Strategic Planning Definition and Philosophy
Strategic planning is a framework which is used to project where an
organization expects to be in five, ten, or fifteen years and how the
organization will get there. It is a systematic planning
The process involves a number of steps that identify the current status
of the organization, including its mission, vision for the future, operating
values, needs (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), goals,
prioritized actions and strategies, action plans, and monitoring plans.
Strategic planning is the cornerstone of the most organizations.
Therefore Without strategic planning, the organization will never know where it
is going; an important concept of strategic planning is an understanding,
everyone needs to work to ensure the team’s goals are met.
Strategic planning is intended to accomplish three
important tasks:
- To clarify the outcomes that an organization wishes to achieve;
- To select the broad strategies that will enable the organization to achieve those outcomes;
- To identify ways to measure progress
In addition, many organizations use the process to
affirm their links to important stakeholders by involving them in the creation
of the plan. In most cases starting point is the impact the organization will
have on your clients and community. Who will be affected by your programs and
services and how will they benefit?
In general, we will guide you through a process
of asking and answering four sets of questions
about your organization:
- What do you want your organization to accomplish? What will be the impact of your organization if it is successful?
- Where is your organization today? What are the characteristics of your organization and the environment in which it operates?
- On what strategies will you focus your energy and resources?
- How will you monitor and evaluate your progress? To answer this question an organization needs to look on the followings:
Critical Issues Review: an analysis of the
issues most important to the future of the organization;
- SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): an analysis and evaluation of internal conditions and external factors that affect the organization;
- Force Field Analysis: an analysis of the forces propelling an organization forward and those holding it back;
- Customer/Stakeholder/Competitor Analysis: identification of those directly or indirectly affected by the agency's actions.
