The management process is a combination of the right tools to analyse new ideas and structure-related actions. We have identified some methods you may find useful to do this. In general, you need to be aware of the difference between projects and everyday work. And try to keep your eye on the ball, on the objectives that you set for yourself and work towards. Don’t hesitate to examine, control and adjust your trajectory to meet the changing environment. The further ahead you can predict the future, you more you can plan. Learn from your experiences. Maintain a log of events, issues, observations, and lessons learned. ## Useful management methods This is a list of the management methods discussed in this post. ![[management methods.png]] ![[Management Methods.canvas|Management Methods]] ## Plan Do Check Assess (PDCA) Plan Do Check Assess is a planning cycle which helps you to improve your operations and your actions over time. ![[PDCA.png]] The Plan Do Check Assess cycle is a framework which allows you to review your way of working and helps you think about your activities in a more structured fashion, and through doing actions. You plan, you set objectives and pursue them, and then you check the quality of your efforts, to make sure that what you’ve done is in line with the plan. Then replan your next cycle of doing. As you repeat the cycle, feed back from the last cycle with the aim of continually improving your process. [[Issues Database as part of the Quality Process|Update solved issues]] to show that the process has gone full loop. Don’t forget the ‘Do’ part of the cycle: the creative process requires action which creates change in the real world. See more on the [[Plan Do Check Assess management method]] method. Software that implements the method needs a task manager with scheduling such as Todoist. The tool embodies the theory to varying degrees, and can often help you to think differently. ## Getting Things Done [[Getting Things Done management framework]] can help change your attitude to work in general. Instead of thinking about objectives that you are not achieving, think about your next actions. It’s more productive to think about what you can do to get on track. The key principles of _Getting Things Done_ (GTD), a productivity framework by David Allen, emphasize shifting focus from unattainable objectives to actionable steps, with concepts like the "Trusted System," in which we store and review tasks regularly. It considers planning horizons, current and next actions, and desired outcomes. See the [Getting Things Done site](https://gettingthingsdone.com/what-is-gtd/) for more information: ![[gtd-logo.png|300]] ## Natural Planning It's also worth thinking about the idea of natural planning which states that we naturally know what we should be doing, but we just need to be organized to keep track, and avoid procrastination. A note-taking tool like Obsidian is great to establish notes with next action and goal. You can then sort them in order of sequence, due date or importance. ## The Trusted System [[The Trusted System in Getting Things Done]] is the memory which stores the details which the brain may forget, and allow us freedom to be more creative. It can help you evaluate the impact of a new project on current work and determine whether you have the capacity to take it on. If your environment is disorganized, you might not even consider it and therefore pass up on opportunities. Knowing what to do depends on having a clear understanding of the domain in which we operate, and is key to developing desired outcomes. ## SWOT Analysis Identify your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.  ## The Pomodoro method The Pomodoro method is about working in batches of 25 minutes, with a five-minute break.  ## Eisenhower Decision Matrix The [[Eisenhower Matrix - A simple decision making tool]] is an easy way to think about your priorities and tasks on a simple grid of urgency against importance. ![[eisenhower matrix grid.png]] ## Setting SMART Objectives It’s not only about software, but also about the management process and how to [[Define and Set Smart Objectives]] which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bounded. *Flowchart of setting objectives:* ![[management-process.png]]  List all the influences, customer suggestions and creative ideas that you can get. In general, it implies using [[The Trusted System in Getting Things Done]] to capture these ideas and or in an [[Issues Database as part of the Quality Process]]. ![[management-strategy.png]] The primary objective is ideas for new business, to bring in new services. Sort through these new ideas, and then act, or plan actions. ## Project Management You may start a project with an idea and break it down into manageable pieces. Or you use a set of recorded ideas or issues to [[Define Projects and Protect the Plan]]. GTD is the most useful management method for everyday work if you at least identify next actions. Try to be clear about long-term, medium-term and short-term goals. Find a way of expressing ideas, objectives as actions, and things that are actionable. ## Measuring Trajectory The idea of measuring trajectory is to know whether you are going in the right direction or not. This is about evaluating whether the objectives you set are still valid. ![[measuring-your-trajectory.png]] You might set an initial objective and move towards it, or find that you’re not going that way. Then adjust your goals to your actual trajectory and the direction you feel you should be going. And yet, don’t lose sight of the objectives. You might just be going in another direction because you’ve lost sight or doing what you want. So there’s that idea of measurement and evaluating objectives and resetting them. ## Modelling Objectives Modelling here is about fixing potentially moving goalposts to clarify your objectives. Setting shorter term objectives is compatible with the Agile methodology. The objective is clear in the short term. Sometimes you need to get to the destination see where to go next and then merge your new objective with the previous. The model, together with measurements, is an invitation to think about whether the objectives we set are achievable or desirable. This analysis of the current system, situation, trajectory, desired outcomes and likely outcomes is part of the continuous improvement cycle. But to update or change trajectory requires action, whether as part of a project or not. The focus can then be on organizing work-related actions as efficiently as possible into current production and future production capacity. ## Just Do It You might get the feeling you are spending more time planning than doing. Planning is an overhead, and sometimes it’s quicker and more effective to Just Do It (in line with the GTD 2-minute rule). It can be better to just act rather than having a great unexecuted plan. Planning may feel like work, but may just be a sign of procrastination. On the other extreme, if there is no plan at all, you may go down rabbit holes and lose sight of the objectives. ## Effectiveness You have a purpose and have set objectives that you are working towards. The danger of setting objectives on a micro scale is to lose sight of the big picture. Do what comes naturally and see where that takes you, then re-evaluate, and do your next step. It sounds okay, but maybe there is something missing. Motivation often comes from the broader purpose, the wider goal, something longer-term to work towards. You can update the long-term goal after evaluating what’s happening in the short or medium-term. #Effectiveness ![[my effectiveness app.png]] Effectiveness distinguishes production work from the work that you need to do to create production capacity. Working on production capacity might be to get the facilities and machinery or the promotional work to get orders. Sometimes it’s not apparent when and how to switch between today’s work and development. What objective criteria can you use to make this switch? Perhaps by setting a ‘fixed’ proportion of work time to one or the other, and switching based on time allocation. Decision-making is then about what activities to do today, whether current or for the future, when to change focus, and how to balance effort across all the domains which crave attention. Ideas for change come from many different avenues – external influences such as customers and markets which can drive us to change our service offering – or internal influences such as original creative ideas. In either case, we must filter and prioritize these potential actions. Deciding on the next action may be out of instinct or feeling or from ‘rational’ analysis. ## Knowing What’s Important In conclusion, you need to know what’s important to you. Set significant goals and evaluate whether you’re committed to them. Measure your distance from the required trajectory. As things move forward, as you make progress, and get things done, ask yourself to what themes you are still committed. Start adjusting the objectives on the things to which you’re no longer committed. ## The appropriate configuration Whatever [[The Trusted System in Getting Things Done|trusted system]] you use to organize your business, keep an eye on whether your configuration is still appropriate. Ask yourself: - Are you capturing opportunities and transforming them into orders? - Do you have *systematic, repeatable processes*? - Can you respond to market demands and are you flexible enough to *respond to change*? - How would you change the *trajectory of your organization* to respond to a changing market? But also, determine whether opportunities exist in radically different areas, or look at more efficient technologies in your current market.