Some projects need time to brew, just like a good cup of tea. But we
are all pressed to produce good quality within tight deadlines. How can we do it? We must plan well. A good approach is to break down a project into several steps, figure out their logical sequence, and allocate sufficient time to perform each step. It sounds obvious, but many people don’t do it. In fact, most people underestimate the time it takes them to do things. Sometimes, the challenge is to figure out the steps. For example, look at the Iceberg of Legal Writing that I sketched to show the steps that may be required to complete a writing project, such as a student note or an article. There are numerous things you have to consider when you write a longer piece. The order of steps is also important. It doesn’t make sense to edit the paper unless you have done all the revisions. If you want feedback from your professors, you need to give them enough time to read your work. By estimating how much time each step takes, you can count back from the deadline to determine when you must start the work. And add some extra time for unforeseen events.
What other tasks can benefit from such multi-step approach?
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