SERVICES

STRATEGIC PLANNING CONSULTING

As a complement to our business process/performance improvement assistance, CRA management consultants assist clients prepare strategic plans which are designed to serve as the “road map” for the organization for a defined period into the future. When properly used, the plan becomes one of the “foundation blocks” for the organization’s annual business plan.

Our ever-evolving strategic planning methodology is the product of many years experience performing this work. We have learned that for a strategic plan to have real meaning and be used and referred to as a critical management tool, it must be prepared with heavy participation by the organization’s “stakeholders” and must be structured to define the goals and objectives for all the critical functions upon which the success of the organization is dependent.

Most often the strategic planning end-products include: a statement of the mission of the organization; a vision statement setting forth what the organization intends to be and accomplish at a defined future date to accomplish its mission; the strategic goals for each mission critical function of the organization; the tactical initiatives or projects that must be undertaken and completed to achieve each goal; the person(s) responsible for achieving each goal; the estimated capital and operating budgets for each goal and the accompanying tactical initiatives; and a way to measure the progress made in achieving each goal and the accompanying actual cost incurred.

The steps we most frequently follow in facilitating the development of a strategic plan consist of the following:

Identify the strategic planning participants and define their roles and responsibilities in the project;
Agree on the strategic planning activities and tasks and a timetable for their completion;
Call on a selected group of outside relevant subject experts who then meet with the strategic planning committee to convey their views on future perceived developments and challenges in their respective subject areas;
Perform an internal assessment on all mission critical functional areas;
Conduct an external assessment to define issues, threats, challenges and opportunities outside forces present;
Review the current mission to determine its current application, and based on conclusions reached, revise it to meet current circumstances;
Prepare a vision statement that defines what the organization wishes to be and accomplish at a specified future date to fulfill the mission;
Define the strategic goals that when realized, will fulfill the vision and accomplish the mission;
Define projects and accompanying project budgets that must be undertaken and achieved to accomplish the defined goals;
Define a timetable and persons responsible for each agreed upon project;
Develop ways to measure progress and achievement for each project and strategic goal;
Establish a management oversight and reporting process to monitor progress in achieving the strategic plan;
Define a process to periodically revisit, challenge and update the assumptions and goals set forth in the strategic plan.

In performing strategic planning work, we normally view our role as that of a facilitator for the process, and when needed, as a subject area resource to help in gathering and analyzing information needed by the strategic planning participants.

Timing to prepare a strategic plan obviously varies for each client depending on organizational complexities, external conditions, and the organization’s familiarity with strategic planning. We have participated in strategic planning that has been completed in four or five months and also in projects that have taken 15 months to complete. In all instances, we make every effort to ensure that the stakeholders take ownership for the resulting strategic plan.

Clients we have assisted in preparing strategic plans include; Baker College, The College for Creative Studies, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Greater Detroit, Goodwill Industries of Metropolitan Detroit, The HealthSource Group, Hurley Medical Center, Invetech Company, Lawrence Technological University, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Saginaw Community Hospital, and Sherwood Metal Products.

To contact us:

Consulting Resource Associates

26600 West 14 Mile Road

Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301

Phone: 248-538-2505

Fax: 248-538-2505

Email: info@cra-consultingresource.com

IT Consulting