Strategic PlanningOntario University

CollaborativeDecember 2013

Objectives

• Understand the value of having a plan

• Create/draft a strategic plan

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Establishing A Strategic Plan

Strategic

Plan

• There are three main categories of risks that clients must acknowledge before attempting to sustain a best-value environment

• These areas include:– Performance risk (vendor fails to perform)– Political risk (resistance from internal/external parties)– Program risk (activities that jeopardize sustainability)

• To mitigate these risks, the following should be performed:– Performance risk (implement the PIPS process without deviations)– Political risk (create and follow a strategic plan)– Program risk (create and follow a strategic plan)

Mitigating RiskPerformance Risk

– Vendors may not know how to accept accountability – Vendors may not know how to perform in best-value environment– Agency does not implement correctly or makes changes to the process

Political Risk– Program is not legal– Process is wasting money– Process is not being fair or process only picks favorite contractors– Process is not open and it limits competition– Non-performing vendors who don’t like the program – Internal personnel that do not want to change

Program Risk– Agency loses discipline once program has been successful– Agency expands the program too rapidly (speed is our enemy)– Agency does not buy into the basic concepts and theory

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The Strategic PlanStrategic

Plan

• A strategic plan is essential to the long-term success of a best-value program

• The strategic plan must be established before beginning a pilot program and should be documented in writing

• By having the strategic plan in writing, all decisions can be minimized by simply following the outline of the plan

• The majority of users do not have a strategic plan (as simple as they sound, clients have a difficult time creating and following them)

Contents of the Strategic Plan• Overall Objective of Agency (include how BV ties into this)

• Goals of the BV Program

• Measurements (that will be used to assess if goals are being met)

• Tactical Plan (detailed plan, schedule, actions to be performed)

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SOUND SIMPLE???

Individual Records/Account

s

SRP Reporting

Department

SRP Accounting Department

SAP Financial Systems

PACMAN Key Personnel

Project Info Cost Info

Previous Reports

Individuals’ Records

Performance Data

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT SYSTEM:(2 Months) – To obtain data on 10 projects (3 Weeks) – To compile data(6 Hours) – To generate useful information(3 People) – Required to obtain data

What is a Strategic Plan?• Roadmap

• Where you’re going

• How you plan to get there

• How you will know you have arrived

• How to help the next group reach their destination

Value Helps the team align on the plan

Creates a living document for everyone to reference

Helps everyone to know if they are on track

Communicates where you want to be after a specific period of time and how someone can contribute

Especially helpful when project has a short duration and expects quick deliverables

Can be read by anyone (even if not affiliated with the project) and know what is going on at any point

Where to begin?Begin at the end!• What do you want to have achieved?• What will make you feel successful?• What will make you feel as if you spent your time wisely?• What does success look like?• How can you measure it?

Think aboutIndependently, brainstorm by writing:

– Your personal goal– Your group’s goal– Your organization’s goal

Ask yourself:– Do they have anything in common?– If so, what?

You

Team

Department

Organization

Activity• What are your organization’s

goal(s)? How is what you’re doing different from what you have done in the past?

• At the end, how will you be able to tell people or prove to them that you have achieved this goal?

• What does success look like? How can you tell you have arrived?

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Example• Becoming more efficient

• Starting your own company

• Living a healthier lifestyle

No. Goal Metric

1 Exercise outside of the gym

Add 1 new physical activity / month

2 Eat healthier Transition to a vegetarian diet by December ‘13

3 Create a gym routine

Go to the gym every M-W-F or at least 3 days/week

Vision: To live a healthier lifestyle

How will you get there?• Schedule

• Milestones

• Deliverables

• Education

• Regular Meetings

Recommendations1-3 Pages (more concise, easier to reference)

1. Overview2. Bullet Points3. Year-by-year4. Measurements of success (year-by-year)5. Tactical Plan (separate by phases)6. Education Plan7. Stakeholders8. Communication Plan9. Benchmarks10. Expansion Plan (internal and external)

Summary• Definitions of strategic planning vary – roadmap

• Greatest risks are political and program

• Need to have a good idea of plan before beginning

• It’s the key to alignment

• Don’t forget your baseline

• Think about the various levels (individual / group / organization / consortium level)

• Discussion continues tomorrow (more detail/tactical)