A construction crew does not begin to build a new house without the architect's blueprint. Though issues may arise during construction that requires changes to the blueprint, a blueprint serves as the necessary foundation for construction and helps the crew to visualize and track the impact of any changes.
Most business initiatives begin with some sort of plan, though type and quality vary. As a business professional, you may have heard of the value of strategic planning, and even been part of the strategic planning process. Yet, many begin a doctoral program without a clear vision of their goals or a plan for achieving them.
Articulating your goals, as well as developing a plan for how you will achieve them, will help ensure your success by keeping you focused on your goals when distractions arise and allowing you to track your progress. You will articulate your goals by completing a PDP. The PDP will serve as a living document, which you will continue to update throughout your program to reflect changes in your goals and plans. Having a plan in place will help you to visualize the impact of challenges and opportunities that arise so that you can make changes to both plans and goals to ensure your personal and professional satisfaction and success.
To prepare: Consider the SWOT analysis you completed and the goals you identified for Module 1 Discussion 1. Also, return to the interactive media "Voices of DBA Students." This time focus on the students' descriptions of their goals, plans, and the challenges they faced in achieving their goals.