An Action Plan is a list of tasks that you need to do to complete a simple project or objective. To draw one up, simply list the tasks that you need to complete to deliver your project or objective, in the order that you need to complete them. To do this, first brainstorm every step you'll need to take to follow your task to completion. Then, analyze tasks to see if there are any that can be pruned, or delegated. Lastly, use the SCHEMES mnemonic to double check that you've considered all critical areas.

After Action Reviews can be conducted almost anywhere, and will vary in length. For example, a 15-minute AAR can be conducted after a one-day workshop, or a much longer meeting could be held to reflect on the strategy development process throughout a large organization. AARs should be carried out immediately, while the team is still available and memories are fresh. It is recommended that AARs be incorporated at key points during a project, activity, event or task in the early planning stage, although they are often completed at the end.

Implementing change is no small task. But using Beckhard and Harris' change equation during the planning process is a quick but effective way of ensuring that your people understand why change is necessary, why your proposed "to be" state will be better, and what they need to do about it now! When all of this is in place, you will greatly improve the likelihood that your change will be successful. The model is useful to test whether a change initiative is likely to succeed: if one of the three elements is missing, then the change is likely to fail. It can also be used during a program of change to assess which levers can be used to increase the probability of a successful change outcome.

Business testing is a useful tool for making sure that a new process or system works properly before you implement it. By using this tool, you'll ensure that your testing phase is set up effectively, and that you can influence any decisions that must be made to get the right balance between delivering a project on time, on budget, and to quality standards even if compromises are needed.