Starting a new project

[Bronze_Palms]

What does your preparation look like before starting a new project? I’ve very guilty of “leaping before I look” and have a tendency to shoot from the hip. Everything gets done, but I think it’s messy! I’m curious what you do to prepare for the start of a project. How far out to do you look? Do you create a vision board? Do you set PR, expense and revenue goals? Thanks in advance for your time!

[CareyJo]

I'm a planner.  It's my nature.  So everything I do has a plan - on paper.  I'm a type A so I rarely leap without thinking and I tend to think for far too long.  I'm always afraid I'll jump in and create a mess that I don't want to deal with.

My version of a vision board is a binder filled with decorated pages, covered in notes and lists.  I jot down my ideas, the things I want, think and feel about the project and how I want it to turn out.  I'm not great about setting goals, never have been, but I'm great at making the plan.  I also have the rare ability to visually imagine what I want or how I see things panning out.  It helps me to realize the end result.

I don't just do this for work, I do this for everything.  Personal projects at home, crafty projects, events and sewing projects.  Everything has to have a plan!  I do update sometimes along the way, crossing out things that no longer work or fit.  Adding new ideas I've found that relate.  My vision is always about the end result, so I guess in a way that's the goal.  Usually once I see that, it doesn't change as far as the whole picture goes.  Like when I'm planning a wedding, I see all of the parts as part of the whole and what the finished product will look like on the day of.  Sometimes the components change, but the whole theme does not.  If I ever cannot make that theme a reality or I have to completely rework it into something else, I'm never happy.  Not sure why.  I guess it's my creative brain.

And don't ever think that messy and creating cannot go hand in hand!

[BrianaJo]

I always want to create a vision board, but never do. I have aphantasia (no imagination) and, even though I know what I'm aiming for, a vision board would probably help show me & remind me what I'm wanting, and also help show others so we're all on the same page.

The length of time I look out to is determined by the project, and the goals. I always set some sort of measurable goal! That way I know if it was a success, if it's repeatable or what it takes to be repeatable, what can be improved on, etc.

It doesn't have to be super structured or a deep long thought out plan. 

Probably better if it's not, otherwise I'd fall into 'analysis paralysis' as they called it in business or what writers call 'worldbuilders disease'.

Otherwise getting straight into action I think is great, or at least it's great for me with the way I work. Still have to determine a measurable goal though. Sometimes after the project is done you can still find some metrics to retroactively measure a goal, but if it's a goal that's as simple as 'reach 5 happy customers' what determines 'happy'? How do you measure that? It could be a satisfaction survey at the end of the funnel but that's basically impossible to do 6 months after the fact. So I have to know going into it to send out a satisfaction survey.