Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is front-ending as much as possible one's goals and the means to achieving these goals, and, as much as possible, should include a realistic time-table or schedule as well as resource disposition list that will permit one to estimate set-up and operating costs on any project.

Projects are inevitably a learning process, and no amount of prior experience, planning or fore-knowledge can completely prepare a person for all the exigencies and events that will arise as a consequence of project implementation. Therefore, planning ahead of time can have diminishing returns after some point. Planning or preparation should not become a substitute for action, or preclude the ability to act in a decisive and timely manner. Even if a plan is half-baked, it is sometimes better either to fly it or abandon it altogether, rather than to perpetuate something that doesn't work at all.