Protocol
Plan alternatives for the dependency most likely to break the week
One fallback is more useful than pretending the week has no uncertainty.
When it fits
- A weekly plan assumes every input, person and system will be available on time.
When to avoid it
- Do not over-plan every possible failure; focus on high-probability or high-cost dependencies.
Why it matters
The weekly planning field experiment included alternative planning alongside goals and steps. Identify the dependency most likely to fail and preselect useful work that can continue if it does. This keeps the plan flexible without expanding into a full contingency tree.
Steps
- One likely disruption has a ready fallback that still advances the week's outcome.
An example
If the source extract is not available by Tuesday noon, switch to validating target mappings and preparing comparison scripts.
Check your result
One likely disruption has a ready fallback that still advances the week's outcome.
Keep this limit in mind
- Do not over-plan every possible failure; focus on high-probability or high-cost dependencies.
Connected ideas
Useful withUse a decision tree when sequence changes what you know
Evidence and sources
Structured weekly planning with alternative plans improved several work outcomes in a field experiment.
Do not over-plan every possible failure; focus on high-probability or high-cost dependencies.
A field experiment on the effects of weekly planning behaviour on work engagement, unfinished tasks, rumination, and cognitive flexibility · See source record