halfplans

Halfplans are a planning approach in which a project is described with a partial specification that outlines core objectives, constraints, and a high-level timeline, while leaving many details—such as exact requirements, milestones, and resource allocations—undetermined or flexible. The term is used in discussions of adaptive planning and iterative development.

Origin and usage: The term is not standardized and appears mainly in organizational design, product development, and urban planning as a way to address uncertainty. It is often contrasted with comprehensive plans that specify most elements in advance.

Characteristics: A halfplan provides partial specification, boundaries, and success metrics, and it emphasizes iterative refinement. Details are deferred to later cycles, enabling learning through experimentation and stakeholder feedback.

Applications: It is proposed for early-stage product development, policy experiments, and design projects where conditions may change. It supports rapid prototyping and adaptive governance while maintaining a guiding framework.

Benefits and criticisms: Proponents cite adaptability and lower upfront cost; critics warn of ambiguity, possible misalignment, and scope creep without clear governance or decision rights.

Relation to related concepts: Halfplans overlap with rolling-wave planning, scenario planning, and agile methods, serving as a bridge between high-level planning and iterative delivery.

Example: A startup defines a halfplan that names the problem and desired outcomes and outlines a hypothesis-driven minimum viable product, leaving feature details and release timing to be discovered through experiments.