The importance of a systematic planning approach + tips to get you started

Planning cycles should be orchestrated. But a solid schedule alone doesn't suffice. How to work in a systematic way?

In a previous blog post, my co-worker Arjan discussed the orchestration of planning cycles. But a solid schedule alone doesn't suffice. If you want to work in a systematic way, you should adhere to the plan, constantly reviewing and improving it where necessary.

That goes for each type of planning. Whether you focus on sales & operations, resource, or transportation planning, you should consider the mutually reinforcing aspects of a systematic planning approach. Unfortunately, not all organizations do that.

So, let's have a look at what makes a schedule valuable.

Creating solid schedules requires more than proper planning

First and foremost, it's crucial to stick to the plan. If you don't, there's no use in planning at all. That applies to all organizational levels — from the most detailed annual budget to broad operational planning.

Planning is prescriptive in nature, and you should adhere to the framework you've created as much as you can. That said, unforeseen circumstances may occur, justifying a deviation from your original planning. What's important, though, is that you constantly evaluate such deviations in a data-driven way. That's how you'll lay a foundation for monitoring and improving your schedules' quality and realization.

To adopt a systematic planning approach, you should also embrace short-cycle learning and continuous improvement. It's essential to identify structural, substantial deviations, unearth underlying causes, and improve schedules.

When reviewing planning activities, however, don't assess or judge those who perform them. It's paramount that they remain on board, cooperate, and explain why deviations have occurred.

How to get started: keep these things in mind

The biggest pitfall is to solely focus on creating the best schedule. But how to go about it? Follow the 6 tips below, and you'll be headed in the right direction!

1. Start by properly setting up all aspects of a systematic planning approach, embedding them in your way of working, meetings, job descriptions, and IT systems.
2. When reviewing and improving schedules, involve all stakeholders and make sure they're aware of the added value of a solid planning approach.
3. Be realistic. Things won't be perfect from the get-go. You'll need time to refine your approach and schedules.
4. Keep in mind that you'll never be able to adhere to schedules 100%. Given that unforeseen circumstances may occur, that's just not feasible.
5. Improve your plan in iterations — in a data-driven way. Don't try to devise a 'perfect' blueprint upfront. No one can pull that off.
6. Only after laying a solid foundation for all aspects of a systematic planning approach, it’s time to take things up a notch: focus on detailing, standardizing, automating, and optimizing your planning approach and schedules.