Note after a planning session

I walked out of the meeting room with a stack of A4 sheets, margin notes, and a feeling that, this time, the planning was different. Not because we used a new methodology or a sophisticated tool, but because we asked precise questions from the start.

The session lasted three and a half hours, with a coffee break in the middle. On the table, we had a CRM implementation project for a distribution company. The client already had an internal system, but the processes were fragmented: sales used an Excel sheet, support used another tool, and reporting was done manually, weekly.

What I concretely noted:

• Key stakeholders – we identified three people who hold critical information about daily workflows. Without them, any technical solution risks being rejected during the testing phase.
• Technical dependencies – the current invoicing system has no documented API. Data migration will require a CSV export and a manual cleaning stage.
• Assumed risks – the internal IT team has only one person who knows the old architecture. We established a support plan for the duration of the transition.

We haven't set a firm deadline yet. Instead, we agreed on bi-weekly milestones: the first stage is validating the data flow between the CRM and the existing ERP. Only after that do we start configuring the sales and support modules.

For me, this session confirmed something I often observe in projects: planning doesn't mean having all the answers, but knowing exactly what questions to ask and to whom. The rest comes along the way, with adjustments and informed decisions.