Planning
models A - Strategic plans
There
are a variety of definitions and models for strategic planning. Some commonly
accepted attributes of a strategic plan are that:
- it
deals with fundamental questions such as: Who are we servicing? Who should
we be servicing?
- it
provides a framework for day to day detailed planning;
- it
typically involves a time frame of two to five years (sometimes more
or less depending on the nature of the organisation);
- it
provides coherence to an organisation's actions and decisions over time;
- it
is an activity that must inevitably involve all levels of management,
for example, Management Committees and Centre coordinators.
One strategic
planning model includes the following ten steps. The weighting given to
each step may vary depending on the nature of the organisation and its
planning needs.
A.
What are we doing?
1.
Define the Purpose and Mission of the organisation. This
may involve the development of a mission statement. A mission statement
is a statement that answers the following questions:
- Who
are we?
- What
needs do we intend to meet?
- Whose
need?
- What
do we intend to do to meet the needs, ie what services do we intend to
provide?
- What
are our central values? (e.g. What do we believe in? What are we committed
to? What is our philosophy/ideology?)
Mission
statements can be as short as a sentence or a paragraph. They are useful
because they can be an agreed basis on what the organisation is about.
In a
new project or service it is important to identify what is intended to
happen. In an existing project or service it is important to identify what
is actually happening at the moment. Whether what is happening should continue
will become a question throughout the strategic planning process and especially
in steps 7 and 8.
2.
Identify current aims, objectives and strategy of the organisation.
The aims
of the organisation are general statements of what it intends to achieve.
Objectives
are also statements of what the organisation intends to achieve, however
they are usually also specific, measurable, attainable and time bound.
The strategy
is the description of how the objectives are going to be met.
B.
Structured brainstorming
3.
Environmental Analysis. The
purpose of an environmental analysis is to identify the ways changes
in the environment can indirectly influence the organisation.
The environment
could include other services, funding bodies, other projects, government
policy, community attitudes, and so on.
4.
Resource Analysis. This
would include a statement of all resources that are available for the
development of the organisation. What resources are available to implement
the aims and objectives of the organisation?
Resource
analysis is also likely to include an analysis of the organisations strengths
and weaknesses. Organisations can often successfully build on their strengths
and develop strategies to minimise the negative effects of their weaknesses.
5.
Stakeholder Analysis. Who
are the stakeholders? What are their needs? Wants? Expectations?
Key stakeholders
may include funding bodies, clients, staff, management committee members
and volunteers. These people have a variety of views values and needs that
will have an influence on the plans that are developed.
6.
Identification of strategic opportunities and threats. These
are the opportunities and threats that arise outside the organisation.
C.
Creative leap
7.
Identifying Strategic Choices. After
the environment has been analysed and the strengths and weaknesses and
opportunities and threats have been reviewed it is possible to better
see the results of the existing strategy. The organisation can then identify
strategic choices - whether or not to develop new strategies or modify
the existing strategy.
8. Strategic decision-making
8.
Choosing among the possible options.
D.
Action
9.
Implementation
Once
the most appropriate strategy has been chosen it is implemented.
E.
Evaluation
10.
Evaluate the
implementation and the level of success of the implementation of the
strategy.
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