Developing Skills Examples

'Action Planning' is an activity designed to assist you to achieve your goals by recognising the tasks that need to be completed to reach your desired outcomes, and then structuring those tasks within a given framework.

There is no single correct way to write individual action plans. The method of planning that you choose needs to be compatible with your personality, and the context within which you work. What is critical, however, is that you do have some blueprint that gives direction and focus to your activities. There is much truth in the saying: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail".

Many action plans are based on the SMART principle. This states that all plans need to be :-

• Specific: i.e. that you have a clear goal and recognise precise tasks or actions that will lead to the attainment of that goal.
• Measurable: i.e. that you can measure or assess whether the planned goal(s) and related tasks have been successfully achieved.
• Attainable: i.e. that the goal(s) and related tasks are achievable given the resources available to you.
• Relevant: i.e. that the goal(s) are relevant to your needs, and that tasks identified are relevant to the achievement of those goal(s).
• Time-based: i.e. that deadlines are established for the completion of all tasks and activities.

Another consideration with 'Action Planning' is that plans need to be sufficiently flexible to allow for changes or modifications arising from unforeseen events. This implies that plans should ideally have built in opportunities to monitor, assess and revise activities as required.

The following two examples illustrate two very different approaches to the process of 'Action Planning'.

The first example (Plan A) shows how an undergraduate user of the RAPID Progress File might plan the development of his or her skill in :-

'Communication - make presentations'.

This is a quick and rather superficial method of 'Action Planning'. This approach can be suitable when the activity is simple and straightforward. For a student who has made a number of such presentations this might be the case. If, however, this was the student's first experience of this type of activity, he or she might wish to consider the benefits of a more structured and detailed plan.

The second example (Plan B) shows how the same student, faced with the same task, could produce a more focused and detailed plan of action, following the SMART principles (outlined above). In particular, note that each task is given a deadline for completion, there is room on the plan to accommodate revisions to the plan arising from unforeseen delays, and follow up activities are listed to identify steps that need to be taken after the presentation has been completed.

One advantage of this approach is that it recognises the need to generate some evidence arising from the activity itself. This more detailed 'Action Plan' (Plan B) is likely to be of greater benefit to an inexperienced presenter than the more superficial 'Action Plan' (Plan A).

In deciding what method of 'Action Planning' would be most suitable to your needs, you should consider some of the following factors :-

• The nature of the activity. Is it simple or complex?
• Your level of experience in the activity.
• Your personality and personal preference.
• The time span of the planned activity.
• The time available for you to 'Action Plan'.
• The context or environment within which you are working.

Plan A

Plan B