Action items are tasks assigned to individuals or departments in a project with a due date. A project manager is responsible for developing and managing the list, ensuring timely completion, and placing each item in its correct position in the timeline. Timely completion is critical as subsequent actions depend on the results of previous activities.
An action item is an activity that needs to be performed, often as a step in a larger project or undertaking. In the business world, such items are often assigned to individual or departmental members of a project team, based on availability and area of expertise. In most cases, action items are accompanied by a due or due date, a date by which the task must be done in order for other tasks to be completed on time.
In large enterprise projects, a project manager is often responsible for developing and managing the list of action items, assigning each action item, and ensuring that each team member meets his or her deadlines. List development is a first step in any project plan and is critical to the success of the project. Each required action must be identified and clearly defined so that it can be assigned to a responsible party. It is also crucial that each item is placed in its correct position in the timeline because other actions may depend on a previous item being completed.
For example, a team might be working to develop a new product for a client. Initial action item list tasks might include identifying the budget, determining the maximum size allowed, obtaining a final order quantity, and requesting a due date from the customer. The next round of actions could include product design and material identification. This second set of tasks cannot even be started until the first set of tasks is completed because the type of materials selected and the complexity of the design will be significantly affected by the size of the item, the number ordered, the time a product the finished product must be delivered and the budget available. If an individual responsible for a first shift activity does not meet his or her due date, the due dates for all subsequent shifts of activity will also be deferred.
Timely completion of an action item is also critical because sometimes subsequent action items cannot be identified until the results of an activity are reported. For example, an agency tasked with creating a marketing plan for a public university might hire someone to find out what restrictions apply to the use of government funds for promotional items. If the result of that investigation is that those funds cannot be used to purchase promotional items, the next action item might be to find out if the college has access to donor funds that can be used. If the answer to the initial question is that government funds can be used, but promotional items cannot include edible or drinkable items, the next item might be to identify which non-food items are best for the university.
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