Below are key phases and activities required to successfully manage the strategic planning process. Strategic planning is long-term (usually for the period of three to five years), which determines and guides an organisation’s future. Strategic planning is about understanding where you are now, where do you want to be in future, and how are you going to get there. Strategic planning is about being proactive, flexible and agile enough to continuously improve and respond successfully to external and internal environments.
| PHASE | ACTIVITIES | TIME |
| CONSULTATION PROCESS | This phase entails all the pre-planning required to ensure an effective strategic planning process | |
| Establish a small strategic planning task team – comprised of key representatives who will co-ordinate the process | 8 weeks before | |
| Determine the purpose and objectives of the strategic planning process with task team | 8 weeks before | |
| Secure a budget for the strategic planning process | 8 weeks before | |
| Conduct a stakeholder analysis to determine who should attend the strategic planning event i.e. representatives from divisions / all staff, etc. | 7 weeks before | |
| Develop a strategy to ensure that everyone in the organisation is constantly informed about the strategic planning process and provide opportunities for them to make inputs | 7 weeks before | |
| Develop a programme for the strategic planning process | 7 weeks before | |
| Identify a suitable date | 7 weeks before | |
| Identify and select a facilitator (develop and use criteria to assist in the selection process e.g. availability of funds, impartiality, familiarity of issues, internal or external facilitator) | 6 weeks before | |
| Book a venue and secure all the necessary equipment e.g. flip-chart stand, pens, OHP, paper, etc. (Determine whether the venue will be in-house or away from the office) | 6 weeks before | |
| Make catering arrangements (inform of special dietary requirements after delegates have confirmed) | 6 weeks before | |
| Invite all the relevant participants to the strategic planning session and provide them with all the necessary information (e.g. programme, previous strategic planning report, business plan, progress reports, directions to venue, etc.). Ask them to make comments or suggestions for improvement | 5 weeks before | |
| Keep all staff informed about the progress in planning for the strategic planning process – invite comments | 5 weeks before | |
| Brief the facilitator about the process, discuss expectations, roles and provide him/her with relevant background information and literature | 4 weeks before | |
| Ensure that people giving inputs at the workshop know what they have to cover i.e. have clear objectives | ||
| Finalise the final programme after everyone including the facilitator has commented | 2 weeks before | |
| Print copies of the relevant documents needed for the strategic planning process | 1 week before | |
| Confirm venue, caterers, transport, logistics, etc. | 1 week before | |
| PLANNING | This phase refers to the actual strategic planning event or workshop. The programme would depend on the consultative process and facilitator’s inputs discussed above. | |
| Explain the purpose and importance of the strategic planning process | At the w/shop | |
| Develop or review the vision, mission and core values of the organisation | At the w/shop | |
| Conduct a SWOT analysis | At the w/shop | |
| Identify strategic issues – no more than 6 | At the w/shop | |
| Develop goals based on the strategic objectives | At the w/shop | |
| Develop SMART objectives based on your goals | At the w/shop | |
| Develop a strategic plan where you indicate the activities, person responsible, timeframe, budget, resources, indicators for success, etc. per objective. A broad plan would be developed at the workshop and finalised after the workshop | At the w/shop | |
| IMPLEMENTATION | This stage involves the implementation of the strategic plan | |
| Make the strategic plan available to all relevant people in the organisation | 1 week after | |
| Provide a report-back on the key issues covered in the strategic plan (this could be done per division or as the whole organisation depending on number of people). Discuss the vision, mission and value statements – in relation to their importance and how we can ‘live’ them. | 2 weeks after | |
| Develop a programme/project operational plan by each Division Head/manager based on the strategic plan
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4 weeks after | |
| MONITORING | Implement the programme/project plans | |
| This stage is conducted at every phase of the strategic planning cycle. Corrective actions should be taken if problems are identified. It is primarily the role of the strategic planning task team to monitor the process. | ||
| Assess progress, problems, achievements and make the required improvements | On-going | |
| Ensure that the strategic plans are being implemented by reviewing progress every quarter with the relevant people | Quarterly basis | |
| EVALUATION | This phase entails reviewing how effectively the strategic plans were implemented. This usually occurs in the form of a strategic review. | |
| The above steps would be followed with emphasis: | ||
| Review existing plan – assess the overall strengths and weaknesses. Determine the impact of the actions in relation to meeting the vision, mission and value statements. Develop a new strategic plan by conducting a SWOT analysis, identifying strategic issues, goals and objectives | After 6 – 12 months |
