A hitchhikers guide to strategic plan development

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A hitchhikers guide to strategic plan development

• Doug Ballor, Ph.D.
• Bates Technical College

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Objectives of talk

• Share insights into why Strategic Plans arent
  integral parts of college activities.
• Present tips on how to make Strategic Plans
  livable documents.
• Show a scheme that works for developing a
  Strategic Plan.
• Facilitated discussion (sharing what works)

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Strategic Planning
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Strategic Planning
Presidents Agenda
Facultys Agenda
Staffs Agenda
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What is a Strategic Plan?What should it do?
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What are some common problems with Strategic
Plans?
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College Mission

(Approved annually by
Board of Trustees)

Stra
tegic Plan Goals

(Approved by Board in 2003 and
a

nnually
thereafter)
Annual Presidential
Initiatives

(Developed jointly by the
President and the Board)

Department Program
Depa
rtments

Assessment Plans

(VPs monitor completion / compliance)

(Assessment Committee approves

and tracks plan completion)

Approved by the Bates Technical College Board of
Trustees


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Deliver exemplary competency-based education that
meets the diverse needs of students and the
community.
OBJECTIVE
Ensure continuing education and life long
learning offerings meet the changing needs of our
customers.
Sub Objectives

• All continuing education and life long learning
  offerings in the college will have student
  assessments at the end of the learning period
  (initial target date June 2004, evaluating
  annually thereafter).
• Continuing education and lifelong learning
  student funded and contract training enrollments
  will increase by five percent annually over the
  next five years (end date June 2010).
• Revenues from contracted services to
  international clients will exceed 15,000 (target
  date June 2006).

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Key Features of Bates Plan

• Goals are specific (and testable)
• Sub-objectives are real tasks that will make us
  better (this is the action part of the plan)
• Each sub-objective has a measurable target, a
  completion date, and an accountable person
• A five year plan that is updated annually and
  linked with the other processes in the College

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Bates Planning Timeline

• 1998 Back to the future long range plan
• 2000 Develop College Goals
• 2001 Strategic Planning Retreat
• 2002 Strategic Planning Retreat 2
• 2003 VPs meet and develop Strategic Plan
• 2003 Northwest recommendation
• 2005 January Strategic Planning Retreat 3
• 2005 January ? March - Small group develops goals
• 2005 October ? Objective Critique Retreat

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Tips to a viable Strategic Plan

• Base Strategic Plan on College Goals.
• Must reflect actual practice. Its easier to
  change a plan than a culture.
• Involve key administrators in its development
  (make them do it).
• Allow everyone to participate.

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Strategic Plan

• SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
  Realistic, Timely)
• Professional
• Understandable
• Owned by All

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Managing the process(Letting go while keeping
control)

• Have a small group draft a set of college goals /
  objectives.
• Allow the entire college to critique draft at a
  retreat.
• A small representative group takes the feedback
  and further revises the goals.
• Put revised set of goals out for comment, revise
  as necessary, and have one last college wide
  retreat.

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Retreat Outline

• 900 AM Intro from President
• 915 AM Review 1st chosen goal
• 1015 AM Break
• 1030 AM Review 