{"id":1959,"date":"2014-08-28T02:42:39","date_gmt":"2014-08-28T06:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terrencemetz.com\/?p=1959"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:49:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:49:48","slug":"planning-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/planning-agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"A Simple Planning Agenda for Agreeing on WHO Does WHAT by WHEN"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Any\u00a0type of descriptive or prescriptive\u00a0plan, process, or series of activities can then be illustrated with a simple\u00a0<a title=\"A Metaphor is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Explanation Via Analogy &amp; Illustration\" href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/metaphor-is-worth-a-thousand-pictures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">process flow diagram<\/a>. A\u00a0<a title=\"A Metaphor is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Explanation Via Analogy &amp; Illustration\" href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/metaphor-is-worth-a-thousand-pictures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">process flow diagram<\/a> describes <span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">WHO<\/span> does <span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">WHAT<\/span> by <span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">WHEN<\/span>, in support of some agreed-upon purpose. Therefore, here is a simple method you can use as your planning agenda.<\/h2>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Rationale\u00a0for Agreeing on\u00a0a Simple Planning Agenda<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Groups have a tendency to forget activities or events that occur less frequently, particularly infrequent or irregular activities that support planning and control. The following helps to squeeze out potential and costly omissions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Your Simple Planning Agenda<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>for Agreeing on <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHO<\/span> Does <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHAT<\/span> by <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHEN<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">You may consider using this simple agenda with a brief discussion of the supporting method that follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Introduction<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Purpose of __________ (topic, sphere, or business area)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Activities<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #999999; font-size: 14pt;\"><em>(<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">NOTE<\/span>: Take each \u201cthing\u201d from the purpose statement above and ask\u2014\u201cWhat do you do with this thing ?\u201d\u2014forcing <strong>\u201cVerb-Noun\u201d<\/strong>)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Sequencing<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #999999; font-size: 14pt;\"><em>(<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">NOTE<\/span>: Test for omissions using the Plan \u27ba Acquire \u27ba Operate \u27ba Control prompting)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Value-Add <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #999999; font-size: 14pt;\"><em> (<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">NOTE<\/span>: e.g., SIPOC)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Swimlanes<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #999999; font-size: 14pt;\"><em>(<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">NOTE<\/span>: e.g., process flow diagram)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Wrap<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>A Planning Agenda Method Builds Agreement <\/strong><strong>on <\/strong><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHO<\/span> Does <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHAT<\/span> by <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHEN<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">The <em>MGR<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">USH<\/span><\/em> Professional Facilitative Leadership manual provides additional developmental support on the steps below.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Determine the business purpose of the planning area, product feature, process topic, or functional sphere. Use the \u201c<em>Purpose is to . . . So that . . . <\/em> \u201c tool.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Next, use the brainstorming method\u2014<strong>List<\/strong>. Label the top of the flip chart with \u201cVERB-NOUN\u201d and ask the group to identify all the activities required to support the business purpose created in the prior step. Enforce the capture as verb-noun pairings <strong>only<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Use the Plan\u27a0Acquire\u27a0Operate\u27a0Control life cycle prompt to stimulate discussion about missing activities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Demand at least one to two planning, one to two acquiring, bunches of operating, and at least one to two controlling activities for each business topic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">After identifying the various activities, convert the verb-noun pairings into \u201cuse cases\u201d or some form of input-process-output. Build one use case for each pairing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Continue\u00a0assigning SIPOC tables to sub-teams. SIPOC stands for the <strong>S<\/strong>ource of the input, <strong>I<\/strong>nput(s) required to complete the activity, <strong>P<\/strong>rocess (i.e., our activity), <strong>O<\/strong>utput resulting from the activity, and <strong>C<\/strong>ustomer or client of the output. Demonstrate one or two in entirety with the whole group and then separate the participants into two or three groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">For each activity (i.e., <strong>verb-noun<\/strong> pairing), build a narrative statement that captures the purpose of the activity (i.e., WHY) and HOW it is being performed, then:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Identify the specific <strong>outputs<\/strong> or what changes as a result of having completed the activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Link each output with the <strong>customer<\/strong> or client of each; i.e., who is using each output.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Next, identify the <strong>inputs<\/strong> required to support the activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Finally, identify the <strong>sources<\/strong> for each input.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1960\" style=\"width: 1031px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/sipoc.png\"><img wpfc-lazyload-disable=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1960\" class=\"wp-image-1960 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/sipoc.png\" alt=\"Illustrative SIPOC\" width=\"1021\" height=\"407\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/sipoc.png 1021w, https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/sipoc-300x120.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1960\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Illustrative SIPOC: Planning Agenda Yielding WHO Does WHAT by WHEN<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Summary of steps to be included in this sequence<\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">An illustrative SIPOC chart is shown below based on a mountain climbing metaphor. The focal verb-noun pairing is \u201cpack supplies\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">First, identify the activity (i.e., process) and its purpose and discuss WHY it is performed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Next, detail HOW it is or should be performed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">List the outputs from the completed activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Link the outputs to the respective clients or customers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">List the inputs needed to complete the activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Identify the source(s) for each of the inputs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Planning Agenda Success Keys\u00a0<\/strong><strong>for Agreeing on <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHO<\/span> Does <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHAT<\/span> by <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">WHEN<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Therefore, to build a clear definition of \u201crequirements\u201d, provide a visual illustration or template. Additionally,<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Have the group pre-build all the potential sources and customers of the process and code them so that when you build the SIPOC tables, the group can refer to the code letter\/ number instead of the full name (thus substantially speeding up the method). As you discover new sources or customers, simply add them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Learn to \u2018shut up\u2019 after asking questions and seek to understand rather than be understood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Write down participant responses immediately and fully.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Provide visual feedback, preferably through modeling.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Advance from activity identification to the inputs and outputs required to support the activity; then associate each with its sources and clients (SIPOC).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Separate the WHAT (i.e., abstract) from the HOW (i.e., concrete).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Don\u2019t ruin your career by hosting <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/bad-meetings\/\">bad meetings<\/a>. Sign up for a <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">workshop<\/a> or send this to someone who should. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20260106090117\/https:\/\/mgrush.com\/\">MGR<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">USH<\/span><\/a><\/em> workshops focus on meeting design and practice. Each person practices tools, methods, and activities every day during the week. Therefore, while some call this immersion, we call it the road to building high-value facilitation skills.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Any\u00a0type of descriptive or prescriptive\u00a0plan, process, or series of activities can then be illustrated with a simple\u00a0process flow diagram. A\u00a0process flow diagram describes WHO does WHAT by WHEN, in support of some agreed-upon purpose. Therefore, here is a simple method you can use as your planning agenda. Rationale\u00a0for Agreeing on\u00a0a Simple Planning Agenda Groups have [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1960,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[453185968,453190674],"tags":[453190921,453192233,453190920,459974],"class_list":["post-1959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-analysis-methods","category-planning-approach","tag-planning-agenda","tag-process-flow-diagram","tag-simple-planning-agenda","tag-sipoc"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Simple Planning Agenda for Agreeing on Who Does What by When<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A process flow diagram describes who does what by when in support of some agreed-upon purpose. 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