shared with the team, and accomplishments are scheduled, the next step is simple: take daily action and follow up with responsible parties to ensure that everyone is doing their part. 10) **Change the date if you must, but never give up on the goal.** Occasionally, circumstances or unforeseen events can arise that throw a wrench in your ability to meet deadlines, complete tasks and achieve your goal. If this happens, do not get discouraged – revise your plan and continue working to meet targets and move forward.

In order for us to create the best action plan, which will guide correctly through our mission, we must firstly take a look at the following factors:

Those are a realistic list of solutions and activities that will address the challenge, thus fulfilling the goals and working to achieve the mission. Filling the following table might be useful:
 * Identify the issue, challenge, or problem to be addressed:** Our ultimate challenge is to finish the yearbook on time. We must be able to use our time wisely, and in a very productive way. Therefore, we will need to make a plan that will be further discussed in the next few paragraphs. Our team also identified miscommunication between both sides as a problem; however, we will be able to work on this yearbook without the need of constant communication between both sides, since our teachers are able to keep us both on track.
 * Evaluate the issue:** Now we must examine the challenges and choose one we feel most committed and confident about addressing through a plan. Time commitment is what we need to focus on. In order to finish the yearbook on time, we need to firstly submit our work on time. Secondly, we need to submit the right work, in the most legible way. Submitting incorrect or inaccurate work will not help. We need the maximum effort of all members to accomplish our goal.
 * Create our goals:** Those are our thesis statements for the action plan. Our goals must be effective, action-orientated, clear, and related directly to our problem. They must be SMART - S- Specific/M-Measurable/A-Achievable/R-Realistic/T-Time-bound.
 * Construct Action Steps:**


 * **Theme/**
 * Intermediate Goal** || **Objectives** || **Tasks** || **Responsibility** || **Timeline** || **Evaluation** ||
 * Themes are the major areas or dimensions of our yearbook. Goals are the long-term outcomes of your project || Each goal can be divided into a set of clear objectives that detail how you will reach that goal. || Tasks are the specific steps needed to accomplish each objective || Defines who is responsible for carrying out the various tasks || Shows when each task needs to be completed || Shows how you know what you have been successful in implementing each goal. ||