Favourite quotes about planning

I like 5P Rule:

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance!

Cheers

"The reason we plan projects is because, after investing all that effort, we will have eliminated one of the infinite number of ways in which the project could go."

I don’t know if it is original with him, but the person I heard say it is Bill Duncan, author of the 1996 edition of the PMBOK Guide. I like it because, as with the Eisenhower quote below, it suggests (correctly!) that one of the main values of planning is that it will be of assistance in managing all the unforeseen events that WILL occur.


"Timeliness includes timelines, but deadlines lead to deadliness."

That one’s mine.

BTW, the Private Message function seems to be off. Does anyone know how I might contact PP Admin? Or Wiki Admin? Or can they contact me?

Fraternally in PM,

Steve D.

Stephen,

I could not understand the following part of your personal quote:

“Deadlines lead to deadliness”

with the help of a dictionary, I understood the following:

The points in time by which sth must be done (deadlines) lead to take away effectiveness.

What do you mean with the statement.

Cheers,

Hi, Carmen.

Actually, I mean a few different things by "Deadlines lead to deadliness" (other than the parallel spelling).

1. I believe that deadlines, whether for a project or for an activity, enable Parkinson’s Law: "Work expands to fill the time available" (a fellow traveler of Goldratt’s "Student Syndrome" -- people put things off till the last minute).

2. It is extremely rare that a deadline is really a deadline, by which I mean that the project is worthless after a given date (and there is no advantage to finishing early). I believe that planned project completion dates should be established as "targets", with clear and quantified guidelines re the implications for project value/profit of being each calendar unit earlier or later.
Then the project team should use those quantified guidelines to maximize the project value for minimal cost, resulting in maximum project profit.

In fact, in my experience, most deadlines are established by a sponsor/customer out of thin air. Sometimes more time is allowed than the scope/resources necessitate; sometimes completion prior to the deadline is absolutely impossible; but almost never is the deadline (or budget!) based in any sort of reality, because the detailed planning that’s necessary has not yet been done when the deadline is established.

Finally, the project contract should reflect the quantified targets and values of the customer in such a way as to benefit both contractor and customer in a "win/win" outcome.

Fraternally in PM,

Steve D.

Hello Carmen,

Quote by the Maestro, the Sensei:

"Planning is drawing"

It is a mental picture of what you wanted to achieve, a road map, a drawing. IMHO.

In day to day activity, when I wake up, I’m doing planning: What I want to accomplish today? How it will fit in a bigger picture of my goal, career goal, personal goal?

So I created a drawing.

If nothing is accomplish, then the plan will remains a drawing.

But

If I did accomplish my goal, then I celebrated by treating myself with eating nice and delicious food. OF course, I thank my Beloved GOD for the grace HE has given me to accomplish my plan.

Then, the cycle of planning again for the next hours, days, week will revolve and revolve.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

“Most people, if you describe a train of events to them, will tell you what the result would be. They can put those events together in their minds, and argue from them that something will come to pass. There are few people, however, who, if you told them the result , would be able to evolve from their own inner consciousness what the steps were which led up to that result. This power is what I mean when I talk of reasoning backward, or analytically.” – Sherlock Holmes

the beauty of planning is in achieving what was plan

less than achieving the plan,

the planning is only a dream.

Wake up!!!!!

Again from the Maestro, the Sensei.

cheers
Happy Planning and Scheduling

Dear Sensei,

Your personal quote “Planning is drawing”. Is it your drawing or the drawing of the TEAM.

Is it your personal drawing without brainstorming with the team??.

IF It is so, that’s why you conclude “planning is a dream”.

My approach is complete different.

Planning is a team exercise where I hear and get involved with each one of the participants. I get involved with each work process that I need to plan. I take the opportunity to optimize work process with the help of the responsible of the work. At doing this, you need leadership to attract people to the act of planning.

Mi favourites two quotes:

It’s not the plan that’s important, it’s the planning.
- Dr. Gramme Edwards

Plans are worthless. Planning is essential.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, general and president (1890-1961)

I want to believe Mr. Edwards and Mr. Eisenhower were thinking in planning as I have described above.

Cheers,

Hi Carmen

Brilliant thread - Here is one of mine.

"As built programmes are a record of the triumpb of time and circumstance over human endeavour"

Best regards

Mike Testro

Dear Carmen,

My quote comes deep in my heart. It is a day to day experience.

So someday if I will become great men in the like of Eisenhower, Abraham Lincoln maybe someone will also quote my planning philosophy.

On the other hand, they use my quote by acknowledging not me because I’m not yet a member of immortal great men, they can say: anonymous.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

Dear Carmen,

I also like your planning philosophy:

"Planning is a team exercise where I hear and get involved with each one of the participants. I get involved with each work process that I need to plan. I take the opportunity to optimize work process with the help of the responsible of the work. At doing this, you need leadership to attract people to the act of planning."

I remember a newbei in planning: Punch, punch and punch the keyboard of the computer. That is planning to him.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

To Mike:

Your quote:

"As built programmes are a record of the triumpb of time and circumstance over human endeavour"

Where is planning here??

