Start by reducing the objective of your project—defined in the initiation and definition process—into a single statement of intent that fits on one large sticky note (see the image).

The products of a plan are the building blocks that, when added together, deliver that project’s end result. Come up with between five and 15 products for your project on separate sticky notes and place them in roughly chronological order down the short side of a piece of large flip-chart paper.

Tasks are activities or actions undertaken by individuals or groups that normally require their presence or participation for the whole duration. Take a pack of sticky notes in a different color from the one you used to set out the products. Have a brain-storming session on the tasks that need to be done to deliver each product, writing one task per sticky note. Draw two fields on the bottom half of the sticky note, so that you can add additional information later.

Place the tasks in roughly chronological order across the page, keeping them in line with the product to which they are connected. Where tasks can be done simultaneously, place them below one another, and where they depend on one another or on using the same resources, place them sequentially. Involve the rest of the delivery team in adding to and refining this skeleton plan.

Step back and look at the logic flow of your plan. Involve the implementation team in this step—it can be a useful “reality check” on your logic. When people identify modifications to your plan, listen carefully and incorporate their suggestions, changing or adding sticky notes as necessary.

A dependency is the relationship between two tasks. The most common type of dependency is end–start (one task ending before the next can start). Dependency can be based either on logic or on resource. Once you have confirmed that all tasks are represented and that they are in the right places, take a pen and draw in arrows to represent the dependencies between the tasks required to complete your project.

Use the experience of your project team to identify what resources and how much effort will be required to complete each task. Note: this is not how long people need to complete the task (“Calendar time”), but how much effort they will need to put in (“Timesheet time”). Write the time needed for each task into the bottom right-hand field on each sticky note. Where possible, use the same unit of time throughout.

Get input from every member of the project team on what they consider to be risks. Give each member of the team two or three sticky notes of a different color from the ones you have already used, and get them to place them behind the tasks they consider riskiest. Once everyone has placed their notes, facilitate a discussion around their choices, agreeing on what countermeasures to adopt and who will be responsible for them.

Get your team together and allocate who will do what. People who have been allowed to contribute to the plan in the ways described in steps five to eight will generally have already identified the tasks they would like to work on, or at least recognized that they are the best person to do certain tasks even if they don’t want to do them. Simply introduce this step by saying to your team: “Now, who’s going to do what?” and then wait for a response. You may be greeted with silence at first, but gradually people will begin to volunteer for tasks. Record names or initials in the bottom left-hand box on each sticky note.

Take sticky notes of the same color as those that you used for the products of your project and place one at the end of each line of tasks. Now facilitate a discussion about when people will be able to complete their tasks and write specific dates (and possibly even times) for when you will review progress. If your project is time-critical, begin with the deadline and work back toward the present; if quality or cost are critical, begin at the present and work forward. Make sure that people cross-check their deadlines with other work or life commitments.