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24 Free Implementation Plan Templates (Excel / Word)

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An implementation plan template is a document made for different kinds of organizations, no matter what the scope or size is. It is a very useful document for the deployment of technology, discrete projects, inventory planning, and more. Moreover, you can make your own implementation plan for your own personal use. It helps you in accomplishing your desired goals.

Table of Contents

The elements of an implementation plan:

The following elements should be included in an implementation plan;

Define your objectives or goals

What you want to accomplish depends upon the size and scope of your project.

Create a schedule for the milestones

Project timelines and task deadlines are specified in the project’s execution plan. However, it is also suggested to create an outline of your entire schedule in your implementation strategy example.

Allocate your resources

Definitely, you should have enough resources to execute the plan successfully. These resources include money, personnel, and time. One of the core purposes of an implementation plan is allocating your resources.

Designate the responsibilities of every team member

For the project, each team member should have their own assigned role. Don’t think that an individual doing his own work but instead in a general plan for the team, individuals doing their own tasks.

Define the metrics for success

To define your metrics for success, answer the following questions;

Explain how you plan to adapt

Since your plan goes into execution so it is inevitable that you will make amendments to it. You should ensure to take into account factors that are outside of your control. In addition, these factors can significantly change the success and outcome of the project. To avoid getting derailed as the project progresses, you should have contingency plans made ahead of time. Doing this assists you in building your experience on flexibility, prompt action, and agility.

Evaluate your success

You can decide on how frequently you plan to assess the progress of your project aside from establishing the metrics for your success. Monthly reviews, quarterly reviews, etc. Are some examples of these. You should also check RACI Chart Templates .

Steps to make an implementation plan:

Here are the steps to make an effective implementation plan;

Come up with a list of the required results

Before you can identify your plans of action and the priorities of the tasks, you need a list of the results that you want to accomplish in your implementation exercise. Usually, in the form of review recommendations or from a business improvement exercise, you get the items on the list.

For each of the results, assign a champion

You assign a champion for each outcome after coming up with the list of possible outcomes. The individual who is always encouraged in achieving his assignment and keeps his whole team members accountable for achieving it is a real champion. Moreover, the individual having passion and commitment to a smooth implementation is the best. You should ensure that you share the roles so that you have various champions.

Identify the actions to take to get the desired outcome

Write down all the possible actions to take in this part of the implementation plan. These possible actions should make sure that your team’s success in getting your desired outcomes. Most of the actions have a very practical nature and some may have seem quite simple or obvious.

Keep in mind that you always require a measure. This is because without this progress becomes just a matter of opinion. Also, in the course of your timeline, opinions can be easily subject to change.

Build the budget, roles, and accountabilities

You have to think about the responsibilities and roles of your team and the actions they require to do when you have defined your list of actions. This ensures the completion of the activities in your plan.

Make a tracking sheet so that you can keep a record of progress

There is always a requirement to update yourself on the current status of the project. For this, you should have a tracking sheet that provides you with the following information;

For project management, follow the methodology

This is a series of different governance structures, processes, and controls. They are designed to assist in managing your time, resources, and activities more effectively. You can even deal with issues, proactively whenever they arise via this methodology.

Schedule a review after 6 months

Some areas of your plan always require changing. This becomes a learning chances that you should review. You determine the areas in this review that worked, what didn’t, and what areas require improvement.

Some tips for implementation planning:

You should pay attention more on your plan’s substance and its implementation process instead of paying attention too much on the form of the plan. However, consider the following tips;

Conclusion:

In conclusion, an implementation plan template is a document that plays an essential role in the improvement of a business. This document contains documented steps that are required to successfully complete your implementation activities.

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From Strategy to Execution: How to Create a Sustainable, Repeatable Implementation Plan

Smartsheet Contributor Kate Eby

December 14, 2017

In this article, you’ll learn the fundamental elements of a strategic implementation process, and how you can create a comprehensive implementation plan. We’ve also included free, downloadable implementation plan templates to get you started. 

Included on this page, you’ll find the components of an implementation plan , how to write an implementation plan , and tools for successful implementation planning .

What Is an Implementation Strategy?

An implementation strategy is based on a strategic plan , which defines the strategy used to accomplish certain goals or make decisions. Organizations can make strategic plans to guide organizational direction, a particular department’s efforts, or any project or initiative.

Implementation strategy is the process of defining how to bring the strategic plan to life. To execute the objectives outlined in the strategic plan, you must define how you will implement each aspect, from funding and personnel to organization and deliverables. Therefore, without an implementation strategy, it can be difficult to identify how you will achieve each of your stated goals and objectives. 

Ray McKenzie

Ray McKenzie is the Founder and Managing Director of Red Beach Advisors . He breaks down the differences between strategy, implementation, and execution: “Implementation planning is the act of developing a tactical plan to complete a strategic initiative. Strategy is the overarching plan to move the organization, department, or project forward. Implementation is the act of putting the strategy into place utilizing resources within an organization or department. Execution is completing the tasks as part of the implementation plan to complete the strategic initiative through resources of the organized team.”

