ABSTRACT
Helmuth von Moltke meant that at the point of meeting the enemy, the plan will need to change because new events, risks, and changes will be identified which affect the original plan, and we increase the chance of success and become wiser as a result. It is the same with programs and projects, where this is referred to as progressive elaboration-as more information is gathered regarding the environment and situation, the better able the team is to adjust the plan, add detail to the plan, and then progress the work. It is likely that the assumptions and decisions made initially will need to be reviewed, revised, modified, and changed-and so the plan needs to be adapted, taking the new information and circumstances into account. This is perhaps even more applicable to the manage ment of benefits, which have a longer life cycle, than the projects themselves. Figure 8.1 shows the planning process within the benefits life cycle. Planning should never be viewed as a one-time activity; it must be revisited based on information which becomes available once the plan is implemented.
