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What Is a Work Plan? How to Make a Work Plan In 7 Steps

Before you can accomplish your project goals, you need to plan how to reach them. A work plan creates a clear path project teams can follow to reach their desired goals and objectives. Along that path will be resources, constraints and other work management elements that need to be described in your work plan.

What Is a Work Plan?

As its name suggests, a work plan is an action plan that helps project teams achieve their goals. Work plans factor in key project planning elements such as tasks, milestones, deliverables, resources, budgetary requirements and a timeline to weave it all together.

The work plan won’t be written and initiated by a single person and it should be submitted to board members and stakeholders for approval. Once approved, you can continue building out the rest of your work plan.

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Work Plan Template

Use this free Work Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better.

Why Do You Need a Work Plan?

As we mentioned, your work plan acts as your roadmap for the entire project execution. Not only will it keep you and your team organized, but it’ll ensure that you get buy-in from key stakeholders, related departments, relevant accountability/risk leaders and more.

Additionally, it helps manage expectations on both the stakeholder level as well as on the managerial and team member level—everyone that starts off on the right foot has a better chance of landing on the right foot, too.

Work plans guide project teams in a similar way project plans do. However, there’s a big difference between these two important project management documents .

Work Plan vs. Project Plan

Work plans are not as comprehensive as project plans , which have a wider scope and involve more components. The main difference between them is that project plans are created from a high-level view and address every aspect of project management. On the other hand, work plans focus on helping project teams achieve smaller objectives.

If you build your work plan in project management software like ProjectManager , then it’s easy to continue to iterate on your plan and make improvements over time. You can use robust project planning tools such as Gantt charts, kanban boards, project dashboards and much more. Get started today for free.

How to Make a Work Plan in 7 Steps

While work plans might take many forms, here are some simple work planning steps you can follow to make one.

1. Set Goals & Objectives

Before anything, it’s important to write down the goals and objectives that’ll be achieved through your work plan. These will describe the purpose of your plan. It’s important to use SMART goals : create goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-related. This should help you start your plan off on the right foot.

Your goals might sound like your purpose, but they’re more specific in that they’re more long-term oriented — i.e., your team learned more about the process of launching a bug fix or how to respond more directly to customer or market feedback.

Similarly, your project objectives should be measurable. For example, the objective of this project after launch is to create an increase of xx% of active monthly subscribers, or a certain dollar amount in revenue generated.

2. Define the Scope of Your Work Plan

Once you’ve identified your work plan goals, you should use a work breakdown structure (WBS) to identify all the tasks that must be executed to achieve them, which is your project scope. By breaking down your project scope, you can start assembling a team, estimating costs, creating a budget and drafting a project schedule.

3. Estimate What Resources Are Needed

When you break down your project scope using a WBS, you can better estimate what resources are needed for each task in your work plan. Make sure to include different types of project resources, such as human resources, raw materials, machinery, subcontractors or anything else that you might need for the execution of your work plan.

4. Assign Roles & Responsibilities

Now, assemble a project team and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each member. Communicate with them and make sure they understand what their job is and how they can collaborate with each other.

5. Estimate Costs & Create a Budget

Once you have a clear idea of what resources are needed for your work plan, it’s time to estimate their costs and create a budget . To do so, simply establish a measurement unit for your labor, materials and other resources to then assign a price to them.

6. Create a Project Schedule

There are different tools and techniques you can use to create a project schedule for your work plan. In fact, most project managers use Gantt charts, project calendars, kanban boards

7. List Any Risks, Constraints and Assumptions

Remember that your work plan is the action plan that’ll guide your project, so the more details you have about constraints and potential risks, the better your team will perform their tasks to produce deliverables and achieve the goals and objectives.

Maybe some of your team members take a few sick days during this period of time; maybe unexpected tasks have to be executed; maybe some of your tools crash that requires more money pulled from the budget. Whatever your project constraints may be, factor in anything that might feel like a risk that can lead to a full-blown constraint, which may affect the completion of deliverables or even the goals and objectives of your project.

Free Work Plan Template

Our work plan template can help you document the steps explained above. Be sure to constantly monitor your template and update it as changes occur in your planning process. Or, if you’re looking for more dynamic project planning tools, you can use Gantt charts.

A work plan template can help you organize your thoughts, but in order to create your action plan and execute it, you’ll need dynamic project management software to help you throughout the planning, execution and monitoring phases.

Work Plan Example

Here’s a basic example to better illustrate how a work plan works. Let’s imagine you’re a business owner who wants to increase your production output by 25 percent by acquiring new machinery and hiring more production employees. While this project doesn’t involve producing tangible deliverables , you’ll still need a work plan.

Goals & Objectives It’s important to define one primary goal and then some smaller, more specific objectives needed for the completion of that goal.

Main Work Plan Goal Increase production output by 25 percent.

Work Plan Objectives

• Improve the company’s production capacity by acquiring new machinery
• Fill skill gaps in the production planning team
• Make sure machinery is well-maintained

Scope of the Work Plan Now, you should list individual activities that must be completed in order to achieve your goal and objectives. Here’s a simple breakdown of activities.

• Inspect the production line
• Perform preventive maintenance
• Optimize plant layout
• Acquire new machinery
• Assess the current team
• Hire new personnel

Resources/Roles & Responsibilities In this case, you’ll need a production manager, HR manager and maintenance team. They’re responsible for executing the tasks listed above.

Work Plan Budget Your budget should cover both the labor costs as well as the cost of the new equipment. Your labor costs will be the salaries of the production manager, HR manager and maintenance team. Make sure you estimate your project costs accurately before creating a budget.

Work Plan Schedule Define a timeframe for the analysis of your production line, the procurement of new machinery, preventive maintenance and hiring.

Risk, Assumptions & Constraints Think about any risks, assumptions or constraints that might affect your work plan. The best place to start is the triple constraint of time, budget and resources.

Creating a Work Plan With Project Management Software

To learn more about how project management tools such as Gantt charts , kanban boards and project dashboards can help you make the perfect work plan, watch the short video below. We’ll quickly show you all the ways that project planning software can improve your planning, execution and reporting—so you can make that work plan with confidence.

ProjectManager Can Help You With Your Work Plan

Getting every detail of a work plan sorted is no easy task—from managing your team to managing your stakeholders. It requires a delicate balance of understanding your project timeline, the tasks that make up the project scope, potential risks , balancing a budget and allocating resources. Not to mention, you’ll have to do this while keeping the customers’ ultimate needs and the project goals and objectives in mind.

With ProjectManager , our online Gantt charts let you schedule your entire project timeline, assign tasks, create dependencies and oversee tracking. Additionally, we have team collaboration features that allow your staff and managers to comment on tasks, attach necessary files, and interact with each other no matter where they’re located.

ProjectManager also features resource management tools that let you balance the hours worked across your team. This helps ensure that your time, tools and resources are balanced no matter what.

Related Work Management Content

• What Is Work Management? Creating a Work Management System
• Best Work Management Software of 2024 for Remote Teams
• What is a Statement of Work? Definition & Examples
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Creating a work plan and don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered. With ProjectManager , you’ll get access to online software that helps you to better track your work plan from milestone to milestone. Start your free 30-day trial with ProjectManager  today.

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How to create a work plan (examples and template)

As a kid, I watched John “Hannibal” Smith from The A-Team often say, “I love when a plan comes together.” The four action heroes appeared to be able to create elaborate plans to solve their challenge of the week and execute them on the spot. Well, I never thought that as an adult product manager, I would be saying the same words.

In practice, my planning comes with way more hurdles than the TV action heroes faced. However, both the A-team and the product teams still need a work plan to achieve success!

What is a work plan?

Now, what is a work plan in product management, especially in an agile product management world? A work plan is a high-level document that helps you gather any initiative’s goals, timelines, risks, and other aspects for a future update. It helps you coordinate and monitor these details to make sure the work is going accordingly.

“Wait a minute!” – you may shout – “That sounds like project management!”

Well, I need to agree here. But, this work plan is not there for you to get timelines from your team and monitor them with a stopwatch.

This is a communication tool. This is how you help yourself, your team members, and your stakeholders get a common understanding of upcoming challenges. When you work with your team on the plan, the right people get their chance to voice their concerns and ideas.

Also, in the product management world, it is not about setting everything in stone. It’s about being able to create clarity where possible (say, the problem you want to fix with the new initiative) and identify the moving elements (i.e., where will the development go once a certain aspect is A/B tested).

What are the 3 steps of a work plan?

To understand a tool work plan for a product manager, let’s divide it into three stages:

• Preparation

Let’s take a look at them one by one!

1. Preparation

Every change starts with an idea. However, the idea is simply not enough to convince anyone that it’s a good one. Thus, here comes the bulk of, often lonely, work of a product manager. In this stage, you should:

Create an initiative document

Establish a user story or similar, verify how the idea fits the current product fundamentals and focus, choose the product metrics to address, perform research and early product discovery, identify the internal stakeholders.

• Create a ticket in your product management software

Plan a project kick-off meeting

This is not your Jira ticket — not yet. This will be your work plan’s main document, where you will gather all the notes and key information needed. For now, this can be a private document, but be aware that you should be able to share it with anyone at any point.

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It’s not your notepad, but a document collecting all aspects of the initiative. This document will later be super handy when crafting any other communication or updates connected to this initiative. Be sure to record the information you collect from the following points in this document.

While the book approach dictates that you start with a problem to solve, let’s face it, we usually work on solutions. However, a solution looking for a problem is most likely nothing more than a waste of time.

Thus, provide the right context for your initiative, the intended user group and the value the idea delivers. This will set a solid foundation for the rest of the work you are going to do. Thus, start by filling in this sentence:

As a [description of user], I want [functionality], so that [benefit].

Every product idea needs a good context. It has to fit the current product vision and strategy, and address current goals and OKRs . Without it, it will be a distraction from the current direction. Doesn’t mean the idea is bad, but timing is also important. You can still plan it! Duh! A well-crafted work plan can be a basis to define the next period OKRs!

If you verified the context, it’s time to link your solution to your product metrics and goals. It’s OK to have ideas that don’t address any metrics directly, but build product quality to increase long-term retention. However, it will be far harder to sell such work to your stakeholders.

No worries, you just need to adjust your pitching strategy. Maybe the idea is worth pursuing as a side project or hackathon initiative. Anyway, make sure your flagship initiatives at least plan to improve some of the key product metrics. It’s best to also include that in a written product change hypothesis.

While it’s not always possible to get all the information you need, try to research the answers to the following questions:

• Was this solution tested in other areas of the product or by competitors or semi-competitors? For example, the “stories” feature worked out great on Instagram, but it was a disaster on Skype
• Is there a science paper that evaluated the idea in a controlled environment? For example, have scientists evaluated the impact of gamification on users’ behavior?
• Are you able to estimate the impact of the initiative on product metrics or are you performing a pure “guesstimation”?
• Which user personas will benefit from the update?
• What are the other ways to solve the same problem (this is just a sanity check step to see if you can come up with even a better idea)

From developers, researchers, business analysts, and other product managers to high-level executives. This will help you down the road in making sure all the right parties are up to speed!

Create a ticket in your product management software (most likely Jira)

At this stage, you should be able to create your epic and copy-paste relevant information from the initiative’s document. It’s a formality at this stage, as you basically have everything to create an exceptional epic.

Once you did all that due diligence, it’s time to call in a meeting and get all the needed stakeholders in one room to get everyone on the same page. However, the main goal will be to create a more tangible product plan and identify the unknown risks and gaps that could prevent the idea from becoming a reality.

2. Kick off

Now that all the product manager’s preparation work is completed, the kick-off meeting can be treated as sort of a handoff meeting. While the PM doesn’t move on to researching another idea right after this meeting, the responsibility of making it happen is essentially passed on to the development team. Or at least it should be like this.

If you are a product manager that also performs the project manager/development team leader duties, you will have to see all the work through until the end.

Anyway, regardless of your role, here are the elements you need to tackle during the kick-off meeting. Remember to record everything in the initiative document! The meeting here should consist of the following elements:

• Product manager presenting their findings
• Discussion on those findings to make sure all meeting members are on the same page
• Planning out the high-level technical elements needed plus the timeline
• Agreeing on the potential risks and brainstorming solutions to mitigate those
• Seeking an MVP that can be implemented to test the product hypothesis as early as possible. This can mean different things, from a product discovery process where a mock of the update is presented to random people, to a full-blown working update with perhaps only a selected pool of intended functionalities
• Drawing expected timeline and check-in points
• Finalize the design – Mart – by the 14th of August
• Build the API – Donna – by end of August
• Prepare the tracking specification – Lucas – early August
• Clearing the necessary architecture changes with team Astro – Monica – ASAP
• Expected MVP release – Jane – second sprint of September
• Agreeing on the requirements. You can come up with a draft of the update’s requirements for the Jira ticket, but it’s best to run them with the stakeholders and include their input
• Final Q&A session to make sure everyone leaves the room at least in peace, if not optimistic and confident

Now, as I mentioned earlier, what happens next depends on how your organization defines your product manager role. This might be a point after which you only check in with the team to share your opinion on the deliverables and collect status updates for your communication. However, you may also be the person who needs to change this into a full-on project management role, with full oversight, daily reports, and addressing any hurdles the team should face.

Sidenote: honestly, if you are closer to the second possibility, please consider changing employers. You won’t be growing as a product manager if project management takes the bulk of your job.

Assuming you work in an agile organization, the plan is now being realized and adjusted on the fly based on what will happen. The timeline can be pushed back for multiple reasons, but that’s OK.

Timely delivery is not about setting dates and deliverable outcomes in stone — it’s about using agile scrum to deliver the optimal value to the user and knowing how to do it transparently. It’s a neat compromise between chaotic-on-the-fly decision-making and a complex predefined structure project execution plan as presented by, i.e., PRINCE2 framework.

As you are, hopefully, an agile product manager, let’s look at the final stage of the plan:

3. Evaluation

This is a bit fuzzy part where you are meant to reflect on how the plan is coming together. While you will be making your decisions based on the MVP and following releases’ performance, it will be really impressive if you are already prepared for certain outcomes.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What happens next after the MVP is successful (or not)?
• What parts of a successful MVP should be improved first and foremost?
• Does the result of this initiative impact your roadmap going forward? How? (i.e., when your experiment is done as a small side project, but is so successful it promises way better results than other roadmap items planned)
• Can other parts of the product/company have any stake in this update? (i.e., If a new feature introduced in the mobile app is successful, perhaps the web browser version of the product should follow suit?)
• Are there any opportunities this update unlocks?

Generally, sit down and speculate what you should do next. Don’t wait until the update is released to do that, as that will be a waste of time. If you find a successful result, you should pursue it immediately – every day you don’t build on your previous success is a day lost!

Let’s make it easy for you: Template with an example

Hope you liked the framework above and would like to give it a go! If so, this article comes with both a work plan template and a filled-in example of a work plan for you to use.

I hope you will use it and it will be easier for you to deliver your next initiative to the kick-off meeting stage. Good luck!

Conclusion: “I love when a plan comes together”

I believe some of you were skeptical when you saw the beginnings of this article. A work plan for an agile product manager does seem to contradict the basic foundations of how the role should be executed.

I hope however that now you see that “agile” doesn’t mean “without a plan.” On the contrary, being agile is not about working without one — it’s about having a solid understanding and foundations to be able to adjust the plan on the go while maintaining the right vision and ability to still attain any pursued goal.

I hope this article will help you achieve those!

Dr. Bart Jaworski, Senior Product Manager at Stepstone, ex-Microsoft

Follow me on LinkedIn!

Check out my product management resources: drbartpm.com

Featured image source: IconScout

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How to create a work plan (with template)

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What is a work plan?

3 great reasons to use a work plan, work plan template and examples, types of work plans, and once you knock it out of the park….

You did it — you got promoted or landed your dream job . 

After a lot of hard work, you’re ready to make your mark with your next project. You want to make a great first impression with your boss. Whether you've got big ideas to pitch or big challenges being pitched at you, execution matters.

You know that you need to communicate your ideas clearly. But you also need to communicate your ability to execute on them and rally the resources to help. That starts with demonstrating that you have a solid grasp of the nature, size, and complexity of the project.

