As a Project Manager at DASH, planning is not a one-time task—it’s a habit. You’re expected to plan not just at the start of a project but before every new sprint.

Why? Because we work in weekly sprints. And every week, someone is waiting for an update: the client, the product manager, or a stakeholder. That update depends on how clearly you’ve seen ahead and how intentionally you’ve planned. So planning isn’t just “nice to have”—it’s what keeps everything running.

Whether it’s a new feature, a bug fix, or a cross-functional release, planning is how you break down the work, distribute it, and make sure no detail is missed.

 

What planning ahead means at DASH Management

Let’s say a client wants to build a ride-hailing app in 12 weeks.

That doesn’t just mean your devs need to work for 12 weeks.

It means you, the PM, need to know:

1. What the team should be doing in Week 1, Week 2, Week 3…
2. What’s critical, what’s optional, and what’s nice-to-have
3. How each task connects to the next
4. How to update the client in a way that builds trust

And to do this, you need to plan on Sundays before your team meets on Monday.

 

the resources that help you plan 

You should not be starting from scratch. Here’s what you should review to make an informed plan:

1. Concept Note – For your general understanding of the idea
2. Product Requirements Document (PRD) – For all core features
3. Functional Requirements Document (FRD) – For detailed feature specs
4. Workflow – To see the end-to-end system logic
5. Timeline – What was agreed with the client
6. Resources – Who’s available to work and for how long
7. Previous Sprint Reviews – What spilled over, what succeeded, what failed

TIP: Don’t just plan based on what the client wants—plan based on what is realistically possible with the team and time you have.

 

how we plan sprints

We operate in weekly sprints. That means:

1. You plan your sprint latest on Sunday.
2. On Monday morning, you meet with your team to finalize commitments.
3. The team works throughout the week.
4. On Friday, you do a final review of what was done and adjust the next sprint based on outcomes.

You’re not waiting for Monday to start thinking about what to do. You’re walking in ready, already clear on what the sprint should ideally accomplish.

 

Setting sprint goals 

Rather than just planning individual tasks, start with Sprint Goals:

1. What should the team achieve this week?
2. What part of the product should be ready?
3. What can you show in a demo?

Example:

Sprint 2 Goal (depending on the number of resources that you have on your project):

1. All backend APIs for login, signup, and email verification should be developed, tested internally, and ready for frontend integration.

2. All customer onboarding screens should be fully designed and approved by the product team.

3. All onboarding screens should be converted to code (frontend implementation), with initial API integrations completed where available.

Prioritization technique you can use

Use this format to decide what goes into the sprint and how each of the individual tasks should be worked on by the team:

Priority Description

1. Highest/High – (Must Do) The team has to complete this this sprint.
2. Medium – (Nice to Have) We want it done, but it’s okay if it rolls over.
3. Low – (Can Do) – Only work on these if the core work is complete.

This technique helps when you’re trying to distribute individual tasks in your sprint goal for each of the resources that you have.

 

How plans evlove

After every sprint, you’ll notice:

1. Some tasks move forward.
2. Some roll over into the next sprint.
3. Some are de-prioritized and go into the backlog.

Planning is not “set it and forget it.” It’s real-time, living documentation. The success of Sprint 2 depends on how Sprint 1 went. So don’t be afraid to reshuffle.

 

Your weekly flow as a pM

Here’s how your weekly rhythm should look:

1. Sunday
   1. Review all the documents (Concept Note, PRD, FRDs, workflow, sprint board)
   2. Draft the plan for the week (ideally in Sheets or Jira)
   3. Define the sprint goals per resource
2. Monday
   1. Sprint planning meeting with the team
   2. Share what you planned and let the team confirm or reassign priorities
3. Tuesday–Thursday
   1. Check-ins (as stated in check-in guide)
   2. Monitor task status on Jira or Sheets
   3. Remove blockers, clarify requirements
4. Friday
   1. Sprint Review – Note what was done, what wasn’t, what’s next
   2. Update the tracker and backlog

Keep your plans visible and adjustable. Use Sheets, dashboards, or Jira to help everyone stay on track.

 

key reminders 

1. Planning is not a one-time thing – You plan every week
2. Always review the documents – Your plan should reflect reality
3. Sprint goals come before sprint tasks
4. Prioritize smartly – Not all tasks are equal
5. Track progress, but also track spillovers
6. Planning is how you build trust with your team and clients

TL;DR

1. You don’t guess. You plan.
2. You don’t wait for Monday. You plan on Sunday.
3. You don’t act on vibes. You act on documents, timelines, and data.
4. You don’t plan once. You plan every single week.