When it comes to important decisions, I use one of two methods:
1) The Slow Burn: When failure is a luxury I cannot afford, I research the subject to death and then make a decision based on what I believe to be a thorough analysis. Examples: Before I built my deck, I researched decking materials, building codes, and lay-out configurations for 6 months. Before I built my dedicated home theater, I researched for 5 years. The "slow burn" is an appropriate technique when something absolutely must be done right the first time. The downfall of this technique is that it can lead to analysis paralysis.
2) Ready-Fire-Aim: Steve's approach, of course. For small tasks with minimal risk, I find it helpful to draft only the most rudimentary plan and then allow firsthand experience to be my guide. Another name for this technique is "Fail Fast and Course Correct." Sometimes in life, failing fast is the best thing you can do, since it allows you to quickly learn from your mistakes and move on.
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