How? By creating a work plan that shows your approach and lets others see where they fit in. A work plan isn't always right, but it gets people to ask the right questions.

So before you change the world, think about your approach. Are you following a known methodology? Your manager will need specifics, everything from your project timelines to a high-level action plan. (And, eventually, a detailed action plan.)

In short, you’ll need a work plan — a roadmap for accomplishing your work goals . Whether you want to streamline your team's workflow, build a new app, or put on the event of the century, a strategic plan will take you there.

Let’s talk about how to create a work plan t hat meets your project management goals and achieves the outcomes and impact that matter.

A work plan is a document that helps everyone communicate more clearly about the project.

A good work plan lays out the action steps needed to complete a project.

It makes clear what the desired outcome is and the major streams of activities or deliverables that will accomplish that outcome. It also highlights needed resources or participation and dependencies.  

Key stakeholders should review and provide input to a plan before the project begins. This process is lengthy, but you’ll have a clear roadmap that everyone supports when it’s ready (more on how to create an action plan and achieve your goals in a moment).

A final work plan typically includes:

• Goals and project objectives
• Project tasks
• Task assignments (if working with a team) 
• Key deliverables
• Required resources
• Timelines, including due dates

It’s tempting to avoid creating such a rigorous document for your workflow. After all, this process is both complicated and somewhat time-consuming. But extra work now will pay off in the long run.

Creating a plan forces you to really consider how to achieve the objective. The process forces you to ask hard questions, like who will do the work, and is there enough time?

Here are three reasons to pull together a work plan:

1. It’ll help your team stay on task

A great work plan establishes deadlines and tasks. Listing out who is responsible for what keeps everyone accountable. People can also see how their work fits into the bigger picture. That can make it more rewarding but also helps them make better decisions.

2. Manage expectations

By the time you start the project, your plan will have made the rounds to all relevant stakeholders — including management. This process takes time and effort. But without it, people will inevitably throw curveballs at you throughout the project. (They still may but you are standing on more firm footing with a good work plan).

Everyone should be clear on what the plan requires and what it can accomplish. It surfaces mismatched expectations and different interpretations at the outset to reduce confusion and conflict down the road. Plus, it will highlight requirements and constraints that you might not have been aware of,  like special permissions, that you can add to the plan.

3. It’ll make it easy to know when to celebrate

Tracking your goals and milestones gives you a reason to celebrate with your team. Nothing feels better than crossing a significant item off the list. Plus, you can share your successes with management, making you and your team look good.

Understanding what level of detail is appropriate and how to present your plan to different stakeholders are some of the skills that BetterUp can help you develop.  

You can create a work plan in Microsoft Word, Excel, or a dedicated project management software. You can also find work plan templates online. We've provided a step-by-step template with examples below.

No matter what you choose, there are some fundamental principles to follow. First, start simple. At every step, try to tell a clear, easily understood story. Second, get test it on the high-level before you get too detailed. Share it with your manager, experienced team members, or trusted peers and listen for what resonates or where they have questions.

An example can help you understand how the process works. So imagine you’re the head of a public relations department at an outdoor equipment company. In this role, one of your goals is to organize a fundraiser for a high-profile local not-for-profit. Let’s prepare your work plan to pitch to your CEO. 

Step 1: Define the “why” of your project

In your work plan document, you’ll need to explain: 

• The purpose of this endeavor. How does it fit into the company's big picture? What will it bring to the organization? Provide a clear explanation .
• The background and wider context of this project. Demonstrate where the project fits in the company's business plan or key objectives. It can also be helpful to show how the project fits into the company’s core values . 

In the outdoor equipment company’s case, you want to show the company’s commitment to the local community. This helps build trust with customers and employees, who are the pillars of the company’s success.

And because you sell outdoor equipment, your charity of choice is an environmental group. This perfectly aligns with the outdoorsy image of your organization. 

Step 2: Set your project schedule

It’s always good to have a clear deadline for a project . A time-bound project helps you to prioritize and get things done. Plus, having a deadline can help you manage your time effectively . 

In this example, your time frame is clear: You have until the date of the event. Pick a placeholder date to help you establish the schedule. Keep in mind the event date could change during discussions with stakeholders.

You will also need start dates and end dates for each aspect of the project, such as creating promo materials and guest invitations. Determine which of these dates are fixed and which have some flexibility. Don't create a plan that relies on the best-case scenario every step of the way.

Be sure to assign team members to these tasks. 

Step 3: Clearly state your goals

This is where you list clear, achievable objectives. Consider using the SMART goals technique . This will help you brainstorm specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based objectives.

Be sure to also define key performance indicators (KPIs). These are the tools you need to measure success.

For your fundraiser, a donation goal of $100,000 and an attendance rate of 50% would be reasonable indicators of success. 

Step 4: Go over your constraints

Your goals should be consistent with your chosen timeline, budget, and resources. You probably found barriers in the planning process, so make sure the project’s scope is realistic. Don’t promise a moon landing if you don’t have money for a rocket.

Your event should have a realistic way of meeting its goals of $100,000. Does your company have connections in the community? Will you have many high-profile guests who can make large donations? Are they guaranteed to show up if they RSVP? 

Answer these questions honestly, think imaginatively about alternatives, and adjust your goals accordingly.

Step 5: Discuss risk and accountability

Think of your plan from every angle . What are your core dependencies? What could go wrong? Whether it’s unexpected employee turnover or bad weather forcing the event indoors, be clear about what could prevent an ideal outcome and have a backup plan. Have several and specify what conditions would trigger a contingency plan in advance.

Every work plan will be different. As t his work plan template shows they vary  depending on the type of project, the number of people involved, and who will be using the plan each day 

The nature of these strategies makes them hard to categorize, but we can boil them down to two major types: 

Employee work plan

These plans are smaller in scope, focusing on simple projects within a department. They aim to help your team achieve its internal goals — thus negating the need for upper management approval. Usually, these small projects fall within your purview as a department head or manager.

An employee work plan includes things like:

Project goals

Materials and expenses required for the project

Deadlines and estimated date for completion

Manager work plan

A manager's work plan is more appropriate for large projects. They involve long-term goals and strategies, and may require help from other departments. These projects tend to have:

The projected impact on the company

Detailed risk analyses

Granular cost breakdowns and budgets

Because of their size and complexity, these plans often require approval from the higher-ups.

Let’s come back to your mountain equipment company fundraiser. This project would be considered a manager plan. It’s expensive, could significantly impact the company’s brand image, and involves multiple stakeholders outside of your department. Within the plan, you might find tasks that you can assign to your employees on a smaller scale — but that’s still part of the manager’s role. 

Project management plans are essential for any team leader , but they’re not everything. Having and communicating a vision and leading a team all the way through execution are important skills. Now that you kn ow how to create a solid work plan, yo u’re on your way.

BetterUp can help you level up your leadership skills to get everyone on board with your work plans. We’re here to help you create a plan to crush your goals (in the best possible way).

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

How to create a scope of work in 8 steps

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 A Work Plan

Learn everything you need to know about creating a project/work plan for business projects . Includes best practices , how-tos, examples, and a free work plan template at the bottom.

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”

– Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President

I can’t agree more with President Eisenhower’s quote. Planning forces me to organize my thoughts and narrative for change. If I establish a goal, and I have a bunch of chess pieces, I have to figure out the proper sequencing of all of the chess moves to achieve the goal. And, given the chess pieces are people, I have to assess how much they can get done in a timely fashion, create milestones that will stretch the team but are reachable, and build a case for change that will motivate the team. Then, I have to figure out how to get the wheels turning in a new direction, aligning and mobilizing people and resources to focus on something new and unknown. There are a lot of moving pieces, and while a plan might be good, it will always be imperfect, and inevitably the plan is only as useful as the planning that went into it.

Strategic leaders expend much of their mental energy on thinking about the future and working backward. And, they codify much of their thinking into a plan. So, let’s go over what makes up a plan and some of the best practices in planning and creating a plan.

What is a plan?

A plan begins to bring to life a strategy. A plan arranges the composition of resources and work necessary to achieve an objective over some time period. A plan is useful to further problem solve a strategy, understand the magnitude of necessary resources, work, and time, chunk up progress into milestones, reveal dependencies, align and provide clarity to stakeholders and serve as a cornerstone for execution .

Whether the plan is a strategic plan , a project plan, a marketing plan , a daily plan, or any other plan, all plans share a set of common elements, including objectives, resources (money, people, infrastructure) workstreams, work blocks, phases & milestones, dependencies, and time.

A Plan begins with an objective, the ultimate output of the use of resources. The objective can be figuring out a solution to a problem, building a new product, next year’s growth goals for a business, or getting from point A to point B. Regardless, it is important to be crystal clear on the objective, for it serves as the guidepost to optimize the work, resources, and timing of a plan.

Workstreams & work blocks

Work is the actions taken by people to accomplish objectives. Good plans separate work into both work blocks and workstreams. Work blocks are chunks of interdependent tasks. While workstreams are logical groupings of work blocks, often segmented by the person, team, or function that will do the work or some other relevant segmentation .

Phases & milestones

Often, but not necessarily, work is also segmented by phases, which often defines the lifecycle of a plan over time. Phases can be punctuated at the end by milestones, which are intermediate accomplishments or outputs, signifying progress towards the ultimate objective(s) of the plan.

Resources (people, money, infrastructure)

Resources are needed to execute a plan. Resources always start with people or a team, who do the work. Often, the execution of a plan also necessitates resources such as money or budget, and infrastructure.

The last element of a plan is the dimension of time. A plan charts a course of action through time, with the plan’s composition of resources and work, optimized on the canvas of time.

Core Planning Tools

In developing good plans, there are four main tools to utilize, including collaboration, disaggregation , lean, and estimation.

Collaboration

Developing a good plan necessitates robust collaboration with stakeholders, potential team members, and people with previous experience. Strong planning is like a multi-dimensional puzzle, where many of the puzzle pieces are in peoples’ experiences and knowledge or created in rich interaction and discussion. The arrangement of the puzzle pieces can only be properly put together through the debate on how to optimize the right resources doing the right work at the right time to achieve the objective.

Disaggregation

Building a plan is a problem solving project. And, once the objective is defined, the first step in problem solving is disaggregation. In the case of a plan, the focus is on properly disaggregating the workstreams, work blocks, phases, milestones, timing, and necessary resources. And, as with any disaggregation, the key is being MECE ( Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive), segmenting the elements in a way that they don’t overlap, and are inclusive of everything that is necessary to achieve the objective.

Another challenge in disaggregation is defining the right level of specificity. It is hard work to figure out at what level of specificity a plan is most effective. Regarding a high-level strategic plan, typically the right level of specificity is represented by the big goals and initiatives of an organization . A daily plan needs a level of specificity at the task level.

Defining too low of a level of specificity (tasks) on a project plan can demoralize people. People like to know what they need to accomplish, and not be told how to accomplish things. Typically with a project plan, keep the work blocks and streams defined at a pretty high level, and focus the attention on setting the right milestones and goals.

A plan outlines a process with inputs (resources) creating outputs (milestones and objectives). As with all processes , be as lean as possible, eliminating the 8 Forms of waste , including waiting, motion, over-processing, over-production, defects, transportation, intellect, and inventory.

More often than not, there is a lot of waste within the architecture of a plan. Maybe the plan doesn’t fully utilize resources by parallel processing workstreams, has milestones that aren’t value-added output, but are more procedural, or creates multiple handoffs from one group to another. Just like in any process, it is important to use lean tools to minimize waste. The goal of a plan is to efficiently and effectively utilize resources to achieve an objective. Therefore, you should apply a high level of diligence in eliminating waste from a plan.

It is difficult to accurately estimate the necessary resources and timing to get the work done in a plan. There are two main elements of estimation. The first is properly estimating the amount of work that needs to be done, including any dependencies between work blocks. The second element is properly estimating how many resources you need and the productivity of the resources.

Estimating the amount of work involves properly disaggregating and leaning out the work blocks. Estimating the amount and productivity of resources can be much trickier. Software development studies highlight that the best software developers can be up to 15 times more productive than bottom-tier software developers. So, getting the right people on a project is a big part of the success equation.

Regarding estimating the productivity of the resources, the best practice is to involve the people in the planning that are going to execute the plan. Through a combination of their experiences, past performance, and debate, the team can typically assess what resources they truly need and how long the work will take. And, of course, the other estimation best practice is to always provide a bit of resource and time buffer in a plan. Typically, there is enough buffer in a plan when the people that will execute the plan have a 90-95% confidence level that they will accomplish the objective with the planned resources and schedule.

DOWNLOAD THE POWERPOINT PROJECT PLAN TEMPLATE

To get you going on planning your next project, download the free and editable PowerPoint Project Plan Template.

For an upcoming project, use the following Project Plan Template to organize the different elements of a plan.

First, think through the objectives and outputs of the project. Then dive into disaggregating the work into 2-5 workstreams. Next, think through the work blocks necessary for each workstream. Focus on what the output of each work block is and the steps to get there. You can either create milestones for the work streams or the total projects. Then adjust the timing of each work block by estimating the resources and time needed to complete, giving a little cushion to ensure there is enough time for completion. Organize the work blocks and workstreams to account for dependencies.

Once the project work has been organized, then codify your thoughts on the team structure and personnel, and the resources you’ll need to execute the project. This should give you a good understanding of the overall budget for the project.

When a project strawman is complete, the next step is to get more stakeholders involved to iterate and improve the various elements of the plan. Once the necessary stakeholders agree and sign off on the plan, then the project plan should go through the organization’s governance process to be evaluated against other projects and hopefully approved.

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Crafting an Effective Work Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide

September 3, 2023 - 7 min read

In any professional endeavor, having a well-crafted work plan is essential. A work plan serves as a roadmap , providing clear objectives, assigning tasks and responsibilities, and establishing realistic timelines. With a well-structured plan in place, you can effectively manage your resources, identify potential challenges, and ensure the successful completion of your project . In this step-by-step guide, we will take a closer look at the process of crafting an effective work plan and explore the benefits it brings to your work.

Understanding the Importance of a Work Plan

A work plan is a document that outlines the tasks, objectives, and timelines necessary for the successful completion of a project. It serves as a blueprint for the project's execution, providing a clear direction for everyone involved. With a well-defined plan, you can minimize confusion, eliminate unnecessary delays, and ensure that your project stays on track.

Benefits of a Well-Structured Work Plan

A well-structured work plan offers several benefits.

• Provides a clear understanding of the project's goals and helps in prioritizing tasks. By having a clear roadmap, you can identify which tasks are critical and need to be completed first, ensuring that the project stays on track.
• Aids in resource management . By allocating the right people and tools to each task, you can optimize the use of resources and ensure that everyone is working efficiently. This not only saves time and effort but also helps in avoiding any unnecessary delays or bottlenecks.
• Helps in identifying potential risks and challenges. By conducting a thorough analysis of the project, you can anticipate any obstacles that may arise and come up with contingency plans to mitigate them. This proactive approach ensures that the project is prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Serves as a communication tool. It provides stakeholders with a clear overview of the project's progress and milestones. By regularly updating the work plan and sharing it with relevant parties, you can keep everyone informed and involved in the project's development. 

Preliminary Steps Before Crafting a Work Plan

Before diving into creating a work plan, there are a few preliminary steps that need to be taken.

Identifying Your Goals

• Start by identifying the main goals and objectives of your project, as this sets the foundation for your work plan. By clearly defining your goals, you can establish a clear direction for your work plan and guarantee that it aligns with your desired outcomes.
• Take the time to brainstorm and discuss with your team to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding the project's objectives. Remember, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). 

Understanding Your Resources

• Take stock of the resources available to you, including human resources, tools, and materials. Understanding what you have at your disposal will enable you to allocate them effectively in your work plan.
• Assess the skills and expertise of your team members and determine how their strengths can be utilized to achieve project goals.
• Consider the tools and technologies that can support your project. Are there any software applications or project management tools that can streamline your work plan? Evaluate the availability and suitability of these resources to ensure that you can make the most out of them.

