Ever set a SMART goal? You know, those goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. It's the standard approach most of us are taught for setting clear, achievable objectives. But what if there's another way to look at planning that might just give you an edge, especially in complex projects like launching a new customer support programme? Enter Rewind Planning.
Imagine it's the beginning of March, and you've got your sights set on achieving a 90% quality score by the end of July for your new programme. Instead of plotting your path forwards, Rewind Planning has you start at your goal and work backwards. You visualise that 90% score and then ask, "What needed to happen just before we hit our goal?" Perhaps all team members were meeting their individual targets by June's end.
But what needed to happen for the team to achieve this? Maybe by the end of May, each team member needed to have the necessary knowledge and accountability for their results. And for that to be possible, quality reviews, retraining, and feedback loops had to be in place by the end of April.
This is not where the rewind stop; you keep asking these questions, moving further back in time, until you reach your current state. It's a bit like tracing your steps back in a complex maze, ensuring at each step you're aligned with your end goal. This iterative process of asking what needs to happen, what we need to learn or perhaps unlearn, what needs creating, and what needs shipping, guides you from the envisioned future back to the present, ensuring a solid and feasible plan forms.
Once you've rewound all the way to the present, it's time to take that reverse-chronological list and flip it on its head to form a step-by-step, chronological plan. This neatly laid out pathway can then be transferred into your favourite project management tool, transforming your reverse-engineered roadmap into a clear, actionable task list.
Here's where the method shines: by asking what needs to happen, what we need to learn or unlearn, what needs creating, and what needs shipping, we prevent the all-too-common project scope creep. Traditional planning often leads to "Wouldn't it be nice if we also did this?" moments, which can dilute focus and force us to extend timelines beyond realism.
Rewind Planning keeps you focused on the essentials, avoiding the tempting but often unnecessary "nice-to-haves." It's about pinpointing the crucial steps and sticking to them, ensuring your project remains on track and within scope.
So, next time you're setting goals and creating a roadmap, why not try starting at the end and working your way back? It might feel a bit strange at first, but the clarity and direction it provides could be the very thing that propels you forward.