Gap Analysis

Gap analysis is a tool used during project start-up to identify,  methodically,  what has to be achieved before the project is completed.

Typically in project planning we ask the question what has to be done. This has an obvious logic to it but if you can argue that this approach skips a step and obscures the reasoning behind the selection of certain tasks as appropriate or necessary for the project.

By asking the question what do we lack in order to complete this project we identify the issues which the project plan is meant to resolve.   We can then test each proposed action or deliverable against the our gap analysis to see if it actually helps.

It is surprising how many ideas turn out to be half baked, incomplete or irrelevant.

As well as testing proposals the gap analysis allows us to test a complete plan by asking does it close the gap? If not then we can change it.

Lastly we can simply go thru the gap analysis and close each issue down explicitly by adding actions or deliverables to the plan.   Plans formed in this way tend to be lean and efficient because it is clear what is to be achieved from each action and actions which do not help are cut out.

A gap analysis is rarely used on its own.  More commonly it is used to drive out issues as part of the general planning effort.