When it comes to the issue of assessing whether your plan is apt to get the work done, we do and practice what we call Implementation Plan Review. But how do we even know if we are assessing rightly and the process would produce laudable results i.e an enhanced and improved implementation plan with shortcomings and risks managed satisfactorily.
- Melvin Saving Changes...
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Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Melvin Awute This is an excellent question.
We often review the plan, but how often do we review the effectiveness of the review itself?
A few practical reflections, drawing on lessons from Jimmy Hightsmith Jr. and implementation quality frameworks:
1. What does an effective review look like?
It’s not just about identifying flaws.
n effective review creates clarity, drives improvement, and enhances implementation outcomes. It’s a learning loop, not a checkbox ritual.
2. How can we measure the effectiveness of the review process itself?
Here are some indicators inspired by Jimmy Hightsmith Jr.:
- % of review recommendations implemented – Do we act on what we discover?
- Time to close review actions – Are we fast and responsive?
- Reduction in rework or repeated issues – Are we learning from experience?
- Rate of realized risks vs. identified risks – Are we mitigating well?
- Stakeholder engagement rate – Are the right people contributing to the review?
- Lessons learned reused in future plans – Are we building long-term maturity?
3. Final thought: Review the review.
Ask your team:
- What did we learn from the review process itself?
- What changed as a result of this review?
- Are we better equipped for the next one?
As Jimmy Hightsmith puts it:
“An effective implementation review is not just a checklist — it’s an accountability mirror.”
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1 reply by Melvin Awute
Sep 24, 2025 1:07 PM
Melvin Awute
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Your reply was very insightful and helpful. It goes beyond the superficial concepts and probes the very issue I was questioning. Thank you.
Is your answer based on any book or resource material I could review?
In organizations with a high degree of process maturity, the requirements of the review process including entrance criteria, exit criteria, and guidance for how to meet the criteria with an understanding that each project is different.
Where the review process is less formal, it helps to have non-advocate reviews which include people with significant experience in planning reviews to help identify areas that are missed, or perhaps lacking sufficient content. Having conducted many process reviews myself, it is extremely helpful if those conducting the review include a discussion of process itself in the beginning of the review including the scope (all of what is covered) and the rationale behind how the review process is logically structured. Saving Changes...
Melvin Awute This is an excellent question.
We often review the plan, but how often do we review the effectiveness of the review itself?
A few practical reflections, drawing on lessons from Jimmy Hightsmith Jr. and implementation quality frameworks:
1. What does an effective review look like?
It’s not just about identifying flaws.
n effective review creates clarity, drives improvement, and enhances implementation outcomes. It’s a learning loop, not a checkbox ritual.
2. How can we measure the effectiveness of the review process itself?
Here are some indicators inspired by Jimmy Hightsmith Jr.:
- % of review recommendations implemented – Do we act on what we discover?
- Time to close review actions – Are we fast and responsive?
- Reduction in rework or repeated issues – Are we learning from experience?
- Rate of realized risks vs. identified risks – Are we mitigating well?
- Stakeholder engagement rate – Are the right people contributing to the review?
- Lessons learned reused in future plans – Are we building long-term maturity?
3. Final thought: Review the review.
Ask your team:
- What did we learn from the review process itself?
- What changed as a result of this review?
- Are we better equipped for the next one?
As Jimmy Hightsmith puts it:
“An effective implementation review is not just a checklist — it’s an accountability mirror.”
Your reply was very insightful and helpful. It goes beyond the superficial concepts and probes the very issue I was questioning. Thank you.
Is your answer based on any book or resource material I could review? Saving Changes...
PMO Leader | Speaker & Mentor | Content Leader – PMOGA Latin America
Hub| Catholic University of UruguayMontevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
Measuring the effectiveness of the review process involves observing whether the proposed improvements actually reduce risks, correct deficiencies and bring the plan closer to its objectives. Indicators such as clarity of deliverables, alignment with purpose, and team feedback help to validate whether we are evaluating with impact. The review also evolves: its value is measured in how it transforms, not just in what it corrects. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Ensuring that an Implementation Plan Review is effective requires treating it like a process audit and systematically examining the plan, its underlying assumptions, and its alignment with organizational goals. This should be part of your quality assurance plan for the project! Saving Changes...
Program Manager| HARPER SRLSanto Domingo / Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic
A good way to measure the effectiveness of a review process is to check if it actually leads to actionable improvements. If the review highlights gaps, produces clear decisions, and results in updates that reduce risks or enhance execution, then it’s working. If it becomes a routine with no changes or lessons applied, it’s just paperwork.
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