In the professional world, project management is an essential skill for completing complex missions and meeting imposed deadlines.
A retro-planning is a powerful tool for structuring your approach and ensuring the success of your projects.
In this article, we unveil the secrets to creating an effective and attractive professional retro-planning in a few simple steps.
So, how to create a retro-planning for your professional projects? Follow the guide!
But before moving on to the advice, it is important to understand the advantages of creating a retro-planning.
Why implement a retro-planning?
The retro-planning has several advantages:
- It ensures better deadline management by clearly visualizing deadlines and dependencies between tasks.
- It facilitates communication and coordination among team members by providing them with a clear vision of the steps to be taken.
- It allows for quickly identifying problems and delays and implementing corrective actions to limit their impact on the project.
The steps of a retro-planning
Here are the 8 steps to follow to create an effective retro-planning.
Step 1: Identify the main objective of your professional retro-planning
Before starting the development of your retro-planning, take the time to think about the main objective you want to achieve within the framework of your professional project.
It could be developing a new product, implementing a new computer system, or carrying out a marketing campaign.
By having a clear idea of your objective, you will be able to better structure your retro-planning and stay focused on the essentials.
Step 2: List the tasks and milestones
Once the objective is determined, it’s time to list all the tasks and milestones necessary to achieve your goal.
A milestone is a significant event or key stage in the realization of your project, such as validating a prototype, signing a contract with a supplier, or achieving a sales target.
The tasks are the actions to be taken to achieve these milestones.
Be as comprehensive as possible and don’t hesitate to seek the help of your colleagues to avoid forgetting anything.
Step 3: Estimate the duration of each task
Now that you have identified the tasks and milestones, it is important to estimate how much time each task will take.
This step can be tricky, as it is easy to underestimate the time required to complete a task.
Try to be realistic and take into account any unforeseen events that may occur.
If you are unsure about your estimates, seek the opinion of people who have already performed similar tasks or do research on the Internet.
Step 4: Determine the dependencies between tasks
Some tasks can only be carried out after the completion of other tasks.
For example, you cannot start production of a product until you have validated its prototype and signed a contract with a supplier.
It is therefore crucial to identify the dependencies between tasks to avoid delays and blockages.
In your retro-planning, clearly indicate which tasks must be completed before moving on to the next one.
Step 5: Set the deadline for your project
The deadline is the date by which you must have achieved your main objective.
For a professional project, this could be the product delivery date or the end of a marketing campaign.
Once this date is set, you can start allocating tasks and milestones on your retro-planning based on their duration and dependencies.
Step 6: Build your professional retro-planning
With all the information in hand, it’s time to build your professional retro-planning.
Start with the deadline and work backward by placing tasks and milestones according to their duration and dependencies.
You can use a calendar, a spreadsheet, or project management software to create your retro-planning.
Feel free to use colors and symbols to make reading easier and make your retro-planning more attractive.
Step 7: Adjust and refine your retro-planning
A retro-planning is never set in stone and must be adjusted according to the progress of the project and unforeseen events.
Regularly take the time to update your retro-planning based on delays, progress, and changes in priorities.
Don’t forget to communicate these changes to the people involved to avoid misunderstandings and frustrations.
Step 8: Monitor the progress of the project
Throughout the project, monitor the progress of tasks and milestones to ensure that everything is going as planned.
If you notice any deviations from your retro-planning, identify the causes and implement corrective actions to limit delays.
Feel free to seek the help of your colleagues to support you in this process.
Practical example: development of a new product
Let’s imagine that you are tasked with developing a new product in your company, with a deadline of six months. Here’s how you could build your professional retro-planning:
- Main objective: launch an innovative and competitive new product on the market.
- Tasks and milestones: market research, product design, prototype validation, supplier search, production, marketing, etc.
- Duration of tasks: estimate the time required for each task (e.g., 1 month for market research, 2 weeks for product design).
- Dependencies: for example, you cannot start production until the prototype is validated and a supplier is found.
