The Importance of Action Plans – 5W1H

 

The Importance of Action Plans – 5W1H

An action plan is a series of activities aimed at solving an identified problem, for example: When developing a Strategic Plan for your company, it may take months and several actions, involving several people, to result in a successful implementation.

The 5W1H method is a very useful tool for anyone who wants to draw a more accurate plan for a particular objective. In the case of companies, this tool is used by managers who wish to have the most accurate planning for the execution of actions related to an objective. In a very simple way, the method will serve as a basis for the manager to guide his objective through the best application options.

5W1H concept:

Although the name sounds a little strange or complicated, the application is quite simple. The term derives from a number of English words that are interpreted as questioning the intended purpose. In this case, we have 5 English words that start with the letter W and only 1 English word that starts with the letter H. See below what each word means according to the applications:

• What – Defined as “What will be done?”;
• Why – Defined as “Why will it be done?”;
• Where – Defined as “Where will it be done?”;
• When – Defined as “When will it be done?”;
• Who – Defined as “Who will it be made by?”;
• How – Defined as “How will it be done?”.

Only good action plans can lead them to reach their full potential. If they are not well documented, addressing all the necessary information and communicated to those responsible, they end up being forgotten and abandoned.

And through the 5W1H tool, it is possible to guarantee total clarity about the action plan prepared by the company, where the acronym refers to the 6 questions that must be answered whenever an action plan is prepared. Are they:

• What: It is nothing more than a breakdown of what is expected to be carried out, through the action plan. An example would be: "Develop a campaign to promote a new product."

• Why: Aims to clarify the reason behind the execution of the action plan. Continuing the example, we can think of something like: "To raise awareness of potential buyers."

• Where: Identifies the location where the action plan will take place. For example: “On Facebook and Instagram.”

• Who: Assigns responsibility for carrying out this action plan to a specific person, ensuring that each action plan has an owner. In the example, we can think of something like: "Fernando, from the marketing team."

• When: Aims to identify the deadlines for the execution of the action plan. Continuing the example, we would have: "Until July 20, 2018."

• How: Presents the way the action plan will be deployed, that is, what actions must be taken so that what was established in 'What' is achieved. In our example it would be: “Designing the campaign containing the new product and detailing its characteristics”.

How to apply 5W1H in your company?

To get the most out of this tool in your company, the work team needs to undergo adequate training. That's because the tool alone doesn't do any miracles in organizing information and creating action plans. In the case of a well-structured team, this concept is applied in a more comprehensive and objective way.

Still, using the method is not very difficult. To use the 5W1H in your company, you need to carry out the questions according to the objectives determined for the company.