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What Is the Strategic Implementation Process?

The strategic implementation process refers to the concrete steps that you take to turn your strategic plan into action. The implementation tactics you use and steps you take will depend on the specific undertaking, organization, and goals.

A strategic implementation plan (SIP) is the document that you use to define your implementation strategy. Typically, it outlines the resources, assumptions, short- and long-term outcomes, roles and responsibilities, and budget. (Later on, we’ll show you how to create one.) An SIP is often integrated with an execution plan , but the two are distinct. 

The SIP outlines the activities and decisions necessary to turn the strategic goals into reality, and the execution plan is a schedule of concrete actions and activities to achieve goals and drive success. You can consider your strategy “implemented” once you determine that you have the requisite resources to meet your strategic needs, but you haven’t “executed” until you’ve actually taken action and achieved objectives. You can read more about the differences between strategy, implementation, and execution in this article by the Harvard Business Review . 

The strategic implementation process is often compared to the following activities:

Jen Hancock

Jennifer Hancock is the author of several books and Founder of Humanist Learning Systems , an organization that provides online personal and professional development training in humanistic business management, along with science-based harassment training. She describes the difference between organizational and implementation planning: “Organizational planning is the structure of the organization: What work needs to be done? How does it relate to the other work that needs to be done? Who is responsible for getting it done? How are the parts of the organization going to work together to accomplish shared objectives? Implementation planning has to do with specific projects and processes. For instance, an organization may have an HR department — that is, organizational planning. Implementation is when the HR department rolls out a new set of benefits or a new health care plan.”

Organizational Change Management

‌ Download Organizational Change Management Plan

Change Management Process Template

Download Change Management Process Template

Why Implementation Is Important

Implementation planning largely determines project success because without it, your strategic goals remain unactionable. Therefore, implementation is the necessary step that transforms your strategic plans into action to achieve your goals. 

There are many examples where implementation planning heightens project success. In fact, the Harvard Business Review reported that companies with an implementation and execution plan saw 70 percent greater returns. 

McKenzie says that implementation planning is critical to project success. “This is the stage which allows the planned strategy to be executed,” he says. “The primary benefits to implementation and implementation planning are the abilities to outline the tasks needed to complete the project, identify the personnel and resources needed, and document the timeline for project completion to ensure you’re meeting the strategic goals.”

Hancock agrees. “If you don’t implement your plan — you don’t get anything done,” she says. “So, implementation is crucial. [Even] if you have the best plan in the world, it’s totally irrelevant if you don’t put the plan into action,” she adds.

Fiona Adler

Fiona Adler writes about entrepreneurship at DoTheThings.com and is the Founder of Actioned.com , a productivity tool for individuals and teams. With an MBA, multiple business successes, and a family living in a foreign country, she enjoys pushing the envelope to get the most out of life and loves helping others do the same. Adler explains that implementation is often more crucial than the strategy itself. She says, “In my opinion, implementation is far more important than strategic planning. After all, it doesn't matter if you have the best plan in the world. All that really matters is what you end up doing!”

The practice of implementation planning is also important in some of today’s organizational shifts. Most notably, implementation plays a part in the current shift from reactionary to strategic companies — in other words, organizations that plan for change and adaptation rather than react to it. Additionally, implementation supports the movement toward employee-oriented organizations, which it does by valuing communication, encouraging mutually-supported goals, and emphasizing accountability. Implementation planning is necessarily a human (and team) endeavor and making it a part of your daily processes helps ensure collaboration, trust, and transparency among project team members all the way up to C-suite management. 

What Is the Implementation Plan of a Project?

Implementation plans are commonly used for discrete projects, technology deployment within a company, and inventory planning. You can also create an implementation plan for personal use if it will help you organize and take actionable steps toward your goal(s).

A project implementation plan is the plan that you create to successfully move your project plan into action. This document identifies your goals and objectives (both short and long-term), lists the project tasks, defines roles and responsibilities, outlines the budget and necessary resources, and lists any assumptions. A project implementation plan sometimes includes a rough schedule, but teams usually set the hard timeline in the execution plan. 

In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into each component of an implementation plan and show you how to write your own. 

Components of an Implementation Plan

The following are the key components of and questions that drive a successful implementation plan:

In the following section, we’ll break down each element of a successful implementation plan to show you how to write one yourself. 

