Planning resource

Make one growth priority workable in 90 days

Choose an outcome, test the assumptions and make ownership clear.

Start with one useful outcome

Choose one change that would help your business grow. Describe the change you want to see, not just an activity you intend to complete. Record the starting position so you can judge progress.

Work backwards from evidence

What would you need to see by day 90 to say the priority made progress? Choose a measure you can actually collect. Identify the assumption most likely to make the plan fail and test it early.

Set a milestone for each month

For each month, name a milestone, one accountable owner and a review date. Check what needs to happen first and how much time the team has. Agree what will wait while you work on this priority.

Fictional example: a regional service firm

A service firm wants to test demand for a follow-on maintenance offer. Month one: interview five existing clients and draft a pilot. Month two: offer a small paid pilot to suitable clients. Month three: review take-up, delivery effort and client feedback before deciding whether to expand. The example illustrates a test; it is not a revenue forecast.

Review and adapt

Check progress regularly. Look at what you have learned, what is getting in the way and what needs to change. A milestone can change when an assumption is disproved. Record why the plan changed and what happens next.

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