#SDCC tips RACI Recap

We looked over some Risks, Assumptions, Constraints, and Issues.

Does it stop there?  No, you don’t want them collecting electronic dust.

You need to review them, and see if items need to be added or removed or modified.

Let’s take hotel rooms for example.

You have an assumption you will need a room AND that you will get a room.

Hotel rooms have a constraint on availability and price.

You hotel room Risks are getting a room, getting a room within your budget, getting a room that is convenient, and not being ‘lost’ in the system.

You try to mitigate your hotel Risk by booking a backup room or getting a roommate to split the cost, or you may rent a car to ensure you can travel to the convention center.  You may just accept the Risk that you will be lost in the system as you have no control over that and the likelihood is small.

Once the reservations are open for hotel rooms, you make the call and book a room.

You now have a definite cost to charge against the budget. You can decide to get a roommate, or two, or three, and know have enough data to determine if you need to get a car.

You can now close some of your Risks.  You can now review your RACI and look to see what new Risks or Constraints need to be added.

Are your roommates reliable? Will the have the money? Will they bail on you?

Are they good roommates? Party or snore all night?  Borrow your things or hog the bathroom?

Are these things you can prepare for or just need to accept?  

This is a cycle.

Doing your foot work now doesn’t mean it’s over. This is just part of your planning. It’s there to help you not to forget something and to come up with contingency plans. You will need to review your RACI. As the date for SDCC draws closer you will be reviewing it and modifying it more often.

If you complete your RACI now, I would revisit it near the end of January.

Then once a month until May.

Then biweekly through June and every few days in July.

By then you’re know your RACI inside out so it won’t take long; just a few minutes. You’ll be doing it before you drop off to sleep or while you brush your teeth.

Just remember, this is NOT static. It’s a living document and if you are planning your trip with others, gets them involved too.

Will this guarantee a perfect trip? No.

Will this guarantee you will have a better trip than if you didn’t plan?  No.

Will this create perfect solutions for the various ‘crisis’ that occur? No.

But it SHOULD help. 

Problems always happen to someone that can be prevented with planning.

Problems always happen to someone that can’t be prevented even with planning.

Chances are this will help and as problems crop up, you will be better prepared.

If you want to submit your RACI items to create a database, feel free.

If you want to talk about items to get some impartial input, feel free.

I forgot to mention this risk even though it occurred to me last year: I could not get the time off from work.

Just proves the best laid plans of mice and men…

AH