Activity 6: Planning and Implementing Solutions

Objectives:
✓ Plan how you will implement the solution
✓ Implement the solution

 Recommended Time: 60 – 90 minutes

Reflect on your past experiences at home, in school, or in the workplace. Share an

experience where you had to solve a problem. What was the problem or challenge that
you faced? What was the situation surrounding the problem?

What factors did you consider in coming up with a solution? What was your solution to
the problem?

What resources, preparations, and help from other people did you need in order to
execute your plan?

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 How did you execute your plan? What factors did you look at to ensure that everything
went according to your plan?

Did your plan work? Why or why not? What could you have done better?

Now we will look at planning solutions. Describe what you think it means to develop an
action plan. If you did NC I, this is a review. If you did not, share your ideas!

Let’s see what we learned about action plans in NC I:

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 Action Plans
A Recap of NC I

An action plan is a step-by-step description of how you plan to complete a task or resolve a
problem. An action plan….
 Details the steps and resources that need to be taken to correct the causes of a
problem
 Provides a standard way to address a problem
 Clarifies team member responsibilities
 Outlines clear steps in a reasonable timeline to achieve your desired outcome
 Must consider health and safety. Once corrected, will the situation be safe? Are
prevention measures considering health and safety issues?
 Can be used to track progress

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 When writing an action plan:
 Set several goals that are achievable and measurable
 For each goal, outline steps to take to achieve the goal.
 Identify a timeline for each step.
 Identify who is responsible for each step.
 Review your plan – is your solution REAL? Realistic, Effective, Acceptable and Logical?
 Set a deadline for completing the effort.
 Verify that you have met the goal.

We will continue to develop action plans in NC II. They may also be called
implementation plans. This is when you get ready to put your ideas into place and plan
exactly what you will do.

In creating a plan of action, you first need to consider the root cause of the problem, as
well as looking at best and most appropriate solution. Once you determine the solution,
you need to consider the following: identifying the resources and materials needed to
implement the solution, managing the actual implementation of the solution, and
evaluating the implemented solution.

 Key Facts 3.5: Planning to Implement Your Solution

When you plan to implement your solution, you will describe the actions you and your
co-workers will take. The plan has enough detail to help you plan your time and track
your progress. By planning well, you and your co-workers can work efficiently and avoid
costly mistakes.

Here are the key elements to include in your plan:

Component Tips

Goals  What are you trying to achieve?

 What is the ideal situation once the problem is solved?
 You may have more than one. You may have an overall goal and
several sub-goals.

Steps  What tasks need to be completed for each objective?

 You may have several steps for each. A more complex objective will
have more.

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  Think about the sequence of the steps carefully – what needs to be
done 1st, 2nd, 3rd?
 Sometimes tasks can be completed at the same time (one person
does one task, while another does another task)

Time Schedule  How much time is needed for each task?

 When will it happen?
 Be realistic about people’s availability and how much time things will
take
 Build in time for obstacles and delays


People Involved  Who is responsible for each task?

 Who is involved with each task?
 Think about people’s job roles and skills so they are doing the tasks
that suit them best. (Your supervisor can help with this.)

Resources  Are there costs involved? Try to estimate any cost information your
Needed supervisor will need to know.
 Are there materials needed?
 Is there any required equipment?
 Is transportation needed?
 Is storage needed?
 Are there printing requirements?

Risks  What could go wrong?

 What could impact the timeline or results that needs to be
considered?
 Are there factors outside of your control that need to be accounted
for? (Like shipping delays, supplier inventory issues, etc.)

Health and Safety  What safety and health considerations need to be taken into
account?

Environmental  What environmental rules or protocols should you adhere to while

Considerations implementing your solution?
 How can waste be recycled or disposed of properly?

Measuring  How will you be able to see that there is progress? What results do
Success you expect to see?
 If your results aren’t hitting your expectations, what can you do?
 What can the supervisor or others do to help make sure there is
progress?

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 Reviewing the  Are your actions going to help you meet your overall goal?
Plan  Are the steps realistic?
 Is your plan REAL (Realistic, Effective, Acceptable and Logical)?

 If you were to create an action plan, what would it look like? In the box below, draw a
table for your own action plan template. Use the information above to guide you.

When making decisions and solving problems, it is important for us to exhaust all our
thinking to explore possible solutions and be mindful of the consequences of our
actions and decisions. In this module, you learned about exploring options before
choosing a solution. It is very normal, and appreciated by employers when you find
that you need to course-correct your decisions and actions. What does this mean? You
may start implementation and realize there is a better way to do things. That is great!

Remember, mistakes are inevitable and may cause delays in production, additional
expenses for the company, or strained collegial relationships. These are also good
opportunities for you to learn and improve your professional skills.

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 Let’s Exercise: Carlo’s Plans and Goals
Now that you have seen an example of planning for implementation and measuring
results, it is time to try it for yourself.

For this practice tasks, you will use the scenario from Activity 5 – Carlo the warehouse
worker.

Carlo’s Overarching Goal:

Person Responsible / Resources

Step Timeline
Involved Needed
Goal 1:

Goal 2:

Goal 3:

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 Person Responsible / Resources
Step Timeline
Involved Needed
Goal 3:

Risks:

Health and Safety Considerations:

Environmental Considerations:

Measuring Results:

Think about it!

Talk to someone in your family or a friend who works. Ask them about a routine problem
that they needed to solve. How did they plan to implement their solution? How did they
know that they were successful?

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 Let’s Apply! – Mini-Project 5: Plan of Action

Refer to your Mini-Project 4 Output. You will develop a plan to implement your
recommended solution. Complete the table, using the example and tips above to help
you.

Following the worksheet, you will find the rubric that your instructor will use to evaluate
your work. Be sure to reference it as you work on your output.

Overarching Goal:

Person Responsible / Resources

Step Timeline
Involved Needed
Goal 1:

Goal 2:

Goal 3:

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 Person Responsible / Resources
Step Timeline
Involved Needed

Goal 3:

Risks:

Health and Safety Considerations:

Environmental Considerations:

Measuring Results:

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Rubric for Mini-Project 5: Plan of Action

Statement Strongly Disagree Agree Strongly

Disagree Agree
1. The overarching goal is specific,
measurable, attainable, realistic,
and time-bounded.
2. The goals identified are
connected to the overarching
goal.
3. The steps listed for each goal are
connected to the goal and are
necessary to reach the goal and
all possible steps are considered.
4. The person responsible or
involved is appropriate.
5. Necessary resources needed to
complete the step are identified.
6. The timeline for each step is
realistic.
7. The risks identified are realistic
and has considered all the
possible challenges.
8. The health and safety
considerations are appropriately
identified.
9. The environmental
considerations are identified.
10. The information to be collected
to measure results are
appropriate.

Sharing is caring

Present your output to your respondent if possible. If not, share it with a family member,
nearby neighbor or a friend. After sharing, ask for their feedback. Here are some guiding
questions:

1. Was the plan realistic? Why or why not?

2. What still needs be done to further improve your output?

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