Planning is defined by setting a series of objectives to be accomplished to attain a goal that is first driven by a set of business requirements. Your planning should be arranged around phases of the overall project. Planning is the first phase of your overall project. Litware has ambitious goals and complex requirements. Good planning with the right people moving toward a common goal of delivering exceptional value for Litware, Inc. is important for success. It is likely that Litware will encounter unforeseen issues in the implementation of their goals. The more flexible the plan is, and the more time that is built into the plan to deal with the unknown, the better.

Remember that, ultimately, planning is about satisfying a set of business requirements. Rarely is a project begun for purely technical reasons. For a project to be successful, there has to be a net financial gain or a prevention of loss. Implementations rarely happen for the sake of "what if."

If you plan properly, your rate of success increases dramatically. There is an old saying that may or may not be global, but it is a perfect fit to end this chapter on planning.

"If you fail to plan, plan to fail."