All tools need a method, so does VisPlan. We have a method structured into Consulting Advisories, built into the tool to guide you in developing your strategic plan step by step to a complete executable interactive strategy.
The VisPlan Advisories has an introduction to the tool and how to do it.
The order of sequence or steps below are considered as the well-known or common way to work through the creation of a strategic plan.
You should always start from the top with the Position Statement and then break it down into the essential plan components.
Position Statement
Start with defining the Position Statement, the position you want your organization to be in when the plan has been executed.
Strategic Objectives
The Position Statement which is the value the business will deliver must be measured somehow. By identifying what to measure you need to identify a few Strategic Objectives. These are carefully chosen objectives that support your Position Statement and align with the overall official goals of your organization, each with a set of well-defined lagging Key Result Indicators (KRIs).
Capabilities
The Capability line represents the delivery side of the plan. What and how the organization can deliver or perform towards the desired business value. The horizontal lines are the specific identified organizational capabilities, either existing or new capabilities needed to achieve your Position Statement and Strategic Objectives.
A Capability is normally based on the combination of a competence or special skill and a resource or tool set, sometimes mixed up with Functions. Dividing a plan by function can work too, but most often you will get a better effect if you can combine some functions into a Capability.
Ambitions
Each capability line will be composed of a set of chosen strategic Ambitions.
Ambitions are broad ideas that enable your organization to build or leverage your capabilities to achieve your Position Statement.
Each Ambition should significantly impact at least one Strategic Objective and may have associated leading Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Actions
Ambition is not an Action, but rather the lead reasoning to develop Actions from.
Actions are a set of specific initiatives that stem from their respective Ambition. Actions are not meant to be a to-do list but a selection of strategically important actions.
Focuses
We need to make the plan move forward constantly, to make that happen we divide the plan into multiple focuses. Each focus is a step forward.
The Focuses are a series of milestones that determine which Actions to prioritize as you communicate and roll-out your plan. Your Focus will shift over time as you execute your plan.
Try it out!
It is just that easy! All steps are instantly supportive for you to become a successful strategic planner.
Get ready, download a free trial from Teams AppSource, or book a demo and we will show you how it works and help you out with your own plan.