How to Write an Implementation Plan

Implementation plans are split into sections. Each section should be detailed, combining the information from your strategic plan and incorporating the necessary research and data to make your objectives actionable. Here’s how to write each component in an implementation plan:

To make it easy, you can also use a template to write your implementation plan. This will ensure that you don’t overlook any steps or sections and also provide a professional layout that you can use to deliver to management, clients, or other stakeholders. Download the template for free, and edit the fields to fit the needs of your specific project  — for example, for enterprise resource planning (ERP) . 

business process implementation plan template

‌ Download Project Implementation Plan Template - Word

Software deployment is another common category of initiative that merits an implementation plan. Use the following template to create a software and systems implementation plan. 

business process implementation plan template

‌ Download Software Systems Implementation Plan Template - Word

Implementation Planning Best Practices

Although you should include all the detailed aspects listed above in your implementation plan, simply having all these components will not ensure success. Instead, you should focus on the process of implementation and foster the following behaviors within your team:

Difficulties in Implementation Planning

While implementation planning is critical to successful execution, there are several hurdles:

Although the above hurdles can be time-consuming and tedious, they are investments that will help you create a culture of trust. Because implementation is an ongoing team effort, you can’t afford to lack buy-in and commitment from any member of your team or direct stakeholders. So, communicate often and honestly, and prioritize teamwork when implementing your strategic plan. 

Still, even though inclusion and teamwork are key to a successful strategy, McKenzie reiterates that implementation planning won’t work if too many people are involved. “Implementation planning often gets derailed due to the input from various people that are not involved in the project,” he says. “There needs to be a clear line between the implementation team who is responsible for the execution and final project completion and the customers, internal or external, who are the recipients of the project. The customers can outline their requirements, but the implementation, tasks, and deliverables should be guided by the implementation team,” he concludes.

Adler explains that another common mistake is taking on too much at once. “It takes a lot of work to get something significantly new implemented,” she notes. “For this reason, the fewer initiatives the business takes on simultaneously, the greater the chances of success. Each initiative will take its team members away from their 'normal' work to some degree, and the business needs to be able to support this. If there are six things the business wants to implement, it is better to take on one or two at a time than to try to tackle all six at once,” she points out.

Tools for Successful Implementation Planning

While the implementation plan itself is a relatively low-tech document, software tools can help you track and manage your progress. From Gantt charts to advancements in information and communication technology, you’ll find popular implementation planning tools and their benefits below.

A Gantt chart is a graphical bar chart that you can use as a project timeline, and many software programs exist that allow you to create these online charts. As you move from implementation to execution, a Gantt chart can help you track individual task progress, see relationships among tasks, and identify critical or at-risk tasks. 

Basic Gantt Chart Template

Download Basic Gantt with Dependencies Template 

Excel | Smartsheet

You can use a PERT (program evaluation and review technique) chart to forecast project duration by creating a timeline for individual tasks and identifying dependent tasks. PERT requires you to forecast three separate timetables — the shortest possible, the most likely, and the longest possible — which forces you to stay flexible in your planning, so you can adapt your schedule as factors inevitably change over the course of a project. 

When you have successfully implemented your plan, you’re ready to move to project execution. Execution planning and monitoring is outside the scope of this article, but below you’ll find more helpful templates to move your project toward successful completion. 

action plan template

Download General Action Plan Template

business process implementation plan template

Download Project Timeline Template

Project Charter Template

Download Project Charter Template 

Excel | Word | Smartsheet

Advancements in information and communication technology (ICT) have led to the development of cloud-based software that allows for anytime, anywhere access and multiple users. This technological capability is especially helpful for group work, in which multiple team members need to access a certain file simultaneously while also avoiding version control issues. For example, organizations commonly use cloud-based software to create a project management system or performance management system.

Using software to manage your implementation plan can provide the following benefits:

When deciding which tool to use, consider the following:

Ultimately, software tools are a fantastic way not only to elevate the accuracy of tracking project metrics and progress, but also to save time, build flexibility, and stimulate communication among your team. 

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The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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Implementation Plan Template

Get your Implementation Plan Template for Excel or open it in ProjectManager, the best way to manage your projects online.

First you have an idea, then you need a way to turn a concept into reality. How do you move that idea from planning to action? That is done with an implementation plan.

Using our free implementation plan template helps you create the steps that end with the delivery of your idea. Download the free implementation template in Excel from ProjectManager and start your project on the right foot.

Or you can open the implementation plan template directly into ProjectManager, where you can manage it with a Gantt chart, spreadsheet, task list, kanban board or calendar—all in an online collaborative space. Update your plan and invite your team, so you can work together in real time and track progress along the way. Get started for free and make a better implementation plan.

Implementation plan on a Gantt chart

Why Use an Implementation Plan Template?

It’s not hard to see why implementation planning would lead to project success. Project management is all about planning , so having a plan to implement your strategy is only going to reduce the risk of having any surprises negatively impact your project.

The implementation plan is a document that defines three things: the strategy, process and actions required. In other words, the implementation plan is a process that takes your strategy and makes it happen. Using ProjectManager’s implementation plan template gets you started faster.

While our implementation plan template is a great starting point, most project managers advise using robust project planning software such as ProjectManager, to assist you in the process of developing an idea, creating an implementation plan and tracking your success.

Who Uses and Updates the Implementation Plan Template?

While C-level executives might be instrumental in defining the overall strategy of the organization, the creation of an implementation plan and the use of the implementation plan template is the purview of the project manager. A project manager is the one who organizes all aspects of the project and supervises its execution.