Recognizing Potential Challenges

• Identify any potential challenges or risks that may arise during the course of your project. Communicate these challenges and risks with your team members.
• Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify possible obstacles such as budget constraints , time limitations, or external factors that may affect your project.
• Brainstorm potential solutions and develop strategies to mitigate their impact.

The Step-by-Step Process of Creating a Work Plan

Creating a work plan is an essential part of project management . In this section, we will explore the step-by-step process of creating a work plan, including setting clear objectives, assigning tasks and responsibilities, establishing a timeline, and incorporating flexibility into your plan.

Setting Clear Objectives

The first step in crafting a work plan is setting clear objectives. This involves clearly defining what you want to achieve and outlining the specific tasks required to reach those objectives. Breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks not only makes the plan more achievable but also provides a sense of direction for the project.

When setting objectives, consider the SMART criteria - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This ensures that your objectives are well-defined and can be effectively tracked throughout the project.

Assigning Tasks and Responsibilities

Once you have defined the tasks, the next step is to determine who will be responsible for each task. Assigning tasks to team members based on their skills and expertise ensures that the work is distributed effectively and that everyone understands their role and responsibilities.

Effective task assignment involves considering the strengths and weaknesses of each team member. By leveraging their skills and expertise, you can optimize productivity and make sure that tasks are completed to a high standard.

Establishing a Timeline

A work plan must include a realistic timeline that outlines when each task should be completed. Consider dependencies between tasks and allocate sufficient time for each. Breaking the project into manageable chunks with specific deadlines helps in tracking progress and achieves timely delivery.

When establishing a timeline, take into account any external factors that may impact the project. This includes potential delays, resource availability, and any other constraints that may affect the project timeline. By considering these factors, you can create a more accurate and achievable timeline.

Incorporating Flexibility into Your Plan

While it is important to establish a timeline, it is equally important to incorporate flexibility into your work plan. Unexpected challenges and changes are bound to happen, so it is crucial to leave room for adjustments and contingencies within your timeline.

By being adaptable, you can effectively respond to changes and ensure the project stays on track. This may involve reallocating resources, adjusting timelines, or revisiting objectives. By incorporating flexibility into your plan, you can mitigate risks and increase the chances of project success.

Maintaining and Updating Your Work Plan

A work plan is not a static document. It requires regular review and assessment to ensure its effectiveness. Schedule regular check-ins with your team to review progress, discuss any challenges, and make necessary adjustments to the plan. This allows for continuous improvement and ensures that the plan remains aligned with your project's objectives.

• Check-ins: Encourage open and honest communication among team members. This creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. By fostering a collaborative atmosphere, you can gain valuable insights and perspectives that can contribute to the success of your work plan.
• Reviewing your work plan: Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and tactics outlined in the plan. Identify any areas where adjustments may be necessary to optimize performance. Assess any challenges or obstacles that have arisen during the project. These challenges may include unexpected delays, resource constraints, or changes in stakeholder requirements. Additionally, involve relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process when making significant adjustments. This ensures that all parties are aware of the changes and can provide input or support as needed. 
• Continuous improvement:  Conduct post-project evaluations with team members, stakeholders, and clients to gain insights into what worked well and what could be improved. Use this feedback to refine your work plan for future projects and enhance overall project management practices. Also, stay up to date with industry trends and best practices. Regularly seek opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge through training, conferences, or networking events. 

Craft Effective Work Plans with Wrike

Crafting an effective work plan is key to project success. With Wrike, you can easily manage and craft your work plans. Wrike allows you to create individual folders for each work plan or project, serving as a central hub for all relevant information and updates. Beyond just crafting work plans, Wrike offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to streamline your workflows, foster collaboration, and drive productivity. From real-time communication to intuitive task management features, Wrike provides everything you need to craft an effective work plan. Ready to craft effective work plans and boost your project success? There's no better time to start than now. Get started with Wrike for free today.

Note: This article was created with the assistance of an AI engine. It has been reviewed and revised by our team of experts to ensure accuracy and quality.

Occasionally we write blog posts where multiple people contribute. Since our idea of having a gladiator arena where contributors would fight to the death to win total authorship wasn’t approved by HR, this was the compromise.

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For example, you can use the IF function to perform conditional calculations or the CONCATENATE function to combine data from multiple cells. Another way to increase efficiency is by automating tasks with macros. Macros allow you to automate repetitive tasks with a single click, eliminating the need for manual execution. You can record a series of actions and assign them to buttons or key combinations. For instance, you can create a macro that generates reports, formats data, or sends emails. By automating routine activities, you can focus your time and energy on more critical tasks, improving productivity. Streamlining data entry is also crucial for efficiency. Data entry can be time-consuming and prone to errors. To simplify the process, consider implementing drop-down lists within your template. For example, if you have a template for tracking expenses, you can create a drop-down list for categories such as "Food," "Transportation," and "Entertainment." Additionally, you can combine drop-down lists with conditional formatting to further improve data quality. Conditional formatting can highlight any input that doesn't meet specific criteria, making it easier to spot and correct errors. So, let us embrace the potential of Excel workflow templates and unlock our organization's true efficiency. With a little creativity and the right tools, we can revolutionize our project management processes and pave the way for success. Increase efficiency using Excel workflow templates in conjunction with Wrike's comprehensive workload management features. Sign up for a free trial and innovate your work processes today. Note: This article was created with the assistance of an AI engine. It has been reviewed and revised by our team of experts to ensure accuracy and quality.

Tips for Keeping Stakeholders Informed with an Effective Progress Report Template

Effective communication with stakeholders is crucial for project success. A well-designed progress report template can play a significant role in ensuring that stakeholders are informed about project progress, milestones, and potential issues. In this article, we will explore the importance of stakeholder communication, key elements of an effective progress report, tips for designing a comprehensive progress report template, and strategies for writing persuasive and informative progress reports. We will also examine a case study that highlights the benefits of using an effective progress report template for stakeholder communication. Understanding the Importance of Stakeholder Communication In project management, stakeholders play a significant role in shaping the project's outcome. They provide valuable input, resources, and expertise that contribute to the project's success. By identifying and understanding the different stakeholders involved, project managers can effectively manage their expectations, address their concerns, and ensure their needs are met. Internal stakeholders, such as project sponsors, team members, or department heads, are responsible for providing the necessary resources and support for the project. They have a vested interest in the project's success and play a critical role in its execution. By communicating regularly with these stakeholders, project managers can keep them informed about the project's progress, address any challenges or roadblocks, and ensure that the project stays on track. External stakeholders, like clients, suppliers, regulatory bodies, or the general public, bring a different perspective to the project. They may have their own goals, objectives, and expectations that need to be considered. For example, clients may have specific requirements that need to be met, while regulatory bodies may have certain guidelines that must be followed. By engaging in effective communication with these stakeholders, project managers can ensure that their needs are understood and incorporated into the project plan. The Role of Effective Communication in Stakeholder Management When it comes to stakeholder communication, it is important for project managers to adopt a proactive approach. This means regularly updating stakeholders on the project's progress, involving them in decision-making processes, and seeking their feedback and input. Managers should also consider the use of various communication channels and tools so that stakeholders receive pertinent information in a timely manner. These can include face-to-face meetings, email updates, project management software, and online collaboration platforms. Lastly, managers should actively listen to their stakeholders. They should create opportunities to voice feedback and concerns, in order to foster an environment of trust and collaboration. The Preliminary Work A progress report serves as a means to track and communicate project status to stakeholders. Before creating your report, here are some elements to keep in mind. Setting Clear Objectives Establish clear objectives that are aligned with the overall project goals. They should also be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Clear objectives provide a framework for assessing progress and help stakeholders understand the value the project is delivering. For example, if the project's objective is to increase customer satisfaction, the progress report should outline specific metrics, such as the percentage of positive customer feedback received or the number of resolved customer complaints. These measurable objectives allow stakeholders to gauge the project's success and make informed decisions based on the data provided in the progress report. Regular Updates and Timelines Include regular updates on project milestones and timelines. This helps stakeholders track progress and anticipate any potential delays or bottlenecks. Providing a clear timeline also allows stakeholders to plan their involvement or allocate resources accordingly. For instance, if the project involves multiple phases or deliverables, the progress report should outline the expected completion dates for each milestone. This information enables stakeholders to monitor the project's progress and identify any potential roadblocks that may hinder its timely completion. Additionally, the progress report should include updates on any changes to the project timeline, providing stakeholders with the necessary information to adjust their plans accordingly. Including Quantitative and Qualitative Data Include both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data provides measurable indicators of progress, such as budget allocation, resource utilization, or completion percentages. Qualitative data, on the other hand, captures the subjective aspects of the project, including stakeholder feedback, lessons learned, or success stories. Combining both types of data provides stakeholders with a holistic view of project performance. For example, a progress report for a marketing campaign may include quantitative data via the number of leads generated, conversion rates, or return on investment (ROI). Qualitative data could include testimonials from satisfied customers, feedback from focus groups, or anecdotes illustrating the campaign's impact on brand perception. By incorporating both types of data, the progress report provides stakeholders with a comprehensive understanding of the project's success and areas for improvement. Designing a Comprehensive Progress Report Template Designing a comprehensive progress report template involves considering the needs and expectations of the stakeholders. A well-designed template should be visually appealing, easy to understand, and customizable to fit specific project requirements. Essential Components of a Progress Report Template An effective progress report template should include the following essential components: Project Summary: Provide a brief overview of the project objectives, scope, and current status. Key Achievements: Highlight significant milestones or accomplishments since the last progress report. Current Challenges: Discuss any obstacles or issues that may impact project progress. Next Steps: Outline the planned activities for the upcoming period. Risks and Mitigation: Identify potential risks and provide mitigation strategies. Resource Utilization: Present information on resource allocation and utilization. Customizing the Template to Suit Project Needs While it is essential to have standard components in a progress report template, customization is crucial to meet unique project requirements. Project managers should adapt the template by including additional sections or modifying existing ones to provide relevant information specific to their projects. This ensures that stakeholders receive the most valuable and pertinent information for effective decision-making. Tips for Writing a Persuasive and Informative Progress Report Writing a persuasive and informative progress report requires clear and concise language, visual aids, and a focus on transparency and honesty. Using Clear and Concise Language Avoid jargon and convoluted phrases in progress reports. Instead, use clear and concise language to convey information effectively. Present facts and figures in a straightforward manner, so that stakeholders can easily understand and interpret the information provided. Incorporating Visuals for Better Understanding Visual aids, such as charts, graphs, or infographics, can enhance the readability and comprehension of progress reports. Visuals present information in a visually appealing format, making it easier for stakeholders to grasp complex data. When using visuals, select appropriate formats that align with the nature of the information being presented. Ensuring Transparency and Honesty in Reporting To build trust and maintain stakeholder engagement, progress reports should demonstrate transparency and honesty. Acknowledge challenges, setbacks, or areas with room for improvement. By providing an honest assessment of project progress, stakeholders can better understand the risks involved and work collaboratively towards solutions. Case Study: Successful Stakeholder Communication through Effective Progress Reports Let's explore a case study that demonstrates the benefits of using an effective progress report template for stakeholder communication. In a large construction project, the project team faced challenges in keeping multiple stakeholders informed about the progress and potential delays. The lack of clear communication resulted in misunderstandings and frustration among stakeholders, adversely affecting project outcomes. To solve this issue, the project team developed a comprehensive progress report template that included all the critical elements mentioned earlier. The template provided a structured framework for reporting progress, challenges, and upcoming activities. It also included visual representations of progress and resource utilization, making the information easily understandable. With the implementation of this progress report template, the stakeholders gained a clear understanding of the project's status, challenges, and next steps. The transparent communication fostered trust and collaboration among stakeholders, resulting in timely decision-making and issue resolution. In the end, the project team successfully completed the construction project on time and within budget, achieving the desired outcomes and ensuring stakeholder satisfaction. Ultimately, keeping stakeholders informed through effective progress reports is crucial for successful project management. By understanding the importance of stakeholder communication, implementing key elements in progress reports, designing comprehensive templates, and employing persuasive writing techniques, project managers can ensure that stakeholders are engaged, informed, and supportive of project goals.  Keep stakeholders informed with efficient progress report templates available in Wrike’s advanced suite. Get started with a free trial today and enhance your transparency, ensuring stakeholders are always in the loop. Note: This article was created with the assistance of an AI engine. It has been reviewed and revised by our team of experts to ensure accuracy and quality.

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How to develop an effective work plan in minutes

In order to develop an effective work plan you'll need to clearly understand what you're trying to achieve. ensuring a favorable outcome of a work plan often comes down to the manner in which you manage your goals and objectives, and how you measure success. a ready-made, customizable work plan template is an intelligent first step to reaching your goals..

What is a work plan?

Manage any plan or project in an intuitive way with monday.com.

4 tips for creating a successful work plan

• Work your way backwards from the final goal Planning activities can be accomplished by working backward from the final goal with core initiatives arranged hierarchically. Developing the plan can be achieved through iterative refinements of strategy, objectives and the underlying tactics. Gating factors should be accounted for in the development of a straw man outline. The main objectives and summary checklist should be included as the first step of the process.
• Establish goals with measurable deliverables Once the project outline is complete, it’s important to define clear realistic deliverables as part of the action plan. Milestones allow progress to be tracked against deliverables within a results-oriented framework. A timeline can be instrumental in identifying what needs to happen and when.
• Create realistic objectives that are relevant to the stated goals A good plan will often fan out from goal to tactic. For example, a single goal might be supported by a small number of strategies, each with a single or a small number of objectives. Objectives will often contain many tactics which should comprise the concrete actions to be accomplished within an achievable time frame. The more granular the tactical plan, the easier it will be to follow. Tasks can often be broken down into sub-tasks which represent individual units of work resulting in identifiable deliverables. As the project commences, it's important to track against the agreed-upon deliverables.
• Define responsibilities and roles in the work plan Allocating responsibilities among designated stakeholders with clearly assigned tasks is a key component of the operation plan. That way, all members of the team can function according to the team charter.

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A complete guide to SMART goals: everything you need to know

Your complete guide to project management in 2023

Free Work Plan Templates

By Kate Eby | February 23, 2024

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Work plan templates are tools for structuring and executing successful projects. Our free, editable work plan templates enable teams to streamline project management, optimize workflows, and enhance productivity, with adaptable builds and guidance.

On this page, you’ll find a  team work plan template , an  individual work plan template , a  monthly work plan template , and more. Plus, learn more about  the core components of a work plan template , and find a  step-by-step guide to creating an effective work plan .

Work Plan Template

Download a Work Plan Example Template for  Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets Download a Blank Work Plan Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets

When to Use This Template:  This template with or without sample data is ideal for both individual and collaborative projects, providing a structured framework for organizing tasks and achieving set goals. Whether you're working solo or with a team, this template is your go-to tool for breaking down complex objectives into manageable steps, facilitating efficient scheduling, and ensuring progress tracking.

Notable Template Features:  This template outlines responsibilities and timelines. The built-in milestone-tracking feature allows for seamless progress monitoring, ensuring adaptability and alignment with set targets.

Check out this page of  free action plan templates to help you break down your larger projects and work plans into actionable steps that help you meet your goals. These templates are a valuable starting point for building out your work plans.

Team Work Plan Template

Download a Team Work Plan Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets  

When to Use This Template:  This template is an essential tool for teams aiming to align their efforts toward a common goal. Whether embarking on a new project or working toward shared objectives, teams can use this template to streamline collaboration by organizing tasks, assigning responsibilities, and establishing clear timelines. Notable Template Features:  This template outlines collective goals, individual responsibilities, and project timelines, promoting clarity on team tasks and fostering a sense of accountability. The result is smoother progress, strengthened teamwork, and improved achievement of shared objectives. We have also collected a comprehensive list of  project plan templates that offer a robust way to plan and visualize your project, no matter the size or complexity.

Individual Work Plan Template

Download an Individual Work Plan Example Template for  Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets Download a Blank Individual Work Plan Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets

When to Use This Template:  This template, with or without sample data, is ideal for promoting self-management and productivity by providing sections for outlining tasks, setting priorities, and allocating time effectively. Use this template for a personalized and structured approach to task organization and goal setting. Tailor it to individual responsibilities and objectives, enabling users to delineate their workflow, set achievable targets, and establish realistic timelines.  Notable Template Features:  This template provides a platform to track progress, adjust goals, and adapt strategies. With a focus on fostering discipline and forging a clear path toward completing objectives, it serves as a compass for effective self-management and goal achievement. Visit this comprehensive page of  free weekly schedule templates to further organize your work, school, or home life. These templates are a wonderful complement to these work plan templates, adding detail and accountability to your planning.

