Review plans for missing people, approvals, and risks
Unit ID: AIT-M09-U04 Estimated active time: 15-20 minutes
The main idea
A plan is weak if it ignores people and approvals.
Task lists are easy to generate and tend to contain only work. The delays live in the gaps between tasks, where someone is waiting for someone.
Why this matters
Missing approvals are the most expensive omission, because they are discovered at the end and cannot be compressed.
Safe example
A newsletter plan forgets approval, unsubscribe, and privacy checks.
Three omissions, all of which surface the day before sending.
Better working habit
Ask for missing stakeholders, approvals, risks, and stop conditions.
Ask specifically for what is missing, not for a review. A general review returns comments on what is there.
What to watch for
Do not focus only on tasks and dates.
For each task, ask who needs to know, who needs to agree, and what happens if they say no.
Mini practice
Review a plan for missing people, approvals, and risks.
Then add the one approval you had not thought of.
Check yourself
Before moving on, answer:
- Who needs to agree, and how long do they take?
- Who needs to know, even if they do not decide?
- What is the stop condition if an approval is refused?