Naturally, the project manager is likely to bring in others from their project team to offer their perspective and expertise. They might also seek other professionals and research historical data to learn how others have dealt with similar situations. But the buck stops with the project manager, who acts like a proxy for upper management.

Once your project team has figured out the process and actions, however, you might find that this implementation plan template only takes you so far. Project management software connects all elements of your plan to create efficiencies and boost productivity.

ProjectManager does this by having multiple project views so you can work how you want, while all the data is shared across every view. Our tool delivers real-time data for better decision-making and connects teams to get more done by working better together. Try ProjectManager today for free.

A screenshot of the kanban board in ProjectManager. One card in a column is being dragged to the next to represent progress.

How to Use ProjectManager’s Implementation Plan Template

Now that you understand what an implementation plan is, and why it’s important to the success of your project, it’s time to start working with the implementation plan template. Here’s how:

ProjectManager's free implementation plan template

Executing an Implementation Plan with ProjectManager

If you want to give your implementation plan template a greater chance to succeed, upload the template into ProjectManager . Our award-winning software organizes your work, whether you’re managing one or many projects, with features that plan, track and report back to stakeholders.

Schedule Deliverables, Resources and Costs

It’s easy to upload the implementation plan template for Excel into our tool. Once you add the duration to your tasks, they’re displayed on a visual timeline in our interactive Gantt chart. Now you can do things that a static template just doesn’t have the bandwidth to do.

For example, you can link dependencies and set milestones, but unlike other Gantt charts, we filter the critical path for you to see which tasks are essential and which can be put aside if time and money become an issue. Once you have a schedule, set a baseline to capture that data and compare it to your actual process. ProjectManager does this in real time.

A screenshot of the Gantt chart in ProjectManager with an implementation plan

Work in Multiple Views

There are multiple views that let managers and teams work how they want. Managers tend to use Gantt charts. They can also use our sheet view, which is the Gantt without the timeline, giving you more screen space for columns. You can then decide which columns you want to see on the Gantt timeline.

Teams tend to use the kanban board. It provides transparency for managers to see what their teams are working on and identify roadblocks to reallocating resources before it slows down productivity. Teams can manage their backlog, make to-do lists and plan their sprints.

A screenshot of the Kanban board in ProjectManager, showing an agile project

Track Resources and Report

When things change and your plan needs to update, our resource management tools make reallocation quick and easy. A workload chart is color-coded to see at a glance who has too many or too few tasks. You can balance the workload right from that page and keep everyone working at capacity.

Stakeholders are going to want to know how the project is progressing. To manage their expectations, use monitoring and tracking features, such as a real-time dashboard and one-click reporting. Unlike lightweight tools, our dashboard doesn’t have to be configured. It’s set up and ready to give you a high-level view of progress and performance. Reporting features can be filtered to show just what stakeholders want to see and then shared with a keystroke.

screenshot of a dashboard in ProjectManager, which helps with reporting on implementation plans

What Other Templates Can Help With Planning

If you’re not ready to upgrade, there are plenty of other templates you can use to help with your project planning. We have scores of free project management templates on the site. Visit our template page, but in the meantime here are a few to get you started.

Resource Plan Template

Your implementation plan requires resources to execute the action items. You can organize those resources by using our free resource plan template. It lists the resource, what team they’re on, the total effort, rate and overall cost. Then you can schedule them across the time chart to make sure you’re not overspending during the project.

Work Breakdown Structure Template

The implementation plan is partially made up of actionable items. It’s important that your implementation plan is thorough in collecting all these actions. The best way to do this is with our free work breakdown structure template. This tree diagram puts your final deliverable on top and allows you to chart all the steps that get you there.

Project Budget Template

The implementation plan costs money and it’s part of any plan estimating how much those costs will be. The free project budget template is a great tool to detail the financial part of your implementation plan and your entire project. The template is color-coded to show you when you’re in the red as you monitor how much you’re spending over the course of the project’s life cycle.

Related Content

The ProjectManager tool is great, and the ProjectManager site is a hub for all things project management. As you know, there are many free templates. Beyond that, though, there are blogs published each week, tutorial videos and guidebooks to help the journeyman and the apprentice alike. Here are a few planning-related content published on our site. Explore if fully for answers to all your project needs.

Take your time exploring the site. Download as many templates as you want. When you’re ready to take your project management to the next level, the next time you’re working on an implementation plan, try ProjectManager. See why tens of thousands of teams are using the tool to succeed at organizations from NASA to Ralph Lauren and the United Nations. Try ProjectManager today for free.

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Blog Human Resources

How to Create a Process Improvement Plan [20+ Templates Included]

By Jennifer Gaskin , Nov 15, 2021

process improvement plan

The goal of any business is to market their products as efficiently as possible to maximize profit. But often, the processes and procedures involved in producing those goods and services aren’t as efficient as they could be. That’s why having a solid process improvement plan in place can ensure your procedures and processes are smooth and effective.

Many aspects of process improvement can benefit from visual communication tools like infographics, presentations, mind maps and more. Venngage for Learning and Development teams makes it easy to create your own visual assets to help implement and manage your process improvement plans.