Monthly Work Plan Template

Download a Monthly Work Plan Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets

When to Use This Template:  Use this template when planning and organizing tasks, priorities, and objectives within a month-long timeframe. It serves as a valuable tool for creating a comprehensive roadmap, offering an organized approach to activities within a specific month. Notable Template Features:  This template provides designated spaces for deadlines, milestones, and progress tracking, facilitating assessment and suggesting adjustments. It ensures a well-structured approach to monthly planning and goal achievement. If you are looking for more tools to help manage a complex schedule — and that can help organize content for your work plans — check out this page of customizable  Excel schedule templates .

Quarterly Work Plan Template

Download a Quarterly Work Plan Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets

When to Use This Template:  Use this template when crafting a comprehensive plan for a quarter. Ideal for individuals or teams aiming to tackle midrange goals, this template accommodates the complexity of quarterly plans, allowing for detailed milestone tracking, deadline setting, and deliverable planning. Notable Template Features:  This template offers dedicated sections for prioritization, progress tracking, and periodic reviews, fostering a proactive stance toward goal achievement. With a focus on midrange planning, the template allows in-depth analysis, adjustments, and recalibration of strategies, ensuring consistent progress aligned with broader organizational or personal objectives throughout the quarter.

Annual Work Plan Template

Download an Annual Work Plan Template for Excel | Microsoft Word | Google Sheets

When to Use This Template:  Use this template to orchestrate a comprehensive, year-long roadmap encompassing overarching goals, strategies, and milestones. Tailored for long-term planning, it enables the strategic breakdown of annual objectives into actionable steps, fostering clarity and direction. Notable Template Features:  This template offers sections for defining yearly goals, allocating resources, and establishing timelines for major milestones. It facilitates agility through periodic checkpoints, progress evaluations, and adaptable planning.

What Are the Main Components of a Work Plan?

A work plan typically includes several key components:  

• Objectives or Goals: Include clear and specific statements outlining what needs to be achieved.
• Tasks or Activities: Break down the work into actionable steps or tasks required to accomplish the objectives.
• Timelines and Deadlines: Set specific dates or timeframes for completing tasks or reaching milestones.
• Responsibilities: Assign tasks to individuals or teams, specifying who is accountable for each part of the work.
• Resources: Identify necessary resources, such as budget, materials, or manpower required for each task.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Select methods for tracking progress, assessing achievements, and making adjustments if needed.
• Risk Assessment and Contingency Plans: Identify potential risks or challenges and make plans to mitigate them if they arise.
• Communication Plan: Set strategies for effective communication within the team or with stakeholders regarding progress, changes, or updates.  

These components collectively form a comprehensive work plan, providing a roadmap for successful project completion. Adjustments and additional components might be necessary based on the specific nature and scope of the project.

How to Create a Work Plan

A successful project often hinges on a well-structured work plan. Follow these steps to craft an effective work plan that outlines tasks, assigns responsibilities, and sets achievable timelines:  

• Define Objectives Clearly outline the goals and objectives the work plan will address.
• Identify Tasks Break down the objectives into smaller, actionable tasks or milestones.
• Allocate Resources Determine the resources — for example, time, budget, and manpower — needed for each task.
• Set Timelines Establish realistic timelines and deadlines for task completion.
• Assign Responsibilities Allocate tasks to specific individuals or teams, ensuring clarity on who is accountable for what.

Download a Template to Capture Your Project’s Timeline and Phases Select and download a template, such as the  basic work plan template from this article, to organize and share the critical steps of your work plan.  

Use the Template to Develop Your Project’s Activities Go through each prompt in the template, and enter your project information into each cell.  

Document and Communicate Project Activities and Outcomes Fill in the chosen template with all the details of the project’s activities and outcomes, ensuring it is accessible and understandable to all involved parties.  

• Review and Adapt Regularly review the work plan, track progress, and make adjustments as necessary to stay on course toward achieving the set objectives.

Optimize Your Work Plan for Project Success with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

From simple task management and project planning to complex resource and portfolio management, Smartsheet helps you improve collaboration and increase work velocity -- empowering you to get more done. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed.

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time. Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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A project manager’s guide to work planning: steps, tips & a real-life example

Your work plan is a roadmap of your project—see how you can use it to organize tasks, people, budget, and timelines.

Elise Dopson,   Contributor

• project planning

You have an overall project plan, but how do you translate that into something real? How do you figure out which resources to use and when? How do you know if you’re on track? How do you keep your team focused on what matters?

Work planning helps you get organized, stay focused, and hit your targets so you can succeed. With it, you can create a visual roadmap that your whole team can follow.

In this guide, we’ll dive into what work planning is and show you how to create a work plan that tames your project chaos.

What is a work plan? 

A work plan is a roadmap that details exactly how a project will be completed. It’s an operational plan that helps you effectively manage resources , milestones, budgets, and timescales. A work plan does this in a way that’s user-friendly and easy to share with stakeholders. 

Think of your work plan as an action plan that breaks down your project into smaller tasks. These tasks are then assigned to individual team members or resources. With a work plan, you can see who is working on what and feel confident that your project is on the right track.

Your work plan should include the following elements:

• Purpose and background of the project
• Goals and objectives
• Level of effort
• Roles and responsibilities
• Risks, assumptions, and constraints

You can break your work plans down by day, week, month, or quarter. This gives you a better understanding of how they fit into your team members’ working days. 

Plan project work with the #1 rated resource management software

Float is the #1 rated  resource management software  on G2 for planning and scheduling your team’s work. Get a high-level and accurate view of who’s working on what, so you can assign tasks with confidence.

Why do you need a detailed project work plan?

Any great work plan should help you stay on time, on budget, and on schedule. It’s a  resource management tool that gives project managers a strategic overview of what’s happening daily. 

That’s not the only upside to outlining a work activity plan, though. Creating a project work plan also gives you better, more useful ways to: 

• Identify resource/ scheduling conflicts or challenges as they arise
• Help your team stay focused and organized on their workload
• Look after your team members’ workloads to avoid overscheduling or burnout
• Identify where a project might go over budget before it happens
• Report on progress to stakeholders 
• Unite your team to work toward a common goal to deliver a successful project in the right time frame

While  project planning  can help you plan and assign tasks, work planning takes it a step further. It gives you a more powerful, strategic way to understand and optimize your resources for both small and large projects. Your work plan outline becomes an invaluable document that helps you plan projects and track progress across many projects at once. 

How to create an effective work plan

A detailed work plan is one of the strategic planning must-haves, but if it’s not already in your toolkit, don’t worry—you can have one set up in no time! Especially if you are using resource management software to gather data to build your plan of work. Here’s a walk-through of the planning process, from zero to awesome work plan (and you can use our free work plan templates to save even more time!).

1. Understand the project scope

Before you can create a work activity plan, you first need to understand the project as a whole. Review the project scope and make sure you’re comfortable with everything it involves. Study the timeline, milestones, deliverables, budget, and stakeholders. Read through the short-term and long-term goals to get an understanding of what success looks like. 

Check whether you can make the project a success with what you have or if you need to rethink one or more aspects. Consider any challenges or constraints that you might face while managing the project. This can include a lack of resources for that period of time or a scheduling conflict with another project. Pay close attention to your project budget . While there might be some wiggle room, you want to come in on or under budget. Set your budget and stick to it with the help of Float’s  resource scheduling  tools.

Within Float, you can  set a project budget  by hours per project, fee by project, or hourly fee. Plus, you can do the same for phases—which is ideal if you’re working on a large, multistage project. Knowing your budget and setting it within your  resource planning  software gives you the best chance of staying on target. 

Once you’re happy you can meet the project scope, you can start work planning. Think about the different tasks and teams involved, and consider how to build this into a fully-fledged project work plan. 

2. Understand your available resources

To make your project happen, you’ll need the right resources at the right time. That means you need to know exactly who you have available and when. 

The resources you need will depend on the project you’re tackling. Your human resources list can include full-time and part-time staff members, contractors, freelancers, or agencies. Beyond people, your budget, software, and materials are all other project resources to consider. 

With resource management software like Float, you can quickly and easily see and assign resources to projects. It’s a smarter approach to capacity management , so you don’t end up overscheduling people or falling behind because you need an extra pair of hands. Float can help you track and manage your team members’ time, set their days and work hours, account for public holidays and vacations, and see at a glance if they’re approaching overtime hours. 

Using a dedicated tool like Float helps set your project up for success. Right from the start, you’ll have an overview of your people, resources, and task schedule. This means you can handle challenges, conflicts, and capacity in a more strategic way.

Float works extremely well in combination with traditional project management tools—think Asana, ClickUp, or Monday.com. Float is where people planners do their project planning and estimating and then schedule and allocate resources. Project management tools are for project managers who need detailed task lists to help their teams stay laser-focused on processes and execution.

Get a live view of your resource availability to plan project work

Rated #1 on G2 for resource management, Float gives you the most accurate view of your team’s capacity so you can schedule work with confidence.

3. Break the project down into manageable tasks with deadlines

You can break every project down into tiny moving parts that take you one step closer to success. Here’s where you map these out to create a practical plan of work for your team to follow. 

Think about all the tasks you need to complete to reach your project goals. Take your project objective or outcome and identify the major components. Next, split each area of the project into smaller tasks that you could assign to an individual. Once you have a list of tasks, figure out the best order to work on them. For example, you might need competitor research done before you can work on an SEO strategy. Create a program evaluation review technique ( PERT ) chart to help you create an achievable roadmap for your project tasks. 

Assign each section of your new work plan to a department or team lead. This holds them accountable and gives them the responsibility to motivate their team. It also means that everyone knows exactly who is in charge of what, so you can streamline decision-making. 

4. Schedule tasks for your team

Every task needs someone assigned to it, or it’s likely never to get done. 

With tasks assigned to departments, it’s time to drill down further and make those individual tasks someone’s responsibility. Resource management software makes scheduling tasks to team members easy. In Float, all you need to do is click and drag on someone’s work schedule to create a new task. You can then name the task, assign a client and project, set hours, and assign your team members. 

Sometimes tasks are a solo affair, but not always—which is why you can  assign a task  to lots of people or a whole team with a few clicks. This is great if you need others to check in on progress or if you’re happy to delegate management. 

Assigning tasks is easy, but you can run into trouble trying to motivate others to complete them. Float offers email, push, and Slack  notifications  so your team can personalize how they receive their schedule. You can also map schedules to a user’s time zone, making it ideal for distributed teams. This personalized approach means your team members are more likely to stay engaged and get things done on time. 

5. Check-in as the project work plan progresses

Any good plan only works if it’s followed. Be proactive and check in with your team members as the project moves along to identify issues before they become a major problem. Make it part of your daily routine to check in on your team’s progress. Review your plan of work to get a quick overview of whether tasks are being completed as expected or not, then follow up with individuals if you need to. 

Float’s  people reports  are a great resource for reviewing progress. You can check in on budget spend, hours worked, overtime, time off, and more to reassure you that things are on track.

Here’s a quick video on how to monitor the progress of your plan in Float.

7 bonus tips to help you stick to your work plan

Introducing a new way of working always comes with a few obstacles. From tackling a lack of engagement to making the most of useful features, here are some tips to help guide you toward work-planning success. 

1. Have staff members communicate when things are behind schedule

Life isn’t perfect. Sometimes things happen that cause a project to fall behind schedule. What matters is creating a work environment where your team members tell you as soon as they realize it’s an issue.

Have your team members check in with any challenges at your standup meetings. Ask them to be proactive about keeping you updated. Encourage your teams to request a call or meeting if they need to bring something to your attention. 

These unscheduled calls or meets can be tricky if you’re working across different time zones. Use Float’s status feature to share where team members are working from and when they’re available. If you’re using Slack, you can  sync your scheduled status , allowing you to schedule the conversation without leaving the app. 

2. Plan around dependencies

There are some actions you can’t take without something else happening first. Plan around these dependencies to help you create the best route toward your goals.

Make sure you have a good knowledge of the order your team members need to complete tasks. As an alternative, check in with the department lead to confirm that the order of tasks makes sense. If it doesn’t, you’re likely to fall behind or run into scheduling conflicts.

Plan where tasks sit on your project timeline based on their dependencies. For example, plan your new feature testing well before publishing a new blog post about it. Check progress on your first task, too, so you know whether to delay the launch, which, in turn, would delay the publicity.

Planning around these links between tasks makes the whole process smoother for you and your project team. Take time to identify and account for linked tasks now to avoid conflicts later on.

3. Have staff track their time

With so many tasks to complete, you need to know where your team is spending their effort in real time. The only problem? Time estimates are notoriously nuanced. Sometimes we get predicted hours right, with work going as expected. Other times the actual hours worked end up being different from what we have planned for. 

Ask your team to track their time against tasks so you’re able to see how this compares to your predictions. The  time tracking  feature in Float gives your team pre-filled timesheets based on their scheduled tasks. This means when the estimated time is correct, it’s easy to log your hours with a click. 

Plus, when the actual hours worked were more or less, your team can simply adjust how many hours the task took and hit Log . Project managers can track their spend in real time to monitor progress and compare their estimates vs. actuals for their next project. 

When a task takes longer or you identify a delay earlier in the process, your project can stall. Tracking your time from the start means you can spot these delays early before they can impact your final timeline. 

Time tracking  gives you a measurable way to understand how your resources are being used. Make this a key part of your work process so you’re strategic about resource allocation . 

Did you know?

You can get a live view of your project progress by tracking your team’s actual hours worked in Float. Compare your estimated vs. logged hours to monitor progress in real-time and create more accurate future work plans.

4. Allow space in your work plan for the unexpected

Team availability can change at the last minute, clients can shift project scopes, and sometimes, you don’t fully know what you’re dealing with until a project is in flight. Make sure there’s room in your work plan to tackle any unforeseen issues without throwing the whole project schedule off. 

Even the best of us can’t operate like machines, so it’s a great idea to give everyone breathing space between tasks. Don’t overschedule your team members—instead, space things out more than you think you might need. You can always adjust your schedule if you find they’re getting through things in good time. 

It’s also wise to give your team members enough space between stages of the project or dependencies. If you’re relying on one person to complete the first stage, schedule the second stage to begin a week or two after. That way, there’s time to play catch up if you need to, and you won’t impact the final timeline too much. 

The sweet spot recommended for  resource utilization  is 70 to 80% of a team member’s scheduled time.

5. Give allocations to placeholder roles

We don’t always have our whole team ready when a project kicks off. If you need someone to fill a role but haven’t hired them yet, account for this. Schedule these tasks using a  placeholder role so you don’t forget about them. 

It’s easy to miss something if one of your team members isn’t responsible for it yet. Forgetting about a whole area of a project can be disastrous, so make sure these tasks get assigned. While your new user won’t have a name yet, their presence will be visible on the work plan—helping the rest of your team stay organized. 

Assigning tasks to a placeholder role also has another benefit. It means that when a new person joins your team, things are all ready to go. You can then update the work plan to feature their name and details, and it’s as if they’ve always been there—no last-minute scheduling of tasks and hours to fit them in. 

6. Set budgets

One of the hardest aspects of any project is staying within budget. There’s always a problem that crops up or an exciting opportunity you hadn’t considered.

Within Float, it’s easy to set up your budget for a project. You can set this in hours or by dollar value—whichever makes the most sense for your project or business plan. Use this in combination with milestones for larger projects to make it easy to view progress by stage. Once you’ve set your budget up, you can check your progress against it.

With budget tracking and time tracking, you have a powerful way to see exactly what’s happening. You can estimate project costs and find out whether you’re likely to overspend (and by what date) and take action to fix it. The same goes for if you’re under budget, so you can commit more resources to your project.

7. Adjust your work plan when you need to

Your work plan doesn’t need to be set in stone. Don’t get into the habit of making changes every day, but don't be afraid to step in and extend a due date or re-prioritize tasks if you need to.

