EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF QUESTIONS TO GUIDE PLANNING

EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF
QUESTIONS TO GUIDE PLANNING WORK SHEET

The accompanying chart demonstrates an approach or system you can use in planning.

You list the six QUESTIONS TO GUIDE PLANNING in columnar or chart form. This naturally drives you (or your staff) into a thorough analysis of the planning required to achieve your goal, and insures a logical sequence of actions.

You answers the questions in order. Notice that the answer to the last question (HOW) is put in parenthesis. Actually nothing should he written under the HOW. If there is an answer to the HOW question, it indicates a new or sub-ordinate activity resulting from the WHAT, and it (or they, if there is more than one) should now he placed in an adjoining column as a new WHAT.

This process is repeated until all of the necessary details of the plan are clear.

That is why the HOW must come at the end of the sequence and not at the beginning.

When you have fully delegated the action to be taken to someone under the "Who will take this action?", you need go no further because the "HOW" is now their problem. (For instance,

SAMPLE OBJECTIVE: To Increase sales in Region 7

Column I	Column II	Column III
What action Is necessary? Establish a branch office in major city near center of region.	What action is necessary? Review Region 7 sales market to determine center of sales.	What action is necessary? Visit city selected.
Why is the action necessary? To reduce salesmen's time vested in travel and make it easier for Region 7 customers to do business with our firm.	Why is the action necessary? To identify best city for office.	Why is the action necessary? To obtain office.
Where will this action take place? In Region 7.	Where will this action take place? In home office.	Where will this action take place? In city selected.
When will this action take place? Before start of next fiscal year.	When Will this action take place? Start Immediately.	When will this action take place? Within 30 days.
Who will take this action? Sales Manager and salesmen assigned to Region 7*	Who will take this action? Sales Manager.	Who will take this action? Salesmen assigned to Region 7*
How will this action take place?	How will this action take place?	How will this action take place?

(Examine sales market,
Visit possible cities,
and select office locations.)

your sales manager will decide how to obtain and review the sales data for Region 7 as given in the example on the facing page.) It goes without saying that the person to whom you delegate must be qualified to take the action and responsible enough to carry it out.

There are only three questions in the process which must be in the sequence shown. The WHAT must be first, the WHY second, and the HOW last. The other three may be interdependent and each planning case might call for a different Sequence. The WHO might depend on the WHERE and the WHERE might: depend on the WHEN, and so forth.

TOP