Click to jump ahead:

What is an example of process improvement, what is a process improvement plan, what are the benefits of establishing a process improvement plan, what are the most common types of process improvement plans, how do you create a process improvement plan, process improvement plan examples, process improvement plan faq.

As the name suggests, process improvement refers to the task of identifying, analyzing and improving existing business processes that are often outdated or no longer efficient enough.

While the term is most often used in a business context, it can refer to any decision or actions that aim to improve a process, be it as simple as finding a shorter route on your drive to work or as complex as improving the whole customer service process of a corporation.

Back to its business context, process improvement could target wasteful spending, poor office design, IT system downtime, employee disengagement and many other issues that can doom an organization.

Process improvement can’t be effective without proper process documentation policies in place. If you haven’t documented your company’s processes yet, we can help with that. Check out these process documentation templates to get you started.

A process improvement plan is a document that identifies the steps necessary to enhance the efficiency of processes and procedures in your company. Helpful process improvement plans should be general enough that they could apply to many functions in your business.

A general process improvement plan could look like this:

In fact, there’s more than one type of process improvement plan, which we’ll explore more in detail . In addition to the example above, a process improvement plan can also consist of 6 steps:

process improvement plan

Or 4 steps, like this one which is developed using the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model:

process improvement plan pdca

These steps are, of course, quite simplified, and some process improvement plans will require months or years of changes to procedures, hiring practices, training, systems, software and more.

For example, a process improvement plan for a company lacking a specific skill set in its employees can mean hiring new staff and training the existing one. In cases like this, other tools like individual development plans can be useful.

process improvement plan

This individual development plan designed for healthcare workers is a good example of how process improvement plans can branch off into other areas.

And once the new process is in place, it’s important to communicate it to the team effectively. That could be through a  process infographic , timeline , mind map or other types of visual communication .

Customize this project communication plan to help streamline communication channels between teams working on the same project:

project communication plan

Another example of a process improvement plan, this nursing care plan is used in a healthcare setting only. It could be used to illustrate a new plan aimed at addressing gaps in communication and patient care. But you can use the process suggested in this plan and apply it to any industry.

process improvement plan nursing teaching plan

This creative design process infographic would be an ideal way to share with a creative team a proposed new method of taking clients through the design process. Consider color-coding new or revised steps if creating a piece like this to share a revised company process.

process improvement plan

Customize this action plan mind map once you’ve settled on a new process so that team members see steps involved in their tasks but also keep the main objectives in mind.

process improvement company action mind map

Return to Table of Contents

There are many benefits of diving into a process improvement plan in your organization, and the most obvious and important is to improve your company’s overall efficiency. Doing so can make the business more profitable in the long run. But that’s not where the benefits end.

The biggest benefits of a process improvement plan include:

There are several popular methods of process improvement that you may consider integrating into your process improvement plans. Some of these methods are used in the largest companies in the world.

process improvement plan lean six sigma

A quality control method developed by a Motorola engineer, Six Sigma has become a global phenomenon, and Six Sigma certification is highly sought-after in many industries. Six Sigma outlines five steps for improving existing business practices, abbreviated to DMAIC:

Here’s how a process improvement plan should be when using the Six Sigma method:

process improvement lean six sigma flowchart

Lean & Lean Six Sigma

Lean traditionally is used by manufacturing companies, but the principles are useful across all industries, and as its name suggests, Lean process improvement plans focus on reducing waste. In particular, Lean aims to eliminate any activities that do not add value to the end user of the good or service. The steps are:

Lean Six Sigma is the hybrid of the two methods, helping organizations improve processes through DMAIC while also eliminating waste.

Total quality management (TQM)

process improvement plan

Total quality management (TQM) had its heyday in the 1980s and early 1990s before the advent of Lean and Six Sigma, but its main objectives are still valid today. TQM process development plans focus primarily on quality control, ensuring that the company’s output is of the highest possible quality and determining ways to make output even better.

TQM doesn’t have steps as most other process improvement methods do. Rather, it focuses on principles that should guide an organization with a TQM mindset:

Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)

process improvement plan pdca

Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) is a continuous change management cycle that was first established by engineer and management consultant W. Edwards Deming in the 1950s. Back then it was called a Deming Wheel , which was later modified by Japanese engineers to arrive at its current definition.

The steps involved in PDCA are obvious:

Change isn’t easy, and it can be a challenge for companies to figure out what they’re doing wrong and how to fix it. But that’s why establishing a process improvement plan framework can help you make fact-based decisions about how to improve your organization.

Following the steps we outlined earlier, let’s explore a hypothetical process improvement plan for a doctor’s office that constantly gets complaints from patients about how many forms they have to fill out.

Customize this process improvement plan template to reflect the example above:

process improvement plan

Process improvement plans are useful for organizations of all types, and their output can include simple verbal instructions. But most companies benefit from creating charts, presentations and infographics to communicate a variety of aspects surrounding the plan.

Check out these process improvement plan templates that may help your organization.