The right resource management platform gives you a streamlined way to make adjustments and communicate them. After all, if your team doesn’t know that an end date or deadline has changed, you’re going to run into problems.

With a tool like Float, it’s easy to make these changes in moments. You can click and drag to adjust hours, change the users on a project, or create new tasks. Once you’ve made updates, team members will receive notifications on Slack or via email.

Type "@" followed by a person’s name on any allocation note to mention and notify them. Depending on the person’s settings, they will receive a notification via email, Slack, or mobile push.

3 work planning examples (from teams who use Float!)

1. buzzfeed.

Buzzfeed is one of the biggest media companies on the planet. It’s a company that moves fast, with hundreds of projects going out the door at any given time. With so many moving parts, everyone needs to know exactly what’s happening to hit deadlines.

When a new project is received, the creative team completes a form with project details such as team members, estimated timeline, and deliverables. Afterward, the post-production team coordinators review the timeline and start planning in Float.

They create a new project and add high-level information like the project’s due date and budget. This information helps them identify team members with the necessary capacity and availability, as Float’s schedule displays who is available during the planned project dates. Then, they assign editing tasks to available team members who have the right skills.

The team often has to juggle new and ongoing tasks by assigning them to the most suitable team member available. Float’s Schedule enables them to see everyone’s current projects and choose the right person for new tasks.

They use the filter option to create and save views of their team members. For instance, they can open a saved view to find a video editor who is available for a few hours next week to add sound to a video.

You can use the filter function to easily find a team member with the right skills for your projects.

Curious about how Buzzfeed uses Float to power such a resource-heavy team? Dive into the details with our full  case study .

2. Show + Tell (formerly Impression)

Show + Tell is a full-service agency dedicated to creating exceptional digital experiences and pushing design boundaries. Every week, the team at Show + Tell has a standup meeting to discuss the status of projects and plan work for the following week. The entire agency is present at the meeting to get a good idea of what is going on, ensure they are aligned on projects, and give the chance to everyone to pitch ideas and suggestions. With so many projects at different stages, there’s a lot to keep track of—so, the team uses Float as their single source of truth to drive the meeting.  To read more about how Show + Tell plans work and stay on top of task allocation, head over to this case study .

An example of work plan schedule in Float

3. Accounts & Legal

This London-based consultancy firm is one of the few that specializes in both accounting and legal services—and given the nature of their industry and the size of their clientele, they need to deliver work under strict deadlines and in-between many client calls. 

...which, inevitably, makes planning work a challenge . Much like the Show + Tell folks above, Accounts & Legal use meetings to stay on top of plans and schedule; but instead of a weekly cadence, they run:

• A monthly call, in which the team determines all the due dates and deliverables they need to hit, then goes through extra client requirements to work out the whole team’s priorities
• A daily sync, in which someone shares their screen with the Float schedule, and everybody has a conversation around these questions: ✔️ What did we do yesterday? ✔️ Is there anything that took longer than anticipated or got done quicker? ✔️ What are we doing today and can it get done? ✔️ Does anyone need any support? ✔️ Is there any capacity or is anyone overloaded with work?

Float’s work plan schedule for Accounts & Legal

A better way to manage your work plan

The work planning process doesn’t have to be complicated, though. With the right resource management platform, you can build your work plan faster and make it easy to manage.

With Float, you can see at a glance what your team is working on. It’s easy to update deadlines, reassign tasks, and move new projects into a gap in your schedule. You can track your budget and make strategic decisions based on real-time data and knowledge. It’s the smarter way to do work planning!

Ready to revolutionize your approach to work planning? Jump on board and manage your work plans with Float, the #1 tool for resource management. 

Start your free trial .

Some FAQs about work plans

Who should be organizing project work plans.

As the project manager, you are on the hook for developing the project work plan. 

Traditionally, the project sponsor writes the charter, and then the project manager adapts the charter into a work plan for the team. In theory, the project hasn’t officially kicked off at the charter stage, so there is no project manager yet. Therefore, the person commissioning the project is responsible for the charter.

The difference between theory and practice? In my 15-year career, I have yet to work on a project where I didn’t write the charter. Bottom line: project managers are responsible for it all!

Which key elements are generally included in a work plan?

Here are some elements often included in work plans:

1. Purpose and background – Sets the stage for what the project is trying to accomplish, the context behind it, and the business drivers

2. Goals and objectives – What are the goals for this project? How do these goals align with company objectives? What does success look like?

3. Level of effort – What is the expected level of effort for this project? What is the high-level timeline , including milestones and deliverables? What is the work breakdown structure (i.e., the list of activities required to complete the project?)

4. Roles and responsibilities – What are the roles on this project, who is assigned to these roles, and what activities will they perform?

5. Budget – The expected project costs by phase. Who is funding this project? What are the funding sources? How does the budget align with the estimated level of effort? These initial estimates will help you track finances throughout the project.

6. Risks, assumptions, and constraints – What are the risks that could derail the project? What are the assumptions at the project’s outset? What are the known constraints?

How to write a work plan?

Remember that the work plan is formed from the project charter. So you’ll need to dedicate a bit of real estate upfront to remind the reader what the project is about and why it’s essential.

While you should absolutely share the project charter with your team, the primary audience for that document is executives. The charter grounds the project in the company strategy and explains the business drivers. It deliberately doesn’t say too much about execution—that’s where the work plan comes in.

The work plan is a blend of the visionary and the tactical. It’s geared towards the team members who are engaged in project delivery and helps set them up for success throughout the project lifecycle.

Once you’ve oriented the reader, pivot from the big-picture goals and strategy to the details of execution. Focusing on the tactics is important for two reasons: 

1. To avoid regurgitating the charter and 

2. To make the work plan useful to its intended audience.

Related reads

Resource management plan: your 6-step recipe for success, workload management: actionable tips from experts (2024), capacity planning guide: 3 practical strategies & expert tips.

Filter by Keywords

10 Best Work Plan Templates in Google Sheets, Microsoft, and ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Are you tired of getting lost in the chaos of your new projects? Do you wish you could make your work more organized and efficient? Are you looking for a solution that streamlines your teams’ tasks and ensures everyone stays on the same page? 

Look no further, because work plan templates will help you do just that. They act as your action plan throughout your project, helping you to see the big picture, due dates, and any dependencies that may keep you from reaching your goals. 

In this blog post, we’re going to talk about what work plan templates are and what makes a good template. Then, we’ll share our top 10 templates for ClickUp, Microsoft, and Google Docs. Ready to optimize your work plans like never before? Let’s dive in!

What is a Work Plan Template?

What makes a good work plan template, 1. clickup work plan template, 2. clickup annual work plan template, 3. clickup project work plan template, 4. clickup remote work plan template, 5. clickup work plan whiteboard template, 6. clickup 12-week plan template, 7. clickup process plan template, 8. microsoft excel work plan template, 9. microsoft project project timeline template, 10. efinancial models google sheets simple project plan template.

A work plan template is a tool that outlines the tasks and activities required to achieve specific goals. It is a framework that helps individuals or teams to organize, plan, communicate, and prioritize their work effectively. Work plan templates typically include sections such as project goals and objectives, time frames, resource allocation, performance indicators, and potential obstacles or risks.

Work plan templates are commonly used in project management, research, education, business, and many other fields. They can be customized for the needs of different large projects or tasks, and they help individuals or teams to design achievable goals, create action steps, monitor progress, and make necessary adjustments to ensure successful completion.

Using a work plan template can save time and effort, as it provides a clear project plan for the task at hand. It also improves communication and collaboration among team members, as everyone can see the tasks and deadlines and has a shared understanding of what needs to be achieved.

A work plan template is a valuable project management tool that facilitates effective planning and execution of tasks or projects. By using a work plan template, individuals or teams can enhance their productivity, efficiency, and overall performance.

A good work plan template should be comprehensive and tailored to the specific project or task. It should include all the necessary steps and deadlines, as well as assigned responsibilities and resources required to complete the task. It should also allow for flexibility and adaptability in case of transitions or unexpected obstacles .

• Clear and concise presentation. It should be easy to read, visually appealing, and structured in a logical manner. This enhances communication and ensures that team members are on the same page regarding timelines, objectives, and strategies.
• Proper allocation of resources. Showing how to distribute time, personnel, and materials is also essential. A good template should provide sufficient time for each activity and break down complex tasks into manageable sub-tasks. 
• Ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Progress and performance should be regularly assessed against the plan, and adjustments made accordingly. This helps to identify obstacles and areas for improvement, ensuring the successful completion of the task.

A good workload management tool should be comprehensive, clear, and structured, provide sufficient resources and timelines, and be regularly updated for optimal results.

10 Work Plan Templates

Whether you’re a manager, team lead, or entrepreneur, having a well-crafted work plan is essential for success. A good work plan will help you stay on track and keep your projects organized, allowing you to make better decisions about how best to allocate resources and manage timelines. 

But creating effective plans from scratch can be time-consuming and difficult. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of top work plan templates – so that no matter what type of project or business venture you have in mind, there’s an easy solution at hand.

From simple to-do lists to more elaborate roadmaps with milestones, these templates provide all the features needed for efficient planning without any extra effort or expense.

When you’re first beginning to use templates as part of your work planning process, sometimes starting with the basics is best. That’s what we love about ClickUp’s Simple Work Plan Template .

This template is the perfect place to begin when you’re first using ClickUp for project planning. It helps you easily visualize the activities that have to be done before the project is considered complete. 

You can choose to import items and dates from an existing list, or start from scratch. Each activity can be flagged with a different priority level, and there’s spots to enter start dates and due dates so everyone can easily see what to prioritize, and when. 

This template includes several different customizable fields so you can build the right workload management structure for your projects. The customization offered in this template makes it the perfect starting point for nearly any project or task. 

If you’re a fan of the expression, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” ClickUp’s Annual Work Plan Template may just be your new best friend. To make sure you, your team, or your company is successful throughout the year, you need a process-focused approach to long-term planning with plenty of milestones along the way. 

This template has 5 sections to help guide your long-term goal-setting and track your progress as you go. The template will help you and your team stay accountable to your goals over time. That way, you’ll be planting the seeds of success from the outset, leading to timely project milestones and achieving your long-term objectives . 

Sometimes, managing a project is more complex than just writing down a list of the activities that need to be completed and the status of each of them. When you need a little more detail, ClickUp’s Project Work Plan Template can help. 

Think of this template like an expanded version of our Simple Work Plan template. Along with the standard fields like task name, start and due date, and duration, this template also gives you a detailed look at whether or not your team is reaching their milestones. 

Additional fields in this template show how your team is doing at keeping to the set schedule. 

• Delays (Days) : Tracks which milestones have sticking points; 
• Schedule field: Displays green (on target), amber (minor delays), or red (significant delays); and 
• Effort : Shows the level of effort to complete the task, from 1-5. 

This template’s scheduling fields make it especially useful when looking back at a project retroactively to see where you may have miscalculated the time or effort it took to complete a certain activity. That way, you can adjust and create a more accurate schedule for the next project. 

Remote teams have unique challenges when it comes to collaborating on group projects. ClickUp’s Remote Work Plan Template just for them. 

Without working in close quarters with one another, remote teams have to be more intentional about keeping everyone on the same page with project management. It can also be tricky to figure out which project requests are important for the company as a whole, and which ones would be nice to have, but aren’t important in the bigger scheme of things. That makes finding the right work from home tools critical to remote team’s success. 

This template classifies each project based on its organizational impact to show its importance for the company.

• Low-importance projects: May or may not be pursued depending on the team’s workload, since they don’t significantly impact the organization.
• High-importance projects : Must be pursued since they do impact the organization significantly.

The template also has a place to write the goal of the project (“increase team participation by 90%,” or, “generate 200 new customers,” for example), the project budget and actual cost, the level of effort, and a link to the project’s deliverables, so every person working on the task has full visibility to the context of the work and the relevant files.  

Whiteboarding is a great way to visualize ideas, discuss strategies, and collaborate with colleagues . 

Using whiteboards during team meetings provides an opportunity for everyone to put their thoughts down and work through problems together. But in today’s modern work environments, your team isn’t always in the same physical location to whiteboard together, and they may need to access whiteboard notes while on the go. That’s why we created ClickUp’s Work Plan Whiteboard Template . 

It gives you a planned visual reference for a project in a digital format, but just like a physical whiteboard, you can “hang” notes, jot down tasks, and move assignments around. 

The whiteboard has multiple features to make it just like a physical board – but better! 

• Drawing tools: Freehand with markers of different colors and sizes, add shapes and sticky notes, text, arrows, and mind maps, and even upload images and photos.  
• Template library: Start with 9 different premade templates to quickly organize and add to your whiteboard. 
• Tasks, documents, people, and lists: Drop or tag any of these from other boards or lists within your ClickUp workspace.
• Links: Include clickable routes to Figma files, websites, Google Docs, sheets, and slides, and Youtube.

Whether you’re brainstorming ideas or mapping out complex processes, this whiteboard template can be a helpful tool to take your work to the next level.

Bonus: Communication plan templates

Many businesses run on quarterly cycles of 12 weeks each. For those of you who use this approach, we created ClickUp’s 12-Week Plan Template to ensure your next quarter is even better than your last. But, the fun doesn’t stop there! This template can be used to manage all aspects of your life, helping you to balance your personal and professional goals with the most efficient productivity plan possible. 

Our 12-week plan template operates like a giant to-do list, where you can enter a detailed description of the task, add any subtasks, and create checklists. The template also includes two custom fields: 

• Plan progress : Automatically populate fields that show how far along you are in completing the task 
• Activity category: Tag each category with a relevant group (i.e. personal, work, family, or finances)

Use this template to “brain dump” everything you need to get done over the next 12 weeks. Then, use ClickUp’s fields to assign relevant people to the tasks, create due dates, and prioritize your list by what needs to get done, and when.  

A process plan is essentially your step-by-step roadmap to achieving a specific outcome. 

It includes the steps you’ll take to complete a goal, the quality and response measures you’ll have in place, and any relevant reaction plans. It’s the best way to make sure you (or your client’s) expectations are met, and it’s why we created ClickUp’s Process Plan Template . 

Process plans are often required for compliance purposes in jobs where the product or service requires inspections to ensure its quality. This document offers fields to detail the specifics of your business’s operations. 

• Section to list improvement actions : Includes a description, the input and output, the methods used, the criteria, and the actions that need to be taken if the criteria aren’t met.
• Section for process plan revision details : Includes the revision date, revision history, and a list of approval and acknowledgment people. 

Whether you’re launching a new product or implementing a new sales strategy, having a process plan in place is crucial. It’ll help you stay organized and ensures that you’re following the best practices and protocols to reach success. Plus, having a clear plan can give you peace of mind in your ability to execute your vision. 

While we think ClickUp’s template library provides everything a business could need to get and stay organized, we know you can’t always choose the solutions you’d like to use. For organizations that require you to use Microsoft products and for those who prefer spreadsheets to word docs, these Excel Work Plan Templates are for you. 

Excel offers a few different customizable timeline and roadmap templates to help you organize your projects. 

• Project Timeline: Create a timeline to track project schedules, showing which month each task will happen in. Includes a table for activity name, start, and end dates. Excel provides three detailed project timeline templates and one four-week project timeline template. 
• Work Plan Template: Show your projects in 4 phases, including activities required in each. Data is entered into another worksheet and is then automatically populated into the visual roadmap. 

These templates aren’t purpose-built for project management, but in a pinch, they still allow you to organize your project’s most pressing tasks and present them visually. And if you prefer documents to spreadsheets, here’s how to create a timeline using Word instead.

If you need to keep your project planning within the Microsoft suite but want a more comprehensive solution than Excel templates, consider these Microsoft Project Work Plan Templates . 

Microsoft Project is a software program that helps you plan, schedule, and manage projects. With features like Gantt charts, resource management, and task tracking, Microsoft Project makes it easy to stay organized and on top of deadlines. 

Project also integrates with other Microsoft programs like Excel and Outlook, so you can easily share information and collaborate with your team. Whether you’re planning a wedding, constructing a building, or launching a new product, Microsoft Project can help you stay on track and get the job done.

