How to figure out what to do?

Different projects demand different approaches to planning.

How planning is done is often determined by who has what authority. Requirements, design, and budget are the three kinds of project authority that impact planning.

There are some common deliverables for planning projects: marketing requirements documents (MRDs), vision/scope documents, specifications, and work breakdown structures (WBSs).

The most powerful way to plan a project involves use of three equal perspectives: business, technology, and customer. The customer perspective is often the most misunderstood and misused.

Asking questions forces good thinking and directs planning energy effectively.

The process of defining requirements is difficult, but there are good references for how to do it well.

Problem statements and scenarios are a simple way to define and communicate requirements. They are easily converted into design ideas without losing clarity about what's important and what isn't.