Process improvement plan development examples

Developing a process improvement plan is complicated, but visual tools like infographics can make it easier for your team to grasp the steps involved.

process improvement plan

Help your management team and employees understand the steps involved in the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle with this infographic. Customize it for your needs by outlining specific actions they need to take in the bottom section.

process improvement plan

This PDCA cycle infographic is ideal for companies that are implementing improvement plans across their organization.

Revised process examples

Once you’ve settled on a new way of doing things, explaining the new process clearly to employees (and sometimes customers) is critical. Process and timeline infographics are helpful, as they allow people to visualize the new steps.

Here’s an example of a process improvement plan to revise customer support process, built based on the PDCA concept:

process improvement plan

Customize this project management process infographic for the new process you and your teammates are creating. Quickly change out icons for ones that apply to your business, and use My Brand Kit to ensure the design aligns with your corporate identity.

process improvement plan

Use this colorful process infographic for a new process that has several steps. Lengthen or shorten as needed to cover all the steps in your revised process. Or use a template like this to create a process improvement action plan as you begin your work.

process improvement plan

Revised policy examples

Process development plans can easily spill over into a variety of business areas, and it’s often necessary to craft new policies and procedures on the way to your new process. Infographics and other tools can help you spread the word and document these new policies.

If your new process will require added documentation that needs to be signed by an employee or their supervisor, customize this procedure infographic that explores how to submit expense claims. Change the title, content and illustrations for your needs.

process improvement plan

Perhaps your process improvement plan revealed that nobody in your organization is prepared for a disaster or emergency. The output of your process improvement team could be a business continuity plan like this one.

process improvement plan

Employee development examples

The success of your new process will depend entirely on your team’s ability to execute it, and many organizations find that a major reason why their current processes aren’t working is that team members lack certain skills. So, employee development is often involved in executing a revised plan.

Help team members visualize the skills they need to develop by working with them to create a mind map like this one.

process improvement career plan mind map

Customize this career planning infographic for team members as you work with them to help them build the necessary skills. While this example is about career planning in general, it’s easy to customize with specifics for your employees.

process improvement plan

Change management examples

Humans by nature are resistant to change, and your organization may find it challenging to implement a new process. These change management plans may help you communicate and motivate your team.

Follow the steps in this change management process infographic to break through your team’s stubborn adherence to old, inefficient processes.

process improvement plan

Update this planning process infographic to help get your team on the side of change. Employees who feel they are involved in steering the company in the right direction will feel a strong sense of ownership in the entire process improvement operation.

process improvement plan

Do you have more questions about creating a process improvement plan for your organization? We’ve got answers.

How do you propose a process improvement plan?

Communication is a critical part of process improvement. If people don’t know or understand why change is needed, it’s unlikely they’ll embrace any new processes. Proposing a process improvement plan requires an individual or small group who will own the plan’s development from start to finish and can be evangelists for the plan across the organization.

What are the contents of a process improvement plan?

In general, process improvement plans must include a definition of the process, an explanation of its steps, an identification of the ways in which it falls short, a proposed new process and a mechanism for monitoring the revised steps.

How do you find areas of process improvement?

If you knew exactly why your organization wasn’t as successful, you’d fix it right away. But finding areas of process improvement means keeping your ear to the ground and observing the organization in an objective way. Common areas of process improvement include authority overlap, constantly missed deadlines, poor quality control, physical safety issues, fixing errors rather than preventing them, employee and customer dissatisfaction and excess spending.

In summary: Process improvement plans can help your company be more productive and eliminate organizational frustration

Identifying where your company is failing in the processes used across the organization is not an easy task, as it requires dispassionate examination of how you may be falling short. But visual communication tools like infographics, mind maps and process illustrations can help communicate issues to your team and get everyone moving in the right direction.

Interested in visualizing your process improvement plans and gaining buy-in from stakeholders? Start by registering for a FREE Venngage account and choose a suitable process improvement plan to customize. Our templates are professional-looking, fully customizable and really easy to edit, even if you don’t have design experience.

What is an implementation plan? 6 steps to create one

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An implementation plan—also known as a strategic plan—outlines the steps your team should take when accomplishing a shared goal or objective. This plan combines strategy, process, and action and will include all parts of the project from scope to budget and beyond. In this guide, we’ll discuss what an implementation plan is and how to create one.

Projects require planning to be successful. Would you build a house without a blueprint? Probably not, because nailing pieces of wood together without a plan could lead to disaster. The same concept is true in the corporate world. An implementation plan functions as the blueprint for any shared objective. Your plan should include everything from the project strategy, to the budget, to the list of people working on the project. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss what an implementation plan is and how to create one. These steps can help you and your team prepare for projects both big and small.

What is the purpose of an implementation plan?

The purpose of an implementation plan is to ensure that your team can answer the who, what, when, how, and why of a project before moving into the execution phase. In simple terms, it's the action plan that turns your strategy into specific tasks.

What is an implementation plan?