Project’s planning templates help you to organize tasks and milestones in a way that’s easy to share with multiple team members and stakeholders. But to utilize these templates, you’ll have to sign up for the service. 

For those who can’t choose their own project management platforms and whose companies use Google Workspace, there’s Google Sheets Work Plan Templates for you, too! 

The good news with Google Sheets is, If you’ve ever used Microsoft Excel, you’ll feel right at home. It’s a cloud-based spreadsheet tool that allows you to create, edit and share workbooks with others in real-time. Google Sheets lets you collaborate with your team in a centralized location, without needing to save and send files back and forth. 

For work planning, you can use Google Sheets to set deadlines, track progress, assign tasks, and more. Whether you’re working on a multi-person project, a presentation, or simply need to organize your daily to-do list, Google Sheets can help streamline the process and make your work life a whole lot easier.

Optimize Your Workflow with a Project Planning Template Today 

Prioritizing your workload and making plans to get your responsibilities done is imperative for the best-possible production. Luckily, there are many project management tools available to help you, whether you’re looking for a way to organize work annually, by project, or by quarter.

We may be biased, but we think the easiest way to get started with workload planning is using ClickUp. ClickUp’s workspace lets you easily visualize your tasks, and our templates help you to quickly and intuitively organize them, whether you’re working solo or as part of a larger team. And when you do need to collaborate with other contributors, ClickUp makes getting feedback simple.

It’s free to get started with ClickUp, so give us a try today to see how a bit of planning upfront can maximize your production in the long run. 

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

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How to Write a Work Plan

Last Updated: September 10, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Sydney Axelrod . Sydney Axelrod is a certified life coach and the owner of Sydney Axelrod LLC, a life coaching business focused on professional and personal development. Through one-on-one coaching, digital courses, and group workshops, Sydney works with clients to discover their purpose, navigate life transitions, and set and accomplish goals. Sydney has over 1,000 hours of relevant coaching certifications and holds a BBA in Marketing and Finance from Emory University. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,696,456 times.

A work plan is an outline of a set of goals and processes by which a team and/or person can accomplish those goals, and offering the reader a better understanding of the scope of the project. Work plans, whether used in professional or academic life, help you stay organized while working on projects. [1] X Research source Through work plans, you break down a process into small, achievable tasks and identify the things you want to accomplish. Learn how to write a work plan so that you can be prepared for upcoming projects.

Mapping out Your Work Plan

• In the workplace, work plans help your supervisor know what projects you will be working on over the next several months. These often come right after an annual performance review or as teams undertake large projects. Work plans can also be the result of strategic planning sessions your organization holds at the beginning of a new calendar or fiscal year.
• In the academic world, work plans can help students create a schedule for a large project. They can also help teachers plan their course material for the semester.
• For a personal project, work plans will help you delineate what you intend to do, how you intend to do it, and by what date you intend to have it done. Personal work plans, while not strictly necessary, will help the individual keep track of his/her goals and progress.

• The introduction should be short and engaging. Remind your superiors why you are creating this work plan. Introduce the specific project(s) you will be working on during this time period.
• The background should highlight the reasons you are creating this work plan. For example, recite details or statistics from recent reports, identify problems that need to be addressed, or build off of recommendations or feedback you received during previous work projects.

• Goals should focus on the big picture of your project. List the desired ultimate outcome of your work plan. Keep it broad; for example, make your goal be to complete a research paper or to learn more about writing.
• Objectives should be specific and tangible. In other words, you should be able to check these off your list when you accomplish them. For example, finding people to interview for your research paper would make a good objective.
• 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. [5] X Research source
• Objectives are generally written in the active voice and use action verbs with specific meanings (e.g. "plan," "write," "increase," and "measure") instead of verbs with vaguer meanings (e.g. "examine," "understand," "know," etc.). [6] X Research source

• Specific . What exactly are we going to do for whom? Lay out what population you are going to serve and any specific actions you will use to help that population.
• Remember that a baseline number needs to be established to quantify change. If you don't know the incidence rate of HIV/AIDS among South African newborns, it's going to be impossible to reliably say that you decreased incidence rates by 20%.
• In some cases, an expert or authority may need to be consulted to figure out if your work plan objectives are achievable.
• Relevant . Will this objective have an effect on the desired goal or strategy? Although it's probably important for overall health, does measuring the height and weight of high-schoolers directly lead to change in mental health procedures? Make sure your objectives and methods have a clear, intuitive relationship.
• 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. Stipulate which, if any, outcomes would cause your project to come to a premature end, with all outcomes having been achieved.

• At the workplace, 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.
• In the academic arena, resources may include access to different libraries; research materials like books, newspapers, and journals; computer and Internet access; and professors or other individuals who can help you if you have questions.

• List specific action steps. Identify what needs to happen each day or week for you to complete your objectives. [10] X Trustworthy Source Kansas University Center for Community Health and Development Community-based research center focused on supporting public health development and education Go to source Also, list steps other people on your team will need to take. Consider using project management software or a personal calendar to keep this information organized.
• Create a schedule. Though you can create a tentative work schedule, realize that unexpected things happen and you need to build space into your schedule to prevent falling behind.

Sample Plan and List of Things to Include

Expert Q&A

• Identify milestones if your project is especially large. Milestones are points throughout the project that highlight meeting certain objectives. They can also serve as a point of reflection, allowing you to look at here you are in the process and make sure you are still on track with the work plan. [11] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Make your work plan work for you. Work plans can be as detailed or as broad as you would like or need them to be. They can be written on a piece of paper or created on professional software, using graphics and colors. Use what is most natural and effective for you. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.insightful.io/blog/how-can-strategic-planning-improve-your-productivity
• ↑ http://cec.vcn.bc.ca/cmp/modules/pm-pln.htm
• ↑ https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-create-a-work-plan
• ↑ Sydney Axelrod. Certified Life Coach. Expert Interview. 30 June 2020.
• ↑ https://smallbusiness.co.uk/short-mediumand-longterm-objectives-27759/
• ↑ http://rootedinrelationships.org/file_download/inline/1301eeee-df67-48b0-8445-f7daed9331b8
• ↑ SMART" objectives
• ↑ https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/make-work-plan
• ↑ https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/structure/strategic-planning/identify-action-steps/main
• ↑ https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/milestones-project-management

About This Article

To write a work plan, start by defining a specific, measurable goal that you want to accomplish, like increasing sales by 50% by the end of the year. Then, list the resources that are available to help everyone involved accomplish the goal. You'll also want to mention any constraints or obstacles that might get in the way and how you plan on dealing with them. Also, make sure you clearly explain to everyone involved what they're accountable for. Finally, come up with a strategy for how you and your team are going to be successful. To learn more about how to break your plan into short-term and long-term goals, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to create a successful weekly work plan (tips, templates)

A weekly work plan is a clearly thought-out map of all that you need to accomplish at work during a week.

With hectic and demanding work lives, introducing such a simple practice into your process can significantly improve your efficiency and productivity. 

In this article, we’ll explore eight handy tips for a successful weekly work plan and provide a great template that you can use. We’ll also identify some of the tools available to support your plan and the most important benefits of planning out your week. 

This article contains:

(Click on the links below to jump to a specific section)

• 8 Handy Tips for an Effective Weekly Work Plan
• 3 Types of Tools to Support Your Weekly Work Plan
• 3 Vital Benefits of Using a Weekly Work Plan
• Weekly Work Plan Template

 Let’s get started. 

8 handy tips for an effective weekly work plan

A weekly work plan is easy to incorporate. The structure and order that you get from a plan can positively impact every aspect of your work life.

Here are eight practical tips you can use to create a stellar work plan to suit your needs.

1. Set aside time for planning your week

First, pick a day and set aside an adequate amount of time for your weekly planning. 

Planning your next week on a Friday is a better option than actually waiting till Sunday evening or Monday morning. Since Mondays can be already overwhelming for many, you can lighten your load by making sure you’ve planned out all your weekly tasks and are ready to go. 

Additionally, when you plan on Fridays, you’ll have a better idea of what needs to be done because you have the whole week’s tasks fresh on your mind.

Initially, you may need to spend about half an hour creating your weekly work plan. To make things simpler, you can use a free printable weekly schedule template . 

As you get better at planning and strategizing, this should become easier and take much less time. 

Make sure to do this on a weekly basis and give this activity the time and energy it deserves. 

2. Set goals and objectives

Begin by identifying your long-term goal for a specific period of time. You can then break it down into objectives that you need to accomplish in the following week. 

Next, it can be helpful to break down large projects into individual tasks. This allows you to plan out your week in detail rather than with vague statements. 

When you have an action plan with specifics for each workday, you can get a much clearer idea of the time you’ll require for each action item and what you can realistically achieve. You can increase your productivity this way and actually end up getting more done each week. 

3. Do a quick brain unload

Pending tasks can feel overwhelming, tempting one to procrastinate and focus on tasks of low complexity. 

However, the problem with this is that you may not be able to focus on the task at hand, thinking that you still have tons of things to do. You may not even be able to prioritize the tasks appropriately and only add to your anxiety levels .

During your planning session, getting it all out on a page limits your stress. 

It doesn’t have to be too structured or organized – this is just a preliminary brain dump that you can use to create your work plan.

4. Prioritize and schedule

Prioritizing all the items on your to-do list can save you a lot of stress during the week. 

While you’re planning, you should identify everything with urgent due dates and have the most important task at the top of your list.

You can select three big tasks for every week. These are just the three most important tasks that you need to complete by the end of the week. 

Once you’ve established the most important tasks and appointments, you can begin making your weekly work schedule.

However, it’s important to be realistic at this stage and not squeeze too much into every day. Give your weekly schedule some free time for breaks, thinking and reflecting, or just anything unexpected that may arise. 

5. Be conscious of your energy levels

Account for the fact that your energy levels won’t always be at 100%. 

Identify the tasks that you know will drain a lot of your energy, and make sure you don’t schedule any other demanding tasks on the same day. Instead, pick out some low-intensity tasks and plan to do those so that you can still be productive. 

It also helps to understand your working patterns. 

Are you more sluggish at the beginning of the week due to the Monday Blues ? 

Or are you lethargic at the end of a long week ?

Be honest with yourself and plan so that you can always have an efficient and productive week. 

6. Have a focus day

Try allocating one day of the week where you only work on a single project. With no other distractions or pressure to move on to the next task, it can free you up to focus better on the task at hand.

Committing all of your attention and energy to one project can be a great way to boost creative and innovative thinking when working on those tasks. 

You don’t need focus days every week if you’ve got pending projects to work on. But whenever your weekly schedule allows for it, this is definitely a great strategy to use – both for your productivity and your job satisfaction. 

7. Follow through with your plan

Planning is all well and good, but it’s another challenge entirely to stick to your work plan. 

Here are a few things you can do to ensure you stick to your plan:

• Be realistic with how much you can do.
• Use a weekly calendar, planner, or schedule template (Google Calendar or Microsoft Project provides good options). 
• Don’t make too many last-minute changes. 
• Tell someone close to you about your plan to put a healthy amount of pressure to stick with it.
• Set reminders and alarms throughout the week. 

Moreover, don’t be afraid to make small changes to your plan during the week. It’s quite natural for things not to work out perfectly.

8. Reflect on weekly performance

Lastly, at the end of the week, take a moment to reflect on how successful your weekly schedule was. It can be very gratifying to see that you’ve reached all the milestones you aimed towards for the week. 

If you still had a weekly goal or two left unaccomplished, investigate why that happened. Identify the tasks that you underestimated and use your findings to craft an even better work plan for the upcoming week.

If necessary, allow yourself a brief daily planning session to adapt and adjust your planned tasks for the remainder of your week instead of dismissing your plan entirely.

Now that we know what makes an effective work plan, let’s discover some fantastic tools that you can use to support your plan.

3 types of tools to support your weekly work plan

You can use a lot of different planning tools to support and enhance your work plan. 

Some of these can help you create better work plans, while others can assist with sticking to your plan during the week. 

Let’s explore three of the major types of tools to figure out what solution would work best for your weekly work plan. 

1. Productivity and time management tools

Productivity and time management are all about optimizing your work process so that you can achieve as much as possible in a reasonable amount of time.

Using a productivity management tool can help ensure that you are always on track to accomplish what you’ve planned to. 

Pomofocus and Pomodor are good examples of simple and convenient online tools that can help you boost your productivity levels.

They have customizable timers that use the Pomodoro Technique – this is where you break down your work time into 25-minute chunks with a 5-minute break in between.

This is a fine accompaniment to your weekly action plan and can help you improve your time management skills so that you stay on top of your daily schedule.

If you’re looking for a more powerful and feature-rich option, Time Doctor may just be the right tool for you. 

Time Doctor is an excellent employee time tracking and productivity tool used by major companies, like Verizon and Ericsson, as well as by SMBs, like Thrive Market, to boost productivity across the board.

Here are some of Time Doctor’s major features:

• Time tracking: You can easily track work hours with options for manual or automatic tracking.
• Idle time tracking: Tracks your idle time during work hours. If you’ve been inactive too long, Time Doctor nudges you with a pop-up alert, and time tracking is stopped automatically.
• Projects and tasks: Create projects and tasks and assign them to team members. You can also use this to create an accurate shift schedule for employees. 
• Productivity ratings: You can rate the websites and apps as productive or unproductive based on their relevance to work.
• Productivity reports: You can access detailed reports to analyze your own or your team’s productivity in real time. 

Time Doctor makes for the most comprehensive option to support your weekly work plan with its robust time tracking and project and productivity monitoring features. 

2. Project management tools

A project management tool can make weekly planning, project planning, and monitoring the progress of your team members a hassle-free process. It can provide valuable insights for schedule planners.

Zoho Projects , ClickUp , and Trello are good work management tools that have all of these functions. 

These tools can be a great help for a project manager to plan and schedule projects in the most efficient way. They can clearly display links between different tasks in a convenient task list and highlight any major deviations between planned and actual progress. 

3. Scheduling tools

A scheduling tool can give you a comprehensive view of things like the total workload and the availability of your co-workers. This is valuable information to consider when making your own schedule.

Calendly and Doodle are great options for a scheduling app. They can manage employee schedules and easily set meetings while adhering to the availability in your weekly schedule. These are fine tools to help make sure that you can always follow through with your work plan.

But why take so much effort to organize your work ?

Here’s why. 

3 vital benefits of using a weekly work plan

An effective work plan can have a powerful effect on your work habits and bring about an overall improvement in your work life. 

Let’s take a more in-depth look at how exactly you can benefit from using a weekly plan:

1. Improved work-life balance 

Working chaotically with no plan in place actually ends up eating up a lot more of your time. 

This happens because you may spend more time on a task than you can afford to and then have to make up for it by putting in more hours.

Maintaining balance is an essential thing for wellness at work. When you work smart by planning thoroughly, you’ll have enough time available for a healthy work-life balance. 

2. Consistent workflow 

With a plan in place, you’re far less likely to have unexpected interruptions to your work process.

You can spend less time and energy figuring out what to do next and maintain your work momentum. You waste no more time trying to refocus on a task after getting distracted. 

Maintaining a steady pace with scheduled breaks at appropriate times can do wonders for your concentration and motivation levels. 

3. Increased efficiency 

Having a weekly plan in place can considerably improve your work efficiency. 

It makes it clear what tasks need to be prioritized and how much time you can afford to spend on them so that you get through as efficiently as possible. 

When you’ve planned ahead of time, you know what to expect and are less likely to be caught off guard by unforeseen circumstances that require you to multitask. Multitasking is counter-intuitive and can substantially decrease your overall work efficiency and productivity. 

A great work plan helps you organize your time so that you can focus on one task at a time. You are sure to be significantly more efficient with your time when you’re prepared this way.

Next, let’s check out a simple weekly planner template that you can use to begin structuring your work week easily.

Weekly work plan template

Here’s a sample weekly work plan template for a five-day week that can help you get organized with no additional hassles. 

You can download the template and customize it according to your needs.

Download links:

• Google Sheets

Wrapping up

Using a weekly planner for your work process is an excellent way to take control of how you work, rather than having the circumstances determine it. 

