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A LIST OF THE NOTES IN PLANNING – PART 1

These notes list all the notes and the exercises in Planning Part 1 (15/9/10)

INTRODUCTION TO PLANNING (PLANNING – PART 1)

These notes discuss a variety of different terms that will help Readers to understand how to plan better. Later notes expand on many of the terms used. The terms include – Objective , Planning, Plan, Planner, End Objective, and Sub Objective. The notes also introduce the idea of a Hierarchy of Objectives and the idea that one objective will, or may, or will not, help to achieve another objective. They also discuss the idea that objectives will vary from (a) clear to unclear, (b) wise to unwise, (c) previously achieved or not previously achieved, and (d) physical or mental. In brief, they start the process of learning about the parts and processes of planning. (1/10/08).

PLANNING PART 2

These notes follow on from the previous file that introduced the topic of Planning. This part (Part 2) discusses the parts involved in planning. The first part involves "Find objectives" and the second part involves "Choose between objectives". This second part involves (a) Decision Making and (b) Objective Setting that the notes define. Next the notes discuss "Approaches to selecting or eliminating Sub Objectives. This section includes "Select a Sub Objective which will help to achieve the end objective",  "Look for, and consider, elements which will help measure the 'help connection', Divide evidence into fact and opinion, and "Use clear logical frameworks. The last page of the notes show a diagram that sets out – "The process of setting objectives". (10/1/09)

PLANNING – PART 3: HOW TO PLAN BETTER BY STUDYING  PLAN ELEMENTS.

These extensive notes discuss how the elements in a plan provide another means of analysing how to plan better.  The notes consider how to ensure that a plan does include all the parts necessary to make it effective. They also discuss the need for alternative plans, planning in a broader long-term context, and ways of reviewing a completed plan.  (28/11/08)

PLANNING BETTER

These notes list a series of definitions and frameworks that will allow a group to to discuss the subject of "planning better". (15/9/10) 

SIX IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES TO HELP PLANNING

A brief set of notes on the above topic. (15/9/10) 

A MAJOR PLANNING DIFFICULTY

A humourous approach to one aspect of planning. (15/9/10) 

OBJECTIVES – PART 1

These notes give a detailed meaning for the word "objective", discuss the need for objectives, and how objectives relate to Managing and Operating. They introduce the idea of, and the different types of, helping relationships that lead to a discussion of the "Hierarchy of Objectives" . Next they discuss (a) part objectives and hope objectives and (b) independent and dependent relationships between any two objectives. Last they explain how to distinguish a good (wise) objective from a bad (unwise) objective. (15/9/10)

OBJECTIVES – PART 2

These notes discuss the inevitable conclict between four classes of objectives and the need to try to ensure that all objectives contribute toward the Organisation's objectives. They also (a) discuss priorities between objectives, (b) give some examples of broad organisational objectives, and (c) discuss the impermanence of objectives  at different levels. The notes conclude with some priniples to help set objectives. (15/12/08)

CHOOSING BETWEEN OBJECTIVES

These notes provide a classification for rating objectives to help find their order of importance and suggest a method of using the rating approach. (29/12/08) 

A CLASSIFICATION FOR OBJECTIVES 

These extensive notes describe a classification which allows the classification of any objective according to its clearness. They define specific objectives and point out that clear (or specific) objectives do not automatically rate as good objectives. Objectives have both activity and time aspects. Both of these two classes can fall inside or outside the class of "specific". The classification uses the idea of different measuring scales and their properties to distinguish different classes of objectives. The notes point out that – sometimes – Managers should not spend time in determining specific objectives and also discuss the waste of time which sometimes occur when Managers use non-specific activity objectives unless they add to them a specific time duration objective. (10/1/09)

A CHECK LIST FOR FOR EXAMINGING AN OBJECTIVE

This check list of 25 items encourages an in-depth examination of a likely objective; i.e. probably the organisation will adopt this objective but wishes to examine it before making a final decision. (20/9/10)

WHEN TO SET NON-SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND HOW TO AVOID THEIR DANGERS

These notes suggest that Managers should spend time im determining "specific" objectives. However – sometimes – they should not spend time doing so when (a) a Subordinate knows more about ther area under consideration than the Mnager and/or (b) the Manager can more usefully spend time on other work while the subordinate has about equal ability to determine possible sub objectives in relation to the non-specific end activity objective, and.or (c) the Manager wishes to provide training for a particular Subordinate in the topic/objective under consideration. The last part of the notes discuss the danger of giving non-specific activity objective to a subordinate when the subordinate spends more time on attempts to achieve them than the Manager desired. To overcome this problem, the Manager should link a speicific TIME-DURATION objective with a non-specific ACTIVITY objective. (31/12/08) 