I do respect your orientation as claim analyst. You do need the as built programme for without as built programme, it will be a lot of hell to do your work.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

here’s mine: Plan to Act or Act to Plan? What is Planning without Acting?

From my collection:

One day my Boss asked me to submit a status report to him concerning a project I was working on. I asked him if tomorrow would be soon enough. He said, "If I wanted it tomorrow, I would have waited until tomorrow to ask for it!" (New business manager, Hallmark Greeting Cards)

"This project is so important, we can’t let things that are more important interfere with it." (Advertising/Marketing manager, UPService)

"Doing it right is no excuse for not meeting the schedule"

Stephen Devaux, in his book Total Project Control, quotes Dr PR Nayak:

“One area that technologically superior companies emphasize is the quality of their product planning. In most walks of life where planning is possible, people will tell you that good planning is absolutely crucial and necessary. However, almost no one does it. We have wondered why, and can only surmise that they don’t know how to, don’t have time, or can’t see the benefits.”

Dr FJ Bromilow (CSIRO)
“Late completion of building contracts is a source of inefficiency, financial loss, and intense irritation in the industry. The differences between expectation when the contracts were entered into on the one hand and the reality on the other are substantial and larger than commonly supposed. Of 329 contracts taken from a wide range of environments and building types, but not including housing, only one contract in eight was completed on or before the time originally expected and the overall average extra time exceeded 40 per cent.”

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, then starting on the first one.”

Seneca (ca 4BC - AD65) “Gladiator in arena consilium capit”The gladiator is formulating his plan in the arena (i.e., too late)

Planning requires a difficult kind of thought process, the ability to arrange a complex array of ideas and to see various combinations of effects
Thought requires effort and not all executives enjoy it.
It often involves the painful contemplation of unfortunate and undesirable events and arouses reflections on errors of the past.
To those who are inclined to be optimistic in their outlook, planning requires that pessimistic occurrences also be anticipated. The executive, who by habit is motivated by action, is not favourably inclined to sit at his desk and think.
Creative ability is in short supply. It is usually best drawn forth by a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, although in the building industry, strains, pressures and tensions may make it difficult to find one. Intellectual activity is frequently ridiculed by those who lack respect for it and there are cases of executives who are so sensitive on this point that they go to great lengths to avoid being caught thinking.
~K Paul Building Organisation 2
A Trust Publication 1982
Technical Publications Trust
Propect Place Perth WA 6000

Planning is a project team effort to set out what are the project goals and ...

How the project team intend to identifies activities and resources to achieve goals.

Scheduling is the process of correlating identified planned activities in a logical and realistic way of identifying durations, start date and finish date.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

I’m just preparing my impromptu remarks.
Winston Churchill

Planning is the work a manager does to master the future.
Louis Allen

Chris Oggham

"Keep learning and if you don’t know then ask someone who does."

-- Mike Testro

Your schedule is as good as the wall paper.

Planning is weathering the crisis.

If you are rich, then live poor.

If you are poor, then remain poor.

Anoon,

Your post is so sad, full of gloom

While it is true that planning is weathering the present financial crisis,

Is there a positive way for a poor man like me to live like a king, ala Slumdog Millionaire.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

"Is there a positive way for a poor man like me to live like a king, ala Slumdog Millionaire."

Only if you know that Jack Hobbs had 197 first class centuries.

Hi Stephen

I know very little about Jack Hobbs but I was once a millionaire.

After 4 years work in Tokyo I came back with a million in the bank - Yen that is.

Worth about 4 cents in Zimbabwe today.

The way the Bank of England is printing money we could all be £ millionairs and envy the slumdogs in Bombay for their upmarket lifestyle.

Funny old world innit.

(1st centrury to England after they won the toss - it aint over til the last over)

Please don’t try to explain the intricacies of the game to Charleston - he is already a world expert on the subject.

best regards

Mike Testro

Real Life Quote when asked why women make better Planners than men?

Why? Women can juggle more than two balls at the same time.

Ohhh I just know I will get crucified for that one!

Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
Warren Buffett

In Planning:
Sitting in the shade - keyboard jockeys (replacement)

Who planted - excellent planner who do the program but already left for better offer

Hi All

Lets not forget Andrew Dick’s contribution to another thread - A Little Light Relief:


It is a bad plan that admits of no modifications. - Publius Syrus 42 BC

Hi Gwen

The point is that since girls have no balls of their own to juggle with they spend most of their time planning to juggle someone elses.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Living without a plan is like walking without a sight.

In our time, Einstein theory of Relativity has been proven.. YES!.... After decades of research.......No!......I can’t even imagine how to plan a project if BACK TO THE FUTURE MOVIE and TIME TRAVEL exists today..

Can you have a plan in a 4 dimensional world?

In marriage life, can we plan to have multiple relationships?.. Oh!... You should have Early and late dates to leave and arrive at home....So much constraints it have...Husbands must be at home per day... Take note, pooring of concrete should not be delayed caused by others.