We’ve highlighted eight essential tips to ensure that your weekly work plan is successful and explored some of its benefits. Be sure to incorporate them and use the tools mentioned as you construct your plan of action and follow through with it during the work week.

Once done, you’ll surely notice a significant improvement in your productivity!

Book a free demo of Time Doctor

Carlo Borja is the Content Marketing Manager of Time Doctor, a workforce analytics software for distributed teams. He is a remote work advocate, a father and a coffee junkie.

Free printable employee attendance calendar (Excel, PDF, Word)

8 steps for successful remote onboarding for new hires (+ faqs), related posts, what a hybrid work policy should include (+ free template), how to create a work from home policy (a guide), a free employee attendance policy template for businesses, free daily timesheet template (excel, pdf, word), free monthly timesheet template (excel, word, pdf), 4 free software development timesheet templates.

How to Write a Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

Noah Parsons

24 min. read

Updated May 7, 2024

Writing a business plan doesn’t have to be complicated. 

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to write a business plan that’s detailed enough to impress bankers and potential investors, while giving you the tools to start, run, and grow a successful business.

• The basics of business planning

If you’re reading this guide, then you already know why you need a business plan . 

You understand that planning helps you: 

• Raise money
• Grow strategically
• Keep your business on the right track 

As you start to write your plan, it’s useful to zoom out and remember what a business plan is .

At its core, a business plan is an overview of the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy: how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

Most business plans also include financial forecasts for the future. These set sales goals, budget for expenses, and predict profits and cash flow. 

A good business plan is much more than just a document that you write once and forget about. It’s also a guide that helps you outline and achieve your goals. 

After completing your plan, you can use it as a management tool to track your progress toward your goals. Updating and adjusting your forecasts and budgets as you go is one of the most important steps you can take to run a healthier, smarter business. 

We’ll dive into how to use your plan later in this article.

There are many different types of plans , but we’ll go over the most common type here, which includes everything you need for an investor-ready plan. However, if you’re just starting out and are looking for something simpler—I recommend starting with a one-page business plan . It’s faster and easier to create. 

It’s also the perfect place to start if you’re just figuring out your idea, or need a simple strategic plan to use inside your business.

Dig deeper : How to write a one-page business plan

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• What to include in your business plan

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally just one to two pages. Most people write it last because it’s a summary of the complete business plan.

Ideally, the executive summary can act as a stand-alone document that covers the highlights of your detailed plan. 

In fact, it’s common for investors to ask only for the executive summary when evaluating your business. If they like what they see in the executive summary, they’ll often follow up with a request for a complete plan, a pitch presentation , or more in-depth financial forecasts .

Your executive summary should include:

• A summary of the problem you are solving
• A description of your product or service
• An overview of your target market
• A brief description of your team
• A summary of your financials
• Your funding requirements (if you are raising money)

Dig Deeper: How to write an effective executive summary

Products and services description

This is where you describe exactly what you’re selling, and how it solves a problem for your target market. The best way to organize this part of your plan is to start by describing the problem that exists for your customers. After that, you can describe how you plan to solve that problem with your product or service. 

This is usually called a problem and solution statement .

To truly showcase the value of your products and services, you need to craft a compelling narrative around your offerings. How will your product or service transform your customers’ lives or jobs? A strong narrative will draw in your readers.

This is also the part of the business plan to discuss any competitive advantages you may have, like specific intellectual property or patents that protect your product. If you have any initial sales, contracts, or other evidence that your product or service is likely to sell, include that information as well. It will show that your idea has traction , which can help convince readers that your plan has a high chance of success.

Market analysis

Your target market is a description of the type of people that you plan to sell to. You might even have multiple target markets, depending on your business. 

A market analysis is the part of your plan where you bring together all of the information you know about your target market. Basically, it’s a thorough description of who your customers are and why they need what you’re selling. You’ll also include information about the growth of your market and your industry .

Try to be as specific as possible when you describe your market. 

Include information such as age, income level, and location—these are what’s called “demographics.” If you can, also describe your market’s interests and habits as they relate to your business—these are “psychographics.” 

Related: Target market examples

Essentially, you want to include any knowledge you have about your customers that is relevant to how your product or service is right for them. With a solid target market, it will be easier to create a sales and marketing plan that will reach your customers. That’s because you know who they are, what they like to do, and the best ways to reach them.

Next, provide any additional information you have about your market. 

What is the size of your market ? Is the market growing or shrinking? Ideally, you’ll want to demonstrate that your market is growing over time, and also explain how your business is positioned to take advantage of any expected changes in your industry.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write a market analysis

Competitive analysis

Part of defining your business opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage is. To do this effectively, you need to know as much about your competitors as your target customers. 

Every business has some form of competition. If you don’t think you have competitors, then explore what alternatives there are in the market for your product or service. 

For example: In the early years of cars, their main competition was horses. For social media, the early competition was reading books, watching TV, and talking on the phone.

A good competitive analysis fully lays out the competitive landscape and then explains how your business is different. Maybe your products are better made, or cheaper, or your customer service is superior. Maybe your competitive advantage is your location – a wide variety of factors can ultimately give you an advantage.

Dig Deeper: How to write a competitive analysis for your business plan

Marketing and sales plan

The marketing and sales plan covers how you will position your product or service in the market, the marketing channels and messaging you will use, and your sales tactics. 

The best place to start with a marketing plan is with a positioning statement . 

This explains how your business fits into the overall market, and how you will explain the advantages of your product or service to customers. You’ll use the information from your competitive analysis to help you with your positioning. 

For example: You might position your company as the premium, most expensive but the highest quality option in the market. Or your positioning might focus on being locally owned and that shoppers support the local economy by buying your products.

Once you understand your positioning, you’ll bring this together with the information about your target market to create your marketing strategy . 

This is how you plan to communicate your message to potential customers. Depending on who your customers are and how they purchase products like yours, you might use many different strategies, from social media advertising to creating a podcast. Your marketing plan is all about how your customers discover who you are and why they should consider your products and services. 

While your marketing plan is about reaching your customers—your sales plan will describe the actual sales process once a customer has decided that they’re interested in what you have to offer. 

If your business requires salespeople and a long sales process, describe that in this section. If your customers can “self-serve” and just make purchases quickly on your website, describe that process. 

A good sales plan picks up where your marketing plan leaves off. The marketing plan brings customers in the door and the sales plan is how you close the deal.

Together, these specific plans paint a picture of how you will connect with your target audience, and how you will turn them into paying customers.

Dig deeper: What to include in your sales and marketing plan

Business operations

The operations section describes the necessary requirements for your business to run smoothly. It’s where you talk about how your business works and what day-to-day operations look like. 

Depending on how your business is structured, your operations plan may include elements of the business like:

• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing processes
• Equipment and technology
• Distribution

Some businesses distribute their products and reach their customers through large retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, and grocery store chains. 

These businesses should review how this part of their business works. The plan should discuss the logistics and costs of getting products onto store shelves and any potential hurdles the business may have to overcome.

If your business is much simpler than this, that’s OK. This section of your business plan can be either extremely short or more detailed, depending on the type of business you are building.

For businesses selling services, such as physical therapy or online software, you can use this section to describe the technology you’ll leverage, what goes into your service, and who you will partner with to deliver your services.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write the operations chapter of your plan

Key milestones and metrics

Although it’s not required to complete your business plan, mapping out key business milestones and the metrics can be incredibly useful for measuring your success.

Good milestones clearly lay out the parameters of the task and set expectations for their execution. You’ll want to include:

• A description of each task
• The proposed due date
• Who is responsible for each task

If you have a budget, you can include projected costs to hit each milestone. You don’t need extensive project planning in this section—just list key milestones you want to hit and when you plan to hit them. This is your overall business roadmap. 

Possible milestones might be:

• Website launch date
• Store or office opening date
• First significant sales
• Break even date
• Business licenses and approvals

You should also discuss the key numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common metrics worth tracking include:

• Conversion rates
• Customer acquisition costs
• Profit per customer
• Repeat purchases

It’s perfectly fine to start with just a few metrics and grow the number you are tracking over time. You also may find that some metrics simply aren’t relevant to your business and can narrow down what you’re tracking.

Dig Deeper: How to use milestones in your business plan

Organization and management team

Investors don’t just look for great ideas—they want to find great teams. Use this chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire . You should also provide a quick overview of your location and history if you’re already up and running.

Briefly highlight the relevant experiences of each key team member in the company. It’s important to make the case for why yours is the right team to turn an idea into a reality. 

Do they have the right industry experience and background? Have members of the team had entrepreneurial successes before? 

If you still need to hire key team members, that’s OK. Just note those gaps in this section.

Your company overview should also include a summary of your company’s current business structure . The most common business structures include:

• Sole proprietor
• Partnership

Be sure to provide an overview of how the business is owned as well. Does each business partner own an equal portion of the business? How is ownership divided? 

Potential lenders and investors will want to know the structure of the business before they will consider a loan or investment.

Dig Deeper: How to write about your company structure and team

Financial plan

Last, but certainly not least, is your financial plan chapter. 

Entrepreneurs often find this section the most daunting. But, business financials for most startups are less complicated than you think, and a business degree is certainly not required to build a solid financial forecast. 

A typical financial forecast in a business plan includes the following:

• Sales forecast : An estimate of the sales expected over a given period. You’ll break down your forecast into the key revenue streams that you expect to have.
• Expense budget : Your planned spending such as personnel costs , marketing expenses, and taxes.
• Profit & Loss : Brings together your sales and expenses and helps you calculate planned profits.
• Cash Flow : Shows how cash moves into and out of your business. It can predict how much cash you’ll have on hand at any given point in the future.
• Balance Sheet : A list of the assets, liabilities, and equity in your company. In short, it provides an overview of the financial health of your business. 

A strong business plan will include a description of assumptions about the future, and potential risks that could impact the financial plan. Including those will be especially important if you’re writing a business plan to pursue a loan or other investment.

Dig Deeper: How to create financial forecasts and budgets

This is the place for additional data, charts, or other information that supports your plan.

Including an appendix can significantly enhance the credibility of your plan by showing readers that you’ve thoroughly considered the details of your business idea, and are backing your ideas up with solid data.

Just remember that the information in the appendix is meant to be supplementary. Your business plan should stand on its own, even if the reader skips this section.

Dig Deeper : What to include in your business plan appendix

Optional: Business plan cover page

Adding a business plan cover page can make your plan, and by extension your business, seem more professional in the eyes of potential investors, lenders, and partners. It serves as the introduction to your document and provides necessary contact information for stakeholders to reference.

Your cover page should be simple and include:

• Company logo
• Business name
• Value proposition (optional)
• Business plan title
• Completion and/or update date
• Address and contact information
• Confidentiality statement

Just remember, the cover page is optional. If you decide to include it, keep it very simple and only spend a short amount of time putting it together.

Dig Deeper: How to create a business plan cover page

How to use AI to help write your business plan

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can speed up the business plan writing process and help you think through concepts like market segmentation and competition. These tools are especially useful for taking ideas that you provide and converting them into polished text for your business plan.

The best way to use AI for your business plan is to leverage it as a collaborator , not a replacement for human creative thinking and ingenuity. 

AI can come up with lots of ideas and act as a brainstorming partner. It’s up to you to filter through those ideas and figure out which ones are realistic enough to resonate with your customers. 

There are pros and cons of using AI to help with your business plan . So, spend some time understanding how it can be most helpful before just outsourcing the job to AI.

Learn more: 10 AI prompts you need to write a business plan

• Writing tips and strategies

To help streamline the business plan writing process, here are a few tips and key questions to answer to make sure you get the most out of your plan and avoid common mistakes .  

Determine why you are writing a business plan

Knowing why you are writing a business plan will determine your approach to your planning project. 

For example: If you are writing a business plan for yourself, or just to use inside your own business , you can probably skip the section about your team and organizational structure. 

If you’re raising money, you’ll want to spend more time explaining why you’re looking to raise the funds and exactly how you will use them.

Regardless of how you intend to use your business plan , think about why you are writing and what you’re trying to get out of the process before you begin.

Keep things concise

Probably the most important tip is to keep your business plan short and simple. There are no prizes for long business plans . The longer your plan is, the less likely people are to read it. 

So focus on trimming things down to the essentials your readers need to know. Skip the extended, wordy descriptions and instead focus on creating a plan that is easy to read —using bullets and short sentences whenever possible.

Have someone review your business plan

Writing a business plan in a vacuum is never a good idea. Sometimes it’s helpful to zoom out and check if your plan makes sense to someone else. You also want to make sure that it’s easy to read and understand.

Don’t wait until your plan is “done” to get a second look. Start sharing your plan early, and find out from readers what questions your plan leaves unanswered. This early review cycle will help you spot shortcomings in your plan and address them quickly, rather than finding out about them right before you present your plan to a lender or investor.

If you need a more detailed review, you may want to explore hiring a professional plan writer to thoroughly examine it.

Use a free business plan template and business plan examples to get started

Knowing what information to include in a business plan is sometimes not quite enough. If you’re struggling to get started or need additional guidance, it may be worth using a business plan template. 

There are plenty of great options available (we’ve rounded up our 8 favorites to streamline your search).

But, if you’re looking for a free downloadable business plan template , you can get one right now; download the template used by more than 1 million businesses. 

Or, if you just want to see what a completed business plan looks like, check out our library of over 550 free business plan examples . 

We even have a growing list of industry business planning guides with tips for what to focus on depending on your business type.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re writing your business plan. Some entrepreneurs get sucked into the writing and research process, and don’t focus enough on actually getting their business started. 

Here are a few common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Not talking to your customers : This is one of the most common mistakes. It’s easy to assume that your product or service is something that people want. Before you invest too much in your business and too much in the planning process, make sure you talk to your prospective customers and have a good understanding of their needs.

• Overly optimistic sales and profit forecasts: By nature, entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future. But it’s good to temper that optimism a little when you’re planning, and make sure your forecasts are grounded in reality. 
• Spending too much time planning: Yes, planning is crucial. But you also need to get out and talk to customers, build prototypes of your product and figure out if there’s a market for your idea. Make sure to balance planning with building.
• Not revising the plan: Planning is useful, but nothing ever goes exactly as planned. As you learn more about what’s working and what’s not—revise your plan, your budgets, and your revenue forecast. Doing so will provide a more realistic picture of where your business is going, and what your financial needs will be moving forward.
• Not using the plan to manage your business: A good business plan is a management tool. Don’t just write it and put it on the shelf to collect dust – use it to track your progress and help you reach your goals.
• Presenting your business plan

The planning process forces you to think through every aspect of your business and answer questions that you may not have thought of. That’s the real benefit of writing a business plan – the knowledge you gain about your business that you may not have been able to discover otherwise.

With all of this knowledge, you’re well prepared to convert your business plan into a pitch presentation to present your ideas. 

A pitch presentation is a summary of your plan, just hitting the highlights and key points. It’s the best way to present your business plan to investors and team members.

Dig Deeper: Learn what key slides should be included in your pitch deck

Use your business plan to manage your business

One of the biggest benefits of planning is that it gives you a tool to manage your business better. With a revenue forecast, expense budget, and projected cash flow, you know your targets and where you are headed.

And yet, nothing ever goes exactly as planned – it’s the nature of business.

That’s where using your plan as a management tool comes in. The key to leveraging it for your business is to review it periodically and compare your forecasts and projections to your actual results.

Start by setting up a regular time to review the plan – a monthly review is a good starting point. During this review, answer questions like:

• Did you meet your sales goals?
• Is spending following your budget?
• Has anything gone differently than what you expected?

Now that you see whether you’re meeting your goals or are off track, you can make adjustments and set new targets. 

Maybe you’re exceeding your sales goals and should set new, more aggressive goals. In that case, maybe you should also explore more spending or hiring more employees. 

Or maybe expenses are rising faster than you projected. If that’s the case, you would need to look at where you can cut costs.

A plan, and a method for comparing your plan to your actual results , is the tool you need to steer your business toward success.

Learn More: How to run a regular plan review

Free business plan templates and examples

Kickstart your business plan writing with one of our free business plan templates or recommended tools.

Free business plan template

Download a free SBA-approved business plan template built for small businesses and startups.

