Assumption-Based Planning: A Tool for Reducing Avoidable Surprises

ISBN-13: 9780521806534 / Angielski / Twarda / 2002 / 268 str.

James A. Dewar

Opis

Unwelcome surprises in the life of any organization can often be traced to the failure of an assumption that the organization's leadership didn't anticipate or had "forgotten." Assumption-based planning (ABP) is a tool for identifying as many as possible assumptions underlying the plans of an organization and bringing them explicitly into the planning process. This book presents a variety of techniques for rooting out those vulnerable, crucial assumptions. It also presents steps for monitoring the vulnerable assumptions of a plan by taking actions to control them where possible and preparing for potential failure where control is not possible.

Recenzje

'… an impressively flexible and pragmatic approach makes extensive use of scenarios. In my view this is one of the most useful methods for stress-testing a plan … the process spelt out in the book can be applied to all fields of planning and Dewar utilises his real world experience to suggest different methods for implementing the five steps of ABP. This pragmatic approach makes the book very useful for practitioners …'. The Business Economist

Spis treści

1. The essence of assumption-based planning; 2. A taxonomy of assumptions; 3. Step 1: identifying assumptions; 4. Step 2: identifying load-bearing, vulnerable assumptions; 5. Step 3: identifying signposts; 6. Step 4: developing shaping actions; 7. Step 5: developing hedging actions; 8. The art of conducting ABP; 9. Beyond ABP as a post-planning tool.