What is Strategic Planning?

Simply put, strategic planning determines where an organization is going  and how it's going to get there. Typically, the process is organization-wide.  However, it can be  focused on a division, department, small team or even focused on a project or  function. It is also important to note that even though they don't have "an organization", entrepreneurs need a strategic plan also.  It is usually referred to as a Business Plan and Inknowvations can also assist with the process of developing Business Plans for for entrepreneurs and other startup or expanding early stage organizations.  See Business Plan Development...

The Strategic Planning  Process

Strategic Planning typically includes several major activities or steps. And depending upon which methodology you choose to follow, these steps and/or major activities will often  have different names.  Each methodology might even require that you conduct each of these steps in a different order.  Based upon years of experience, Inknowvations strategic planning facilitators have learned which "pieces" of the various strategic planning methodologies work in which situations and for what types of organizations.  And, we will bring this experience and knowledge to your strategic planning process to ensure that you get a professional plan developed as quickly as possible. 

The Inknowvations Approach to Strategic Planning

After an initial round of discussions concerning your goals and "definition of success" and making any adjustments as may be appropriate, Inknowvations facilitators will lead your organization through the following basic process:

Strategic Analysis: Inknowvations facilitators will lead your organization though a discovery process to identify the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ("SWOT") regarding the organization.  Please note that it is very tempting to not engage in the strategic analysis stage of your process until after you have developed your missions statements and goals. However, Inknowvations believes that setting your strategic direction without first understanding your organization's SWOT is a formula for failure.

Setting Strategic Direction: Based upon the results of the strategic analysis exercise and in some cases corporate requirements, Inknowvations facilitators will lead your organization through the process of defining a strategic direction. This will include written value, vision and mission statements.

Value statements describe how the organization will operate.  As an example, it may include standards for integrity, honesty, respect, etc. Its the basic code for how your organization wants to conduct itself. And, since the bust of the technology bubble and the resulting realization of how business was conducted, value statements have become an increasingly more important foundation upon which many companies want to base its strategic plans.

Vision statements describe  how the organization will appear or should operate at some point in the future and of how customers or clients are benefiting from the organization's products and services. As an example, a vision statement may indicate that an organization "envisions itself" as the leading provider of services in a particular market enabling its customers to increase revenues and resulting profits much more quickly than ever before.

Mission statements describe the basic purpose/mission of the organization. The missions statement may or may not also include parts of the value and vision statement. Inknowvations believes that the three statements have very different purposes and therefore they  should be separate and independent.  Therefore, an example of mission statement would simply indicate that an organization's mission is to develop and distribute particular solution into a particular market and would not include any vision of whether or not this organization "envisions itself" as the leading provider of that solution in the market.

Intertwined with the process of developing the value, vision and mission statements, the Inknowvations facilitator will lead also your organization through the process of developing detailed and written strategic goals.  These strategic goals will be very specific, measurable, acceptable to those working to achieve the goals, realistic, timely, extending the capabilities of those working to achieve the goals, and rewarding to them, as well ( "SMARTER").

The Inknowvations Action Plan

Once the strategic planning process is completed,  Inknowvations facilitators will work with your organization to define how the strategic goals will be accomplished. 

Each strategic objective will be  associated with a plan/tactic/method to reach that objective. This Action Plan can be as simple and/or as detailed as your organization and the Inknowvations facilitators deem appropriate. However, at a minimum, the action plan will include specific responsibilities and timelines with each objective, or who needs to do what and by when. It will also include methods to monitor and evaluate the plan, which includes knowing how the organization will know who has done what and by when.  Please note that Inknowvations has partners that can provide advanced  methodologies and  software to assist in the process of managing and measuring your organization's action plan.

Please go to our Contact Page and submit a contact form requesting additional information about Strategic Planning.  Be sure to include your phone number(s) and email address and as much information about your organization as possible (please enter this information in the comments field).  Once we receive your submission, an Inknowvations strategic planning facilitator will contact you to begin the process of determining how we can help you achieve your vision of success.