RE-EXAMINE THE END OBJECTIVE REGULARLY

These notes suggest that Planners often set objectives in an unclear form and/or with a vague end point. they also suggest that Planners will find it difficult to find "part" objectives for a non-specific end objective and a re-examination of the end objective may help to show that some of their sub objectives will rate as wrong. A diagram sets out some of the ideas in the notes. (25/9/10)

HOW TO UPSET YOUR SUBORDINATES WHEN SETTING OBJECTIVES

These notes suggest that many Managers do not realise that sometimes Subordinates have a different viewpoint about an objective and that some Managers do not try to find out the attitude of their subordinates to a particular objective. The notes discuss (a) how to set objectives during a communication with a Subordinate, (b) a particular objective, and (c) what upsets a Subordinate (25/9/10).

QUESTIONS – TO HELP MAKE WISER DECISIONS

These notes discuss the situation where people have to make an important decision and suggest some techniques which will help them consider a likely decision. They list 17 questions decision makers can use (25/9/10)

SOME FACTORS IN DECISION MAKING

These notes define decision making and identify objective setting as a special class of decision making. They discuss some important characteristics of decisions and the time to spend on, and techniques of, decision making. They stress the importance of the strateigic factor and consider who should make the decision as well as the actions to take after making a decision. (7/10/10).

SOME FACTORS IN DECISION MAKING – TEST QUESTIONS

These notes have 14 questions that cover the topic of – Some Factors in Decision Making (12/10/10).

CHANGING PEOPLE  – BASES FOR DECISING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHANGE

These notes follow on the notes – "Changing People – Try to change them or offer them the chance to change". They discuss the four elements that exist in changing people – Providers, Prospects, an Objective, and a Method to achieve the objective and focus on changing individuals not groups of people. First they discuss a meaning for change, awareness, and the interests of Prospects and Providers and related decisions to these topics. Next they discuss (a) the factors to use in deciding to encourage people to change, (b) should a Provider obtain the Propset's viewpoint about the change, and (c) the implications of the Prospect's viewpoint. (7/10/10)

DECISION MAKING – SOME IMPORTANT TERMS

These notes define and make a broad comment on the following terms – Decision Making, Decisions, Planning , Objectives , and Objective Setting. (7/10/10).

WHEN SHOULD GROUP DECISIONS OCCUR?

These notes start with the "wrong" reasons for having a group make a decision and then discuss suitable reasons for group decisions. (7/10/10)

THE RIGHT TIME FOR INDIVIDUAL THINK VERSUS GROUP THINK

These notes discuss – (a) A meaning for "Individual Think" and "Group Think", (b) Wise use of Group Think, and (c) Wasting time and poor uses of Group Think. (7/10/10).

DRAWING DECISION TREES 

These notes (a) aim to help people draw Decision Trees, (b) describe a decision tree, and (c) discuss what people normally do when they make decisions as compared with drawing of a decision tree. They include (a) seven steps to help find branches for decision trees, (b) some general points to consider, and (c) discuss "universal" decision trees. The notes concentrate on "branches". Part 2 of the notes in the next file discuss "results branches". (7/10/10)

DRAWING DECISION TREES – PART 2

These notes will help Planners to draw the consequences/results branches and work out the "value" of each group of result branches. They discuss how to (a) choose the right dimensions, (b) obtain the right number and type of sub branches, (c) assign probabilities to each branch, and (d) establish a value for each group of results.  (15/1/11)

EXERCISES

The following page shows a variety of exercises that relate to different topics covered in Planning Part 1. (16/9/10)

EXERCISE – THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN (A) DECISIONS AND (B) CONSEQUENCES/RESULTS IN DECISION TREES.

This exercise list 15 different items. People have to decide whether each item rates as (a) a decision or (b) a consequence/result – in terms of Decisions Trees. (6/10/10)

EXERCISE – DECISION-MAKING QUESTIONS

This exercise sets the situation that people have just made a tentavie decision to deal with an important problem. It asks people to record all the questions they can think of that would help check whether they have made a wise decision. Thus it aims to help people to produce a cook-book approach to help decision making. (6/10/10)

EXERCISE – SELECTING MORE-USEFUL DECISIONS FOR DECISION TREES.

This exercise helps people to find, and appreciate the need to select, logiacally-arranged decisions when drawing Decision Trees. (6/10/10)

EXERCISE – CHOOSING THE RIGHT TIME TO BUILD AND/OR EXPAND A FACTORY.

This exercise gives many details about building and/or expanding a factory. It includes costs and probabilities so that people can draw a Decision Tree to help decide whether to (a) build a large plant or a small plant and (b) whether to extend or not extend the small plant. (6/10/10)

EXERCISE – EXPECTED VALUES FOR DECISION TREES.

This material gives an answer to the previous exercise .  (6/10/10).

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