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Process planning is a key step in the broader effort known as process management. The idea behind this type of planning is to identify the overall goals associated with the process and to develop a broad concept of the steps involved in that process. From this perspective, planning of this type helps to provide an outline for the process under consideration, which can then be developed in detail and used to create a workable process within a larger project. To keep planning on target, it is important to identify the goals of the process, consider the broad steps that would make it possible to achieve those goals, and then organize these steps into a logical sequence.
Before process planning can proceed, it is essential to identify the desired outcome of that process. Setting goals for the process provides the basic framework for determining how the process should work to achieve those goals. As part of the process, considering the questions of not only what needs to be done, but also why this process should produce a specific result, will help set a clear agenda moving forward.
Once the goals have been established, you can proceed to process planning to define the general steps involved in this process. At this time, no attempt is made to define the specifications of each of these steps. The idea is to develop a general idea of how to get to your desired goals, and then organize those general steps into a sequence that is logical and doable. Be sure to keep the steps as short as possible to avoid complicating the process.
In some cases, the temptation to blur the lines between planning and process management can be very strong. It’s usually a good idea to make a clear distinction between the two, focusing on planning as a way to create an overall approach that can then be fleshed out in detail. This helps provide a solid foundation that you can refer to when evaluating how to best manage steps. In addition, the outline developed as part of process planning can make it easier to keep goals in mind by defining the details of how to manage each step, a trait that often prevents you from drifting into secondary issues that can complicate things. needlessly.