Best Practice Library: Update Expectations - Sample Timeline

Everyone involved in a plan - from someone doing the work to a member of the public reviewing the progress - should know when updates on the work being done will be provided, when review will occur, when feedback can be provided, and when changes to the plan will occur. 

Setting these basic expectations is an essential part of rolling out a plan tracking initiative. It sets expectations for involvement and ultimately elevates the visibility of the plan and establishes roles, making clear how everyone involved in the plan will interact with it and each other.

Customize and distribute a version of this timeline for your plan and organization. Share it to collect feedback and modify it before committing to it. Then commit to it and follow-through.

Sample Timeline

• First Monthly Reporting Period
  • July 21: Action Updates Due
  • July 24: No-Update report sent to all staff (actions that haven't been updated)
  • August 1: Reports on all actions shared with all staff
  • August: Department Directors hold 30 minute action review meeting

• Second Monthly Reporting Period
  • August 21: Action Updates Due
  • August 24: No-Update report sent to all staff (actions that haven't been updated)
  • September 1: Reports on all actions shared with all staff
  • September: Department Directors hold 30 minute action review meeting

• First Quarterly Reporting Period
  • September 21: Action Updates Due
  • September 24: No-Update report sent to all staff (actions not updated)
  • September 24: Strategy Updates Due
  • September 26: No-Update report sent to all staff (strategies not updated)
  • September 26: Goal Updates Due
  • September 29: No-Update report sent to all staff (goals not updated)
  • October 1: Reports on all actions, objectives and goals
    • a tabular report  specific to departments for department meetings
    • a formal report for council and all-staff
    • a Public Dashboard is published for anyone including the public

*This schedule of updates and reports repeats quarterly.

• Annual Review of Actions as part of Budget Process occurs July of each year