If you are always delay and your wife catch you? Can you request for time extension (EOT) for your marriage?....Im sure your wife will suggest for acceleration plan...

Im sorry Im tired. I have to sleep...

Hi Francis

I have been married - to the same lady - for 43 years.

You get less time for murder.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Refer to Gwen Quote

Firstly, no need to crucified her since she was crucified long time ago. what we have now is a reincarnation. let her enjoy her time in PP.

Secondly, the facts remains that women are good in multi-tasking, Just observe your mother, your girlfriends, your wives...

Thirdly, as multi-taskers, women brains plans so fast, faster than the latest micro chips in the range of nano

and lastly, aside from being good in planning, women are good speakers, they speak a lot to the point of nagging. This is natural for them because women have two lips, the upper lips and the lower lips.

So as a favorite quotes about planning and in dedication to International Women Days: "To You Woman I Adore"

I love my daughter, I love my wife, I love my mother.

Cheers,
Happy Planning and Scheduling

Not so much quotes, but a couple of terms I’ve used all-too-often when reviewing junior planner’s schedules:

Forepasts: Forecasted dates which have not been updated, and are showing to be in the past without any actual progress

Factuals: Activties showing actual start / finish / progress claimed after the data date. Short for forecasted actuals.

When resourcing, remember, inseminating 9 women will not give you a baby in one month!

Hi David

Have you researched this theory to its limit?

Best regards

Mike Testro

I have achieved 4.16% progress on this theory, currently.

This is calculated as 11.11% resource met and 37.5% activity complete.

This post is fun as hell!!!

Mike, that was a great overcome to Gwen’s Quote, I was LOL!!!
Also, David’s research is quite interesting.

Here’s my two cents. Not exactly a quote but some basics:

"You can have your project in time, in cost or in good quality. Choose two"

I think I read it in "Microsoft Project for dummies"

I have a few favourites,
I can’t believe no one has posted,

"To Fail to Plan is to Plan to Fail"

and I also like

"Make your plan idiot proof and they will build a better idiot!"

Doug

Planning is a inbuilt common sense every one has.

Hi Shahul

Try telling that to the guys at Multiplex when building the new Wembley Stadium.

How about this one -

You can allow for the unforeseen but you can’t plan it.

Or

The best laid plans of mice and men oft gang awry

Robbie Burns - the great scottish drivelist.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Because delay analysis is my ’thing’ I quite like these two:

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
Douglas Adams (of ’Hitchhikers Guide...’ fame).

"The only person who got everything done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe"
Anon

Hi All

Just read this in todays Daily Mail

I believe in planning ahead - becaaauuuuse - If you spend enough time planning you never actually have to do anything.

Garfield.

Best regards

Mike Testro

I’m new to PP and just saw this thread. Here are my favorites:

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute a crisis on my part.

and


CPM gives one the illusion of control.

Hi Lawrence

Welcome to the Planet.

We look forward to your continued contribution.

Meanwhile I would question the premise in your favourite planning quote:

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute a crisis on my part.

It might do if if your development is now very late and your contractor is eating up your finance.

As for - CPM gives one the illusion of control. - Absolutely spot on.

Best regards

Mike Testro

I am in planning because of the conflict between organizing and chaos and I believe in the end the
Plan reflects the organization of the chaos.
Mine

"Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan".
Margaret Thatcher

This quote has nothing to do with planning but it has to do with...

"If you want something said, ask a man
If you want something done, ask a woman"
Margaret Thatcher

This might explain why so many troubles at getting the work done as planned ??? IF 95% of Project planners are men.

Cheers,

"Never look back once u planned to head forward,progress might move behind or ahead but keep scheduling your plan till u reach our goal"

- progress it through a plan
Shahul

Carmen, may I ask, are you a disciple of Charlie or does sexist crap come easy to you too?

"If you want something said, ask a man
If you want something done, ask a woman"
True.

Let a man say: "I have a dream...", let a woman do some jobs for ex-President Clinton.
Let a woman win two nobel Prizes, Let a man say: "I like big butts"

Everyhing depends on the person, not its genre, race, country or social status.

Hi All

This has nothing to do with planning but it does encapsulate the cinstruction industry.

Endeavour to make money honestly - otherwise make money.

Horace - Poet in the Reign of Augustus.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Carlos,
Having said true to one of my favorite quotes regarding our differences (male and female), I would like to add the following:

Once that we accept our differences, working together is the perfect match.

My actual post is a planner for a power plant. I am the only engineer in a group of 15 men. My support to site managers is being strongly influenced for my gender.

I have a different speech. I love the long meetings with the excellent speeches coming from different parties such as : client, EPC contractor among others.

BUT , at the end of the day, the female planner is the one getting things done.

DAVID,

When are you going to stop mentioning CHARLIE in this forum. He is gone, please accept it. No disciples, nothing at all.

Regards,

Hi Carmen,

i would like to quote this - "if there are no details, there is no schedule to be defined"

This is specifically intended to Design Engineers doing engineering.

best regards