Re:Why long-term plans don't work and how to fix them
by ChrisMarshallNY on Monday July 18, 2022 @08:31AM
(#32137547)
I learned how to play the long game, from the Japanese.
My company used to have ten-year major product cycles. They have since, shortened it, but it was still at least five years ahead.
They would have a "long range" plan, that looked many years ahead. It would be strategic, and very "fuzzy," with tea-leaf reading and crystal ball-gazing. They would deliberately eschew details.
It was like looking at a map, and saying "We should go West."
They would have a "middle range" plan, usually, about a year ahead. Sometimes, eighteen months.
It was like saying "We should follow one of these highways, West."
Then, they would have detailed "project plans," that would be (in my opinion), way too detailed and mapped out. These were usually handled in six-to-nine-month milestones.
It was like saying "We should follow this highway, and take this side road," etc.
I follow a similar pattern, in my own work, these days, except that I keep my project plan flexible, and pivot as necessary; sometimes, on fairly short notice.
My company used to have ten-year major product cycles. They have since, shortened it, but it was still at least five years ahead.
They would have a "long range" plan, that looked many years ahead. It would be strategic, and very "fuzzy," with tea-leaf reading and crystal ball-gazing. They would deliberately eschew details.
It was like looking at a map, and saying "We should go West."
They would have a "middle range" plan, usually, about a year ahead. Sometimes, eighteen months.
It was like saying "We should follow one of these highways, West."
Then, they would have detailed "project plans," that would be (in my opinion), way too detailed and mapped out. These were usually handled in six-to-nine-month milestones.
It was like saying "We should follow this highway, and take this side road," etc.
I follow a similar pattern, in my own work, these days, except that I keep my project plan flexible, and pivot as necessary; sometimes, on fairly short notice.