A good way to know whether your implementation plan is effective is to hand it to someone outside of your team and see if they can understand the project in its entirety. Your implementation plan should leave no questions unanswered.

How to create an implementation plan in 6 steps

If you want your implementation plan to be comprehensive and beneficial to your project team, you’ll need to follow specific steps and include the right components. Use the following steps when creating your plan to reduce the risk of gaps in your strategy.

How to develop an implementation plan

1. Define goals

The first step in the implementation process is defining your goals . Determine what you hope to accomplish when your project is complete, like whether you hope to win over a new marketing client or revamp your internal content strategy. Starting with your project objectives in mind can help flesh out your project plan. 

Tips to consider:

Ask questions: When defining your goals, you and your team may want to ask questions about your project such as, “What are we trying to achieve with this project? What deliverables do we hope to produce? Who are the stakeholders we plan to share our project deliverables with?”

Brainstorm risk scenarios: Although you’ll perform a more in-depth risk assessment later on in your implementation plan, brainstorming potential risk scenarios early on gives you a more realistic idea of what you’re able to achieve. 

2. Conduct research

Once you have a broad idea of the project goals you want to achieve, you can hone in on these goals by conducting research such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, or observations. Your research should come from key experts in your field. These experts may be team members or external stakeholders. Your research outcomes should include a list of what your project timeline, budget, and personnel may look like.

Collaborate using shared tools: Collaboration is easier when you have the right communication tools in place to do so. Use a team collaboration tool to share your project goals and get feedback from others, regardless of their location. 

3. Map out risks

You brainstormed risk scenarios in step one of your implementation strategy, and in step three, you’ll map out all the potential risks you may face in your project. Risks can include anything from paid time off and holidays to budget constraints and loss of personnel. 

A great way to map out your risks is by using a risk register. This tool will help you prioritize project risks and prepare for them accordingly. You can also conduct a SWOT analysis , which will identify any weaknesses or threats affecting your project. 

Be flexible and proactive: Mapping out risks is more than just a preparation strategy. If you identify preventable risks during this stage of the implementation plan, you can take action to prevent those risks. This may mean adjusting your initial project goals. 

4. Schedule milestones

Scheduling your project milestones is an important step in the planning process because these checkpoints help you track your progress during execution. Milestones serve as metrics—they are a way to measure how far you’ve come in your project and how far you have left to go. 

To visualize project milestones and keep your entire team on track, use a Gantt chart . With a Gantt chart, you can visually lay out your implementation schedule and show how long you think each task will take.

Add wiggle room: Things don’t always go as planned, even if you do everything in your power to a schedule. By adding wiggle room to your schedule, you can ensure your project stays on track instead of keeping tight milestones and failing to meet them.

Clarify dependencies: Dependencies are tasks that rely on the completion of other tasks. Clarifying your dependencies makes it easier to keep the project on track and hit your milestones.

5. Assign responsibilities and tasks

Every action plan must include a list of responsibilities with team members assigned to each one. By assigning responsibilities, you can assess the performance of each team member and monitor progress more closely. Using a RACI chart can be an effective project management tool for clarifying roles and responsibilities. 

Assigning responsibilities is different from assigning individual tasks. One team member may be responsible for overseeing the project review, while you may assign three other team members to handle the delivery and communication of the project to various teams for review. When you assign responsibilities and tasks, be sure to make your expectations clear. 

Communication is key: When you assign roles, responsibilities, or tasks, it’s best to communicate why you’re choosing one team member over another. Instead of letting team members question why they have specific roles, you can use this step in the planning process as an opportunity to highlight team member strengths.

Track responsibilities in a shared tool: Having a shared tool, like project management software, can give team members clarity on who's doing what and by when.

6. Allocate resources

Resource allocation is one of the best ways to reduce risk. If you can plan out what resources you need for your project and ensure those resources will be available, you’ll avoid the risk of running out of resources mid-project. If you notice that you don’t have enough resources in this step of the implementation process, you can adjust your project accordingly before it kicks off. 

Resources may include money, personnel, software, equipment, and other physical or technical materials. Time can also be a resource because the team members you need to complete the project may be working on other projects.

Tips to consider: Ask yourself the following questions when identifying available resources for your project: 

What is the project’s priority level? 

Who is available to work on this project? 

What budget or tools are available? 

What additional resources do we need? 

Who needs to approve the resource allocation plan?

Following these steps as you create your implementation plan will increase the likelihood of hitting your project goals. Having a checklist of the items to include in your implementation plan can also lead to successful implementation. 

What to include in an implementation plan

Knowing how to create your implementation plan is crucial, but you also need to know what to include in your plan. This checklist includes the six most important items you’ll want to consider if you want to move forward with a successful project. 

Implementation plan checklist

1. Objectives

You’ll outline your project objectives in step one of the implementation process. Set your goals and decide what metrics your team will use to measure to monitor progress. By clearly identifying your project objectives, you and your team can measure progress and performance as you move forward.

