Peter Morville - Planning for Everything: The Design of Paths and Goals

I know why the caged bird sings.

Maya Angelou

Planning is a skill rarely taught in school. We learn to plan byobservation and experience. As we rise from child to teenager, our mastery ofthe design of paths and goals grows by mighty leaps and bounds; until we stop. Itis not a conscious decision. We hit good enough and pivot, as there is so muchelse to do. It mostly works. We learn to ride a bicycle, and never forget. Butplanning is different, as its subject to change. Old habits and beliefs failas our contexts shift. Happily we can improve, as planning is a skill we canbuild with practice and wisdom.

I love organizing the future and have been doing it all my life. Myparents recall that, as a toddler, I often practiced words in my crib longbefore going public. And, as a teenager, I drove them crazy on holidays byincessantly asking whats next? So its no surprise I plan software andwebsites for a living.

But I didnt write this book for me. My aim is to help anyone on thespectrum from playful improviser to rigorous planner to be better at the dancebetween what is and what might be.

Maya Angelou writes the caged bird sings of freedom, and I imagineyou know what she means. We all feel the cruelty of a cage. Often the bars arehidden. We bind ourselves with laws, code, culture; and fail to see its atrap. But thats the beauty of the design of paths and goals. By makingplanning visible, we can improve our ability to find truth and render intent.Thats why I wrote this book, because planning is a door to freedom.

This book is meant be read in linear style from start to end, but incase you prefer to plan a different way, heres a simple map.

Chapter 1, Realisingthe Future

Explores the nature of planning in the contexts ofanimals, people, and robots. Introduces 4 principles and 6 practices.

Chapter 2, Framing

To understand and explain our plans and goals, wemust dig deeper into the connections between problems and solutions.

Chapter 3, Imagining

To expand paths and possibilities, play withprototypes. And it helps to have hope, which equals willpower plus waypower.

Chapter 4, Narrowing

To evaluate and filter strategies and options, weidentify the drivers, look for levers, and then calculate estimates and risk.

Chapter 5, Deciding

To commit to a belief or goal requires a balanceof logic and emotion. Maps and plans help us to shift from why to how.

Chapter 6,Executing

In the improvisational dance of acting andthinking, we must choose to pivot or persist. Grit works but spirit is evenbetter.

Chapter 7,Reflecting

We look back to move forward. We search the pastfor truths and insights to shift the future. Reflection changes direction.

Chapter 8,Star Finder

Myths shape the future, but do the ends justifythe means? In the last chapter, stories of different heroes end with questions.

First, Id like to thank Edgar Schein, as your book on helpinginspired my book on planning. Second, I thank Kit Seeborg for your help with the workshop that turned into a book. And, to all 64 peoplewho responded to my survey, thank you for the advice and support I needed to startwriting. And, to Rosalind Morville, Christopher Farnum ,Heidi Weise, and my friends at Q LTD and The Understanding Group, thanks forstanding with me all these years. And, to the folks on my podcast Jessica Hall, Jorge Arango , Amy Silvers, RachelJoyce, Peter Merholz , Christina Wodtke , Livia Labate , Tony Grant,Lindsay Kloepping , Martin White, Jonah Bailey, Micah Alles , Jim Young, Jeff Gothelf ,Karl Fast, Insa Keilbach thanks for sharing stories and insights on the design of paths andgoals.

Claire Morville and Tony Grant read the draft manuscript and providedgenerous advice and encouragement. Jeff Callender andI worked together to design the cover, interior layout, and illustrations. Allthe icons are licensed from The Noun Project.

Finally, Id like to thank Susan, Claire, and Claudia for making mylife worth planning; and Knowsy for our long, slow walks.