business-plan, business-proposalSeriously though, I do make plans all the time but when it comes to executions I do not know where to start. Any advices on that?
This is a top down question.
This applies not just to business plan, but in general to everything that needs to turn strategy into execution. (ie.: starting a new diet, or train for a marathon).
Breaking down problems is crucial. I’m assuming we are talking about a startup environment, wit ha limited amount of people involved. Start working backwards and top down.
Try to follow my example You want to release your new iOS application.
what do you need for releasing it. Break it down in what is mandatory to have the app out. Use a code convention to identify Mandatory, Desiderable and Optional sub processes. Let’s say you identify: 1- production of the app (Mandatory) 2- growing user base pre launch (Mandatory) 3- gaining press traction (desiderable) 4- having an android version (optional)
Focus on the Mandatory first, and try to break them down: 1- production of the app (mandatory)
1A - design the interface (mandatory)
1B - coding the core app (mandatory)
1C - integrating social login (desiderable)
1D - validate and test the app pre release (desiderable)
1D - run UX research and A/B testing (optional, this shouldn’t be optional but it’s an example)
Now try to break down again the mandatory points
1A - Design the interface. Can you do this yourself? If not, you need a resource. Close to that task write Resource Needed.
1B - Code the core app. Let’s assume you can do it. break it down in the main functionality. Let’s assume your application is suppose to send messages to group of friends, you’ll have something like:
1B.1 - Registration and login with email (mandatory)
1B.2 - Invite a friend functionality (mandatory)
1B.3 - Crete groups entity (mandatory)
1B.4 - Sending messages functionality (mandatory)
1B.5 - Routing to group functionality (mandatory)
1B.6 - Mark as read functionality (desiderable)
1B.7 - Attaching file capabilities (optional)
1B.8 - Emoticons (optional)
If any of the above task can’t be done by yourself, write again “Resource needed” close to it.
At the end of this exercise, you will have a three, where the root is your final goal, and the leaves are either a small task, or a resource needed. Mark in red all the paths that connect the mandatory leaves to the root. That is where you going to start. Get the resources you need, and start doing the small task you can do on your own. Follow a order given by priority, and try not to jump from a branch to the other of the tree (context switch always costs in focus and efficiency).
If at any time you find yourself loosing control, just go deeper in the description. Don’t be scare to go down to really tedious details. (ie.: when in the design the interface branch, i do expect a sub branch for each view of your application, and, if needed, for each view, leaves for each element in the UI).
Once this is done, give to each low level task an expected time to completion. If you sum up each level, you get the cost in time of getting to the next one (usually multiply by 1.2 because integration costs at least 20% of additional time). This also will give you a good understanding of how long it will takes. It does also give you a good overview of the modularity / time cost of each micro component of your business plan. In this way you can decide to allocate your time in a more meaningful way (ie.: do not start something if you can’t finish it in the time you have available for this session).
Hope this helps. An overall suggestion is “start doing something”. You don’t have to get everything right for begin with, and the more you try, the more you refine your technique.
Took me a while to get to this point :)
For the success of a business, A good and well planned financial management system is necessary. It should be controlled by an experienced person. With less input, we have to make maximum output. Financial management team is the backbone of an organisation.
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