What facts are needed for an action plan
A good plan relies on facts that can be verified. An assumption can also matter, but it should be marked as unconfirmed and turned into a separate question or task.
Start with the timeline
List events by date: what happened, who took part and which document confirms it. If the precise date is unknown, state a range instead of turning a guess into a fact.
- date or period
- people involved
- action or inaction
- related document, message or payment
Separate facts from positions
‘The counterparty breached the contract’ is an assessment. ‘Payment was due on 5 July’ and ‘payment had not arrived by 12 July’ are verifiable circumstances from which conclusions can be drawn.
Check deadlines and gaps
Collect known deadlines, actions already taken and missing information separately. Uncertainty should be visible in the plan, not hidden inside a confident statement.
- what needs to happen immediately
- what depends on the other party’s response
- which document must be obtained
- when a live professional is needed