Detailed Work Plan Template
A work plan is an outline of a set of goals and and the processes which a team and/or person will use to accomplish those goals. There are five (5) steps involved in developing an excellent work plan:
- Identify the purpose for your work plan. In our case it is to develop a strategic plan. Most work plans are for a certain period of time (i.e., 6 months or 1 year).
- Write the introduction and background. For professional work plans, you have to write an introduction and background. The introduction should be short and engaging.
The background should highlight the reasons you are creating this work plan. For example, recite recent incidents that identified problems that need to be addressed. - Determine your goal(s) and objectives. Goals and objectives are related in that they both point to things you hope to accomplish through your work plan. However, remember the differences, too; goals are general and objectives are more specific. Goals should focus on the big picture of your project. List the desired ultimate outcome of your work plan. Objectives should be specific and tangible. In other words, you should be able to check these off your list when you accomplish them.
Many work plans break down objectives into short-, middle-, and long-term objectives if they vary significantly. For example, a company’s short-term goal to increase viewership 30% in three months may vary significantly from its long-term goal to strengthen brand visibility in social media outlets over the next year. - Consider ordering your work plan by “SMART” objectives. SMART is an acronym used by individuals searching for more tangible, actionable outcomes in work plans. Specific. What exactly are we going to do for whom? Measurable. Is it quantifiable and can we measure it? Can you count the results? Achievable. Can we get it done in the time allotted with the resources we have available? The objective needs to be realistic given the constraints. Increasing sales by 500% is reasonable only if you’re a small company. Increasing sales by 500% if you already dominate the market is near impossible. Relevant. Will this objective have an effect on the desired goal or strategy? Time bound. When will this objective be accomplished, and/or when will we know we are done? Specify a hard end date for the project.
- List your resources. Include anything that will be necessary for you to achieve your goals and objectives. Resources will vary, depending on the purpose of your work plan. Resources can include things like financial budget, personnel, consultants, buildings or rooms, and books. A detailed budget may appear in an appendix if your work plan is more formal.
Download Work Plan Templates 
Strategic Planning Templates
The collection of strategic planning templates can also be accessed below:
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| Strategic Plan | SWOT Analysis | Environmental Scan | Detailed Work Plan |
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| Strategic Gap Analysis | Planning Problems | Planning Meeting Facilitation |
