Calendarizing© is a verb I created.

It applies to a broad topic. It is the action of identifying implementation steps to be taken in time—including a foolproof next action reminder.

Calendarizing is the action of "choreographing" the action related to a broad topic in a changing world.

It is important to consider the non-linearity of time

the changing social and economic picture;
the seven windows of innovative opportunity, improvement that aims to create a radically different product, process, or service in a few years, and the exploitation of one's successes—Post-Capitalist Society :: Knowledge: Its Economics and its Productivity;
the future that has already happened.

Therefore, WHAT to calendarize is of paramount importance.

See A Century of Social Transformation—Emergence of Knowledge Society and then consider the importance of the timing and sequence of the areas we choose to calendarize.

Informed responses and reactions to the issues introduced in the openings paragraphs (and other catastrophic events) should be on our WHAT radar.

Calendarization begins with first exposure and ends following abandonment attempts—things take on a life of their own which doesn't necessarily end when we want.

First exposure can be the result of a systematic search, horizon scanning or some other process. This time-life navigation © (TLN) site is an example of a systematic search.

A thinking canvas can be useful for documenting blue hat thinking, seeing the big picture and working out the details. Part of the big picture includes the questions: "what will this lead to and where will it leave us?" See TLN end result and action for a broader view.

These steps have to be something specific that could be written on a to do list or plan. It it the process of going from vague to specific. It creates an action blueprint. It is bigger than project planning. It is bigger than operations. It is bigger than today. Sometimes it involves a sequence of work modules (example). Frequently it should contain a provision for appropriately refocusing attention on the overall blueprint and its individual components so the action designer maintains the designed focus and energy and avoids flow of events reactions—a fail-safe attempt. Something about mouse thinking needs to be added here.

Calendarizing doesn't mean that every individual action has an assigned date. A master plan with a fool proof reminder system may be adequate in many cases. When the reminder comes due, we can review the plan to determine the next actions and schedule them. Sometimes just a reminder to consider whether a issue or topic belongs on our radar is adequate.

At its highest level, it is the systematic process of getting to the "right" concepts and then from these "right" concepts to the "right" daily action. A foundation for future directed decision is essential for getting to the right concepts. The changing social and economic picture is a part of that foundation. Assumptions can be a barrier to getting to "right" concepts. To a small degree, it may involve a process similar to David Allen's Getting Things Done. Getting Things Done could be calendarized. See concepts to daily action for a detailed process for working with conceptual resources.

You could calendarize the development of your life management system (LNS) or life navigation system (LNS)

Some strategic examples that could be calendarized are "Managing Knowledge Means Managing Oneself", The Management Revolution and the seven principles that form the foundation of managment (chapter 1, "Management as Social Function and Liberal Art," "What is Management," The Essential Drucker by Peter Drucker). For many The Effective Executive in Action and The Daily Drucker would be useful.

To calendarize one's life vacation travel, what would have to be done and when for these vacations to be mouth wateringly attractive in prospect and memorable?

If something can be done it can be calendarized. If something can't be done, what can be calendarized to make it doable?

Calendarizing combined with the right strategic work plan (the product of upstream calendarizing) reduces the mental burden of juggling balls.

Peter's Principles
Peter Drucker on Leadership

Calendarizing is facilitated by conceptual resources, computer software and by thinking broad and thinking detail. Conceptual resource examples: Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and Six Action Shoes; project planning. Software: structured note-taking, mind and concept mapping, outlining, simple project planning. Plain copy paper and colored pens are also useful in getting started.

A hierarchical master action list computer application—similar to OmniFocus, TaskPaper or TodoPaper maybe helpful in choreographing actions in various life areas. See my information-tools-mac tag on del.icio.us.

What else to calendarize: Time-life navigation ©

• A way to use conceptual resources: (from a Peter Drucker book)

  • I suggest you read a chapter at a time

  • And then first ask:

    • What do these issues, these challenges MEAN

      • for our organization and

      • for me as a knowledge worker, a professional, an executive?

    • Once you have thought this through, ask: What ACTION should our organization and I, the individual knowledge worker and/or executive, take to make the challenges of this chapter into OPPORTUNITIES for our organization and me?

  • AND THEN GO TO WORK!