2. Scope statement

You’ll set the scope of your project in step two when conducting research. Your project scope statement should outline the boundaries you’ve set for your project and broadly define what goals, deadlines, and project outcomes you’ll be working toward. Defining your project scope in the implementation plan can help prevent scope creep when you’re farther along in the project.

3. Outline of deliverables

Deliverables are the tangible goals of your project. Outlining the deliverables you hope to create can serve as a resource when managing time frames, delegating tasks, and allocating resources. 

4. Task due dates

Although the project timeline may change as your project progresses, it’s important to clarify your expected due dates during implementation planning. When you estimate task due dates, you can schedule milestones around these due dates and plan for project completion. You will commonly see Gantt charts used for strategic planning and implementation planning. This is because Gantt charts display information in a follows a linear path, similar to a timeline. 

5. Risk assessment

You’ll conduct your risk assessment in step three of the implementation process. Whether you use a   risk register , SWOT analysis , or contingency plan to identify risks , be sure to include these documents in your plan. That way, others involved in the project can look through your findings and potentially help you prevent these risks. 

6. Team member roles and responsibilities

You assigned roles and responsibilities to team members in step five of your plan, and keeping a detailed record of what these are can hold everyone accountable. Whether you use a RACI chart or another tool to clarify team member roles, there should be a place in your plan for everyone to refer to in case questions arise. 

Your implementation plan will likely be unique to the project you're working on, so it may include other components not listed above. However, you can use the six items above as your guide so you know your plan is comprehensive.

Many aspects of project implementation overlap with strategic planning. As a project manager , working on the project implementation plan while you are also working on the strategic plan can help minimize the total time spent on planning.

Another way to save time during the planning process is to house all of your plans in a work management platform. When your project team is ready to start the implementation process, everything is in one convenient place.

Benefits of having an implementation plan

There are many benefits to implementation planning, with the top benefit being an increased chance of project success. Implementing a project plan creates a roadmap for executing your project so you can prevent issues from occurring. 

Other benefits to having an implementation plan include:

Improved communication between team members and key stakeholders

Better organization and management of resources

Increased accountability for everyone involved in the project

More structured project timeline and daily workflow

Easier collaboration between team members

Going straight into the execution phase without an implementation plan may feel like walking on stage to give a speech without knowing what you’re going to say. Preparation is key for top-notch performance. 

Simplify implementation planning

Knowing the steps for implementation planning is the foundation of project management. A well-planned project leads to a successful project.

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COMMENTS

  1. 24 Free Implementation Plan Templates (Excel / Word)

    24 Free Implementation Plan Templates (Excel / Word) An implementation plan template is a document made for different kinds of organizations, no matter what the scope or size is. It is a very useful document for the deployment of technology, discrete projects, inventory planning, and more.

  2. How to Create an Implementation Plan

    Implementation strategy is the process of defining how to bring the strategic plan to life. To execute the objectives outlined in the strategic plan, you must define how you will implement each aspect, from funding and personnel to organization and deliverables.

  3. Implementation Plan Template for Excel (Free Download

    The implementation plan is a document that defines three things: the strategy, process and actions required. In other words, the implementation plan is a process that takes your strategy and makes it happen. Using ProjectManager’s implementation plan template gets you started faster.

  4. Achieve Business Goals with an Implementation Plan Template

    An implementation plan template can help you achieve your business goals by outlining every step you need to take to accomplish a given initiative. When created in a project management tool , a digital template also serves as a reusable baseline for similar initiatives, saving you time and helping you create a streamlined process for achieving ...

  5. 34 Implementation Plan Templates in PDF

    Business Implementation Plan Templates – Your business plan implementation must ...

  6. 43 Step-by-Step Implementation Plan Templates ᐅ TemplateLab

    Components of an implementation plan. You can come up with an implementation plan for different kinds of organizations no matter what the scope or size is. Almost all of these implementation plan templates are very useful for deployment of technology, discrete projects, inventory planning, and more.

  7. 34+ Implementation Plan Templates

    5 Components of an implementation plan include 6 Some practical tips for effective implementation planning 7 Best Implementation Plan Templates Implementation Plan Samples Implementation Plan Template 01 1 file (s) 353.50 KB Download Implementation Plan Template 02 1 file (s) 99.50 KB Download …

  8. How to Create a Process Improvement Plan [+ Templates]

    Here’s how a process improvement plan should be when using the Six Sigma method: CREATE THIS TEMPLATE Lean & Lean Six Sigma Lean traditionally is used by manufacturing companies, but the principles are useful across all industries, and as its name suggests, Lean process improvement plans focus on reducing waste.

  9. What is an implementation plan? 6 steps to create one

    An implementation plan—also known as a strategic plan—outlines the steps your team should take when accomplishing a shared goal or objective. This plan combines strategy, process, and action and will include all parts of the project from scope to …

  10. Implementation Planning Template

    Implementation Planning Template <Project Name> Implementation Planning Version <1.0> <mm/dd/yyyy> VERSION HISTORY [Provide information on how the development and distribution of the Implementation Planning up to the final point of approval was controlled and tracked.