Understand what a DELIVERABLES PLAN is and why your team need one

A Deliverables Plan is the minimum level of planning a team needs to know exactly what it is producing, in what quantity, for whom, at whose request, and by when. It helps translate the organizational strategy into practical action, connecting the team’s daily work to the organization’s objectives.

1. Why is the deliverables plan important?

The deliverables plan defines the team’s work priorities during its effective period. Based on it, the manager can more accurately allocate human resources, identifying which people are most suitable to contribute to each deliverable and how to distribute the work among everyone. Thus, the deliverables plan serves as a reference point for building individual work plans for team members.

In addition, the deliverables plan offers:

- Minimum Clarity: It answers the basic questions (what, how much, when, who, and for whom), without which the team does not know what it is doing or why it exists.

- Strategic Alignment: If the organization has a formal strategic plan, the deliverables plan can connect the team’s daily work to strategic objectives, taking the strategy out of the “drawer” and into the daily routine.

- Measuring Results: It allows for comparing what was planned versus what was achieved, evaluating performance, and promoting continuous improvement.

- Decision-Making: With clarity about what is being done, it becomes easier to prioritize resources, adjust courses, and communicate results transparently.

2. Concept of a Deliverables Plan

A Deliverables Plan brings together a set (portfolio) of deliverables that a team commits to working on over a defined period:

• What: Which deliverables the team will produce.
  
  
• How Much: The target to be achieved (in units or percentage).
  
  
• When: The deadline (final date) to assess whether the target has been met.
  
  
• Who (Requester): The person who requested the deliverable, i.e., the individual with the authority to demand it and evaluate its outcome.
  
  
• For Whom (Recipient): Who will benefit from the deliverable—this might be the requester themselves or a broader audience. The detailed definition of each deliverable and its requirements is done on the Deliverables page. The Deliverables Plan, in turn, “packages” the deliverables that the team will work on during the plan’s effective period.

3. Deliverables Plan Period

The plan has a start and an end (for example, a quarter, a semester, or a year). This does not mean that all deliverables begin and end in the same period: some may have started earlier or finish later.

The deliverables plan’s period is the timeframe during which the team commits to working, at some point, on the selected deliverables. This does not mean that all deliverables will start and finish within that interval, nor that they will be produced simultaneously. Some may be tackled at the start of the period, others later on, depending on complexity and context.

- Snapshot in Time: At the end of the period, the team evaluates what was achieved (though frequent monitoring is recommended) and what can be improved.

- Strategic Alignment: It is advisable to synchronize the plan’s period with the organization’s strategic cycle, if one exists.

- Complexity vs. Duration: The longer the deliverables plan’s period, the greater the complexity and the higher the probability that external factors will influence the outcome. For this reason, it is not recommended to exceed 12 months. As this is operational planning, a quarterly period is often suitable. Still, this interval can be adjusted, becoming longer or shorter, depending on the team’s reality and context.

4. Final Summary

A Deliverables Plan is not just a document; it’s a compass that guides the team’s daily work. It ensures that each person’s efforts are connected to the team’s priorities, making it possible to evaluate whether what was promised is truly being delivered.