- Deadline: set the launch date of the new product on the market.
- Retro-planning: starting from the deadline, place tasks and milestones on a calendar taking into account their duration and dependencies.
- Adjustment: if unforeseen events occur (e.g., delay in prototype validation), adjust your retro-planning accordingly and inform the relevant people.
- Monitoring: throughout the product development, regularly check the progress of tasks and implement corrective actions if necessary.
By following these steps, you should be able to create an effective and attractive professional retro-planning for the development of your new product.
Remember that the key to success lies in rigor and communication with the people involved in the project.
In conclusion: How to create an impactful and attractive professional retro-planning
Retro-planning is an essential tool for organizing complex projects and achieving goals on time.
To create an impactful and attractive professional retro-planning, follow these simple steps:
- Identify the main objective of your professional retro-planning.
- List the tasks and milestones necessary to achieve your objective.
- Estimate the duration of each task and identify dependencies between them.
- Set the deadline for your project.
- Build your retro-planning starting from the deadline, placing tasks and milestones based on their duration and dependencies.
- Adjust and refine your retro-planning based on the project’s progress and unforeseen events.
- Monitor the project’s progress and implement corrective actions if necessary.
By adopting a narrative approach and incorporating concrete examples from the professional world, you will make your retro-planning even more impactful and attractive.
Remember that the success of your project largely depends on your ability to stay organized and communicate effectively with the people involved.
So, don’t wait any longer, put these tips into practice and create a professional retro-planning now that will allow you to achieve your goals with peace of mind!
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Further information
Here is some additional information to go further in implementing your retro-planning.
What tool to use for retro-planning?
Several tools allow you to create a retro-planning:
- Excel: very versatile, it offers great flexibility to customize your retro-planning.
- Microsoft Project: a professional project management software that integrates advanced features to create and track retro-planning.
- Trello: an online project management application that facilitates the creation and tracking of tasks and milestones.
- Asana: an online project management tool that allows you to create retro-planning and share them with members of your team.
How to create a retro-planning in Excel
Creating a retro-planning in Excel can be done in a few simple steps.
Here is a detailed guide to help you create an effective and attractive retro-planning with Excel:
1 – Prepare the basic data
- Open Excel and create a new workbook.
- In the first column (A), enter the following headings for each row: Task, Duration, Start Date, End Date, and Dependencies.
- Then enter the information for each task of your project (e.g., market research, product design, production, etc.) in the corresponding rows.
2 – Calculate start and end dates
- To automatically calculate the start and end dates of each task, use Excel formulas. For example, for the start date of a task, you can use the formula
=IF(ISBLANK(C2), "", C2)in the start date column (column C). This formula checks if cell C2 is blank and returns a blank cell if it is, otherwise it returns the value of C2. - To calculate the end date of a task, use the formula
=IF(ISBLANK(D2), "", C2+D2)in the end date column (column D). This formula adds the task duration (column B) to the start date (column C).
3 – Manage dependencies
- In the dependencies column (column E), enter any dependencies between tasks, indicating for example the letter “A” for a task depending on task A.
- To take dependencies into account in start dates, modify the formulas using the
VLOOKUPfunction. For example, for the start date of a task depending on task A, use the formula=IF(ISBLANK(E2), C2, VLOOKUP(E2,$A$1:$D$10,4,FALSE)).
4 – Create a Gantt chart
- To visualize your retro-planning as a Gantt chart, select the data from your table (columns A to D).
- Click on the “Insert” tab, then on “Chart”, and choose the “Stacked Bar” type.
- In the chart, remove empty bars (corresponding to start dates) to only keep bars representing task durations.
- Customize the appearance of the chart by changing colors, font styles, and graphical elements.
5 – Adjust and update the retro-planning
- During the project, update the information in your Excel table (durations, start dates, dependencies) to reflect changes and unforeseen events.
- The Gantt chart will automatically update based on the changes made to the table.
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Français : Comment faire un rétroplanning
Italiano: Come fare una pianificazione a ritroso