Download Template

One-page plan template

Download a free one-page plan template to write a useful business plan in as little as 30-minutes.

Sample business plan library

Explore over 500 real-world business plan examples from a wide variety of industries.

View Sample Plans

How to write a business plan FAQ

What is a business plan?

A document that describes your business , the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy, how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

What are the benefits of a business plan?

A business plan helps you understand where you want to go with your business and what it will take to get there. It reduces your overall risk, helps you uncover your business’s potential, attracts investors, and identifies areas for growth.

Having a business plan ultimately makes you more confident as a business owner and more likely to succeed for a longer period of time.

What are the 7 steps of a business plan?

The seven steps to writing a business plan include:

• Write a brief executive summary
• Describe your products and services.
• Conduct market research and compile data into a cohesive market analysis.
• Describe your marketing and sales strategy.
• Outline your organizational structure and management team.
• Develop financial projections for sales, revenue, and cash flow.
• Add any additional documents to your appendix.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

There are plenty of mistakes that can be made when writing a business plan. However, these are the 5 most common that you should do your best to avoid:

• 1. Not taking the planning process seriously.
• Having unrealistic financial projections or incomplete financial information.
• Inconsistent information or simple mistakes.
• Failing to establish a sound business model.
• Not having a defined purpose for your business plan.

What questions should be answered in a business plan?

Writing a business plan is all about asking yourself questions about your business and being able to answer them through the planning process. You’ll likely be asking dozens and dozens of questions for each section of your plan.

However, these are the key questions you should ask and answer with your business plan:

• How will your business make money?
• Is there a need for your product or service?
• Who are your customers?
• How are you different from the competition?
• How will you reach your customers?
• How will you measure success?

How long should a business plan be?

The length of your business plan fully depends on what you intend to do with it. From the SBA and traditional lender point of view, a business plan needs to be whatever length necessary to fully explain your business. This means that you prove the viability of your business, show that you understand the market, and have a detailed strategy in place.

If you intend to use your business plan for internal management purposes, you don’t necessarily need a full 25-50 page business plan. Instead, you can start with a one-page plan to get all of the necessary information in place.

What are the different types of business plans?

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan: The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used when applying for funding or pitching to investors. This type of business plan follows the outline above and can be anywhere from 10-50 pages depending on the amount of detail included, the complexity of your business, and what you include in your appendix.

Business model canvas: The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

One-page business plan: This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business. You’ll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences. It’s most useful for those exploring ideas, needing to validate their business model, or who need an internal plan to help them run and manage their business.

Lean Plan: The Lean Plan is less of a specific document type and more of a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, test, review, refine, and take action based on performance. It’s faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your plan is always up-to-date.

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

A business plan covers the “who” and “what” of your business. It explains what your business is doing right now and how it functions. The strategic plan explores long-term goals and explains “how” the business will get there. It encourages you to look more intently toward the future and how you will achieve your vision.

However, when approached correctly, your business plan can actually function as a strategic plan as well. If kept lean, you can define your business, outline strategic steps, and track ongoing operations all with a single plan.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

Table of Contents

• Use AI to help write your plan
• Common planning mistakes
• Manage with your business plan
• Templates and examples

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He left his desk job in the US to run a food stall in Hong Kong. He earns more now — but plans to walk away from it soon.

• Toby To Yan Choi left his accounting job in California to help his father run a food stall in Hong Kong.
• His hours became longer and more grueling, but he has started earning more than double his previous salary.
• Dai pai dongs — Hong Kong's open-air stalls serving food with a no-frills approach — are disappearing.

Eight years ago, Toby To Yan Choi left his accounting job in California to help run his family's business: a wet market food stall in Hong Kong .

With a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Choi had been dedicating 40 hours a week to his desk job, often glued to a computer screen. He was in his 20s and had lived most of his childhood and early adult life in the US.

Choi was compelled by his father's request to help him at Dai Lee Dai Pai Dong, ranked by Time Out in February as one of Hong Kong's top 12 dai pai dongs. "My dad wasn't the type of person to ask for help, so him asking me to return to Hong Kong meant a lot," he told Business Insider. "I felt that he had worked all his life for us, and I should return the favor if I can."

Upon moving back to Hong Kong , Choi's work hours shifted and stretched. He began working from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. He would regularly clock 90-hour weeks.

Since his return to Hong Kong , Choi has been juggling several roles in the family business, from slinging woks in the kitchen and waiting tables to managing the marketing alongside his wife.

While he finds the work demanding, he says he now earns more than twice as much as he did as an accountant in the US. He's also happy for the chance to help his family business and contribute to preserving Hong Kong's heritage.

"Being a part of Hong Kong's dai pai dong tradition, I realize we can definitely raise awareness of vanishing establishments like us," Choi said.

Choi is running one of the few remaining dai pai dongs in Hong Kong

Dai pai dongs, renowned as one of Hong Kong's quintessential culinary customs, are food stalls equipped with sizzling woks, known as "wok hei," in a space where cooking and dining are all done outdoors.

But similar to Hong Kong 's neon signs, dim sum carts, and hand-painted mahjong tiles, the dai pai dong experience is one more of the city's cultural icons facing extinction.

After World War II , the government in Hong Kong began granting licenses to families of deceased or disabled civil servants, allowing them to operate small street-side restaurants for a livelihood. However, complaints regarding noise, traffic, and hygiene prompted the government to stop issuing new licenses in 1956. In 1975, the first cooked food center was opened to introduce a more controlled and hygienic environment.

"The main reason for the gradual disappearance of dai pai dongs in Hong Kong is most likely related to policies: the government no longer issues new licenses, and those who own the remaining licenses cannot continue operating if no one takes over the business," Agnes Chee Yan-Wei , the author of "Vanishing Flavours of Cantonese Cuisine," told BI.

The number of dai pai dongs in all of Hong Kong has dwindled to just over 20, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board . The government ceased issuing new licenses in the 1970s, and those still running are now only transferrable to family members.

Tiffany Leung, a food critic from HK's Top Restaurants , described dai pai dogs as ''one-of-a-kind" experiences. "It is upsetting to note that dai pai dongs could not keep up with the fast development pace of Hong Kong and are gradually being replaced by modern alternatives," she said.

At first, Choi's dad wasn't sold on him coming back to work in a food stall

Now, Choi's younger brother, Shawn Cai, who also moved back to Hong Kong from the US in 2022, and his grandfather, Law Chun Chuen, all work at the establishment. Choi said that while their stall has 20 to 25 employees, most of them are part-time and only work a couple of hours every day.

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When it first opened in the 1980s, the business operated in an open-air setting, like a traditional dai pai dong. However, in 1996 it relocated to the second floor of a busy wet market in Sham Shui Po. Once one of Hong Kong's poorest districts, Sham Shui Po has evolved over the years, and in 2020, Time Out named it one of the top three coolest neighborhoods in the world.

There's a loyal following among the older generation

Signature dishes at Dai Lee Dai Pai Dong include the cumin garlic ribs, spiced with a blend of paprika, cumin, fennel, and garlic and then deep fried; a seasonal winter Mongolian lamb stew; and the braised white pepper pork hock, which they've been selling for almost 30 years.

"Due to our customers being mostly blue-collar workers, they want dishes that are hearty, affordable, and flavorful," said Choi. He said customers typically share several dishes as a group and spend around $13 to $19 per person in one sitting. He said this is considered on the low end for one of the world's most expensive cities .

Customers like Tony Lee, 58, are loyal. "We like coming here because you can be loud and obnoxious, and no one would look at you differently," he said, "Once we found this dai pai dong, we started meeting here twice a week."

Another customer, Mok Wah Ho, 67, said, "I like coming to dai pai dongs because the beers are cold, the food portions are big, and prices are very reasonable."

Choi's goal is to uphold the tradition

Choi is proud of their reputation. "Our stall has been a beloved fixture for years — my aspiration is to perpetuate this cherished legacy and uphold the tradition," he said.

However, challenges abound.

Choi has observed a staff shortage at many dia pai dongs, with fewer young people wanting to apply to jobs that require long hours. Employers are finding it hard to recruit amid Hong Kong's shrinking population and the city's minimum wage not keeping up with inflation, South China Morning Post reported last year.

Meanwhile, Choi's staff, who have worked with them for over a decade, are aging. Most of them are between 50 and 60, with a few members of the team already in their 70s.

"The intricate skills of managing our staff, maintaining vendor relations, and building customer relationships were things I had to learn on the fly during the early years of management," he said. "This was particularly difficult because I was younger and respect had to be earned."

He's hoping craft beer can help entice younger diners

In an effort to infuse fresh energy into the business, Choi has partnered with local beer breweries, such as Young Master Ale, to organize events and draw in a younger crowd. He's also collaborated with local tour companies to attract more tourists.

"Dai pai dongs are a crucial part of remembering and preserving Hong Kong's food history — when we eat there we enjoy a taste of the past, and help ensure that Cantonese culinary culture continues into the future," Betty Richardson , a former food critic who moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong, told BI. "Once these dai pai dong are gone, they are gone forever."

"I believe places like dai pai dongs, representing grassroots culture, should coexist with high-end restaurants for two main reasons: first, to preserve traditional culture, and second, to diversify the economic structure so that there is space for different levels of the population to thrive," the author and food critic Chee said.

For all his success and pride in the family business, though, running the food stall is not Choi's ultimate goal.

He's gotten married since moving to Hong Kong and plans to move back to the US if he and his wife have kids. At that point, he says, the family legacy will be passed to different hands.

"I'm dedicated to upholding our family legacy, with my brother likely to carry it forward," he said.

Watch: How 3 Korean chefs make 10,000 office workers' lunch boxes every week

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New Biden tariffs on China's EVs, solar, medical supplies due Tuesday - sources

U.S. President Joe Biden is set to announce new China tariffs as soon as next week targeting strategic sectors, including a major hike in levies on electric vehicles (EVs), according to three people familiar with the matter.

Jim Simons, the math professor turned financier who helped popularize quantitative investing, has died aged 86, the Simons Foundation said on Friday.

The UK government acted unlawfully in approving a climate plan, a High Court judge has ruled

A U.K. High Court judge has ruled that the government acted unlawfully when it approved a plan to meet climate targets without evidence it could be delivered

LONDON — A High Court judge ruled Friday that the U.K. government acted unlawfully when it approved a plan to meet climate targets without evidence that it could be delivered.

It was the second time in two years that the government’s main climate action plan was found to be unlawful and insufficient in meeting legally-binding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Justice Clive Sheldon sided Friday with three environmental groups that brought the case, ruling that the government’s decision to approve its Carbon Budget Delivery Plan last year was “simply not justified by the evidence.”

The plan outlined how the U.K. aims to achieve its climate targets, including pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two-thirds of 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050.

The judge said the details in the draft plan were “vague and unquantified,” and didn’t provide officials with enough information on whether the plan should be approved.

Lawyers acting for the environmental organizations told the court that the government failed to share “risk tables,” or information about whether its policies could be implemented, with Parliament and others, meaning the plan couldn’t be properly scrutinized.

“The courts have now told the U.K. government not once, but twice, that its climate strategy is not fit for purpose,” said Sam Hunter Jones, a lawyer for the group ClientEarth. “This judgment means the government must now take credible action to address the climate crisis with a plan that can actually be trusted to deliver and with numbers that can be relied on.”

The government defended its record on climate change, saying it has set out “more detail than any other G20 country on how we will reach our ambitious carbon budgets,” referring to the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations.

“The claims in this case were largely about process and the judgment contains no criticism of the detailed plans we have in place. We do not believe a court case about process represents the best way of driving progress towards our shared goal of reaching net zero,” it said in a statement.

Officials said they would publish a new report within 12 months following the judge’s ruling.

Last year, the U.K. government’s own climate advisers, which tracks the country’s decarbonization efforts, said that it was losing confidence in the government’s ability to meet its emission targets, and slammed officials for backtracking on fossil fuel commitments.

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Apple’s New iPad Ad Leaves Its Creative Audience Feeling … Flat

An ad meant to show how the updated device can do many things has become a metaphor for a community’s fears of the technology industry.

By Tripp Mickle

Tripp Mickle has been writing about Apple since 2016.

The trumpet is the first thing to be squished. Then the industrial compressor flattens a row of paint cans, buckles a piano and levels what appears to be a marble bust. In a final act of destruction, it pops the eyes out of a ball-shaped yellow emoji.

When the compressor rises, it reveals Apple’s latest commodity: the updated iPad Pro.

Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, posted the advertisement, called “Crush,” on Tuesday after the company held an event to announce new tablets. “Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created,” Mr. Cook wrote, adding, “Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create.”

Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024

For decades, Apple has been the toast of the creative class. It has won over designers, musicians and film editors with promises that its products would help them “Think Different.”

But some creators took a different message from the one-minute iPad ad. Rather than seeing a device that could help them create, as Mr. Cook suggested, they saw a metaphor for how Big Tech has cashed in on their work by crushing or co-opting the artistic tools that humanity has used for centuries.

The image was especially unnerving at a time when artists fear that generative artificial intelligence, which can write poetry and create movies, might take away their jobs.

“It’s unusual in its cruelty,” said Justin Ouellette, a software designer in Portland, Ore., who does animation work and is a longtime Apple product user. “A lot of people see this as a betrayal of its commitment to human creative expression and a tone deafness to the pressures those artists feel at this time.”

Apple didn’t respond to requests for comment.

It was the latest in a series of recent promotional slip-ups by a company that is widely considered to be a marketing juggernaut. Its marketing of the Apple Vision Pro , released in January, struggled to help that device break through with many customers. Last year, Apple was criticized for making an awkward sketch that cast Octavia Spencer as Mother Earth , lording over a corporate meeting about the company’s effort to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Apple has been regarded as an advertising visionary since the 1980s. Its “ 1984” Super Bowl commercial to introduce the Macintosh computer is among the most famous commercials ever made. The ad, which was developed by the Chiat/Day agency, showed an actor throwing a sledgehammer through a screen projecting the face of a “Big Brother” figure that was meant to be a metaphor for IBM.

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 after 12 years away, he sought to reclaim its marketing magic. Together he and Lee Clow, the advertising creative behind the “1984” spot, developed the “Think Different” campaign. It paved the way to the famous “Get a Mac” spots, featuring a Mac and PC , and the original iPhone ad , which showed people in classic films and television shows picking up a phone and saying, “Hello.”

Apple’s marketing pitched its products as easy to use. It billed PCs and Android phones as devices for business executives working on spreadsheets, while Macs and iPhones were tools for film editors, photographers and writers.

But Apple’s advertising has been uneven over the last dozen years or so. It yanked a 2012 campaign that showcased its Apple Store “geniuses” on planes. Critics dismissed a subsequent spot, “Designed by Apple in California,” as “ lame .”

In the wake of those hiccups, Mr. Cook shifted oversight of advertising from Phil Schiller, the company’s longtime head of marketing, to Tor Myhren, a former president and chief creative officer at Grey, the ad agency that created the E-Trade baby.

Under Mr. Myhren, who joined in 2016, Apple has developed some of its ads with its own creative team and others in collaboration with an outside agency, Media Arts Lab. It has been recognized at the Cannes Lions Awards, the leading event for the ad industry, for a spot on AirPods called “Bounce,” which showed a man bounding off the sidewalk as he listened to music. Last year, Apple was named Creative Brand of the Year because of its “R.I.P. Leon” ad, in which a man sent an iPhone message saying a lizard in his care had died, then deleted it when the lizard suddenly rolled over off its back.

Mr. Myhren and Media Arts Lab didn’t respond to requests for comment about who was behind the “Crush” spot.

Michael J. Miraflor, the chief brand officer at Hannah Grey, a venture capital firm, said on X that Apple’s ad had effectively offended and turned off its core customer base, achieving the opposite of what it had done with its “1984” commercial.

“It’s not even that it’s boring or banal,” Mr. Miraflor wrote . “It makes me feel … bad? Bummed out?”

Tripp Mickle reports on Apple and Silicon Valley for The Times and is based in San Francisco. His focus on Apple includes product launches, manufacturing issues and political challenges. He also writes about trends across the tech industry, including layoffs, generative A.I. and robot taxis. More about Tripp Mickle