How to verify a project plan will succeed

December 22, 2025

Deciding which knowledge projects to prioritize and defining them is critical (see Writing High-Quality Specifications for Internal Projects), after you do that execution is just as critical or you never get to the value.

To execute any project you start by building a workplan, it can be simple with a few steps and take days to complete or complex and take months, either way the below 9 tests allow you to validate whether the workplan has gaps that should be covered to increase the likelihood of success.

A plan must pass Goal Clarity, Execution Logic, and Ownership Competency to be a strong plan with a high likelihood of success. Leverage the below 9 tests to know if a plan has what it needs to succeed or where to improve it.

Part 1: Goal Definition & Clarity

Do we know exactly what we are building?

Test Name	Audit Question
The Stranger Test	Can an external SME describe the output of each step/task based solely on the description? (If a stranger can't visualize it, the team won't execute it correctly.)
The "Definition of Done" & Quality Check	Are 100% of tasks defined so it’s clear if we are done, including written expectations for quality and artifact format? (Combines the Outcome Test, Quality check, and Artifacts Scope. Ambiguity here causes rework.)
The Negative Audit	Do the task complete the project? are they accounting for problems? Is there a specific list of what is NOT included in the scope? (it’s quick to create a list of what's not included to better align expectation)

Part 2: Execution Logic & Granularity

Will the plan work in reality?

Test Name	Audit Question
The 3-Day / Heartbeat Rule	Do tasks produce verifiable output every few days? (Avoid long gaps of silence where "work" is happening but nothing is visible.)
The Efficiency "Sniff" Test	Does each step pass the “sniff test” on effort and time? (If not, dive in to understand why the allocated time is required. Avoids misalignment)
Buffer in one place	Is the buffer concentrated and visible or hidden everywhere? (Buffers are important, but they should be clearly called out and preferably be one item rather than for every step, otherwise tracking progress becomes difficult)

Part 3: Ownership & Competency

Can this team deliver this plan?

Test Name	Audit Question
The "One Accountable" Test	Does every task have exactly One Accountable person? (Shared accountability means no accountability. Look for specific names, not TBDs.)
The Competency Evidence Test	Can the owner produce an example of this deliverable from a past project ("Show Me")? (Past performance is the best predictor of future success. Verifies skills.)
Resource Reality Check	Are resources booked >100% of their available time? (If yes, we are unlikely to deliver on time. This check also covers physical constraints like servers/rooms.)

Test Name

Audit Question

The "One Accountable" Test

Does every task have exactly One Accountable person?

(Shared accountability means no accountability. Look for specific names, not TBDs.)

The Competency Evidence Test

Can the owner produce an example of this deliverable from a past project ("Show Me")? (Past performance is the best predictor of future success. Verifies skills.)

Resource Reality Check

Are resources booked >100% of their available time?

(If yes, we are unlikely to deliver on time. This check also covers physical constraints like servers/rooms.)