Route Planner

What it looks like

People who use this approach start a big task by breaking it into steps. They name the first step, set a point to check in, and decide what to do if things fall behind. A plan for a project or a test week gives them something to steer by. When a checkpoint shows the plan is off, they change it.

One habit to try

For your next test, count the days you have. Split the material into small parts and give each part a day, with a short review of earlier parts each time. Mark one checkpoint halfway. On that day, ask if you are on track, then keep the plan or change it. Spreading study over several days instead of cramming is a habit with strong research support (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).

Where it can trip you up

A plan can turn into the goal. Some people keep following a plan after it stops working, because changing it feels like giving up. A checkpoint is there to ask whether the plan still fits. If it does not, revise it and keep going.

If this is not your top approach

Pick one task this week. Before you begin, write the first step and one moment when you will stop and check how it is going. That is the whole plan. Two lines on a sticky note count. If the check shows you are behind, move one step, not the whole plan.

How it works with others

• Route Planner and Model Maker: Map the topic, then plan which box to study first.
• Route Planner and Experiment Pilot: Plan a few tries, then adjust the plan after each result.
• Route Planner and Transfer Navigator: Plan with what worked last unit, then adjust for what is new.

Also pairs with Pattern Scout, Evidence Tracker, Explanation Builder, Team Synthesizer.