Create Action

The deliverable that sits in a folder unread has generated zero value regardless of the quality of its contents. The deliverable's third job — creating action — requires that the document not only transfer knowledge and demonstrate value but actively drive the client toward the next step. The next step must be named, owned, and time-bound. A deliverable that ends with conclusions is a report. A deliverable that ends with a prioritized action list is a mandate.

1. Write the recommendations before writing the analysis Counterintuitively, the most action-oriented deliverables are written by starting with the recommendations. Draft the list of actions the client should take based on the findings. Then write the analysis that supports those recommendations. This process ensures the recommendations are specific, actionable, and connected to the findings rather than vague conclusions appended after the analysis is complete.
2. Prioritize recommendations explicitly A list of fifteen recommendations is as actionable as no recommendations. The client cannot prioritize fifteen things simultaneously. The deliverable should prioritize on the client's behalf: the three actions that will have the highest impact in the shortest time, the two decisions that must be made before other actions are possible, and the one risk that requires immediate attention. Prioritized recommendations create action. Comprehensive lists create paralysis.
3. Name the owner and the deadline Every recommendation should specify who is responsible for it and by when. An unowned recommendation is an unexecuted recommendation. A recommendation without a deadline is a recommendation that competes indefinitely with everything else on the client's agenda. "VP of Operations should establish the new process by Q2 close" is an actionable recommendation. "The organization should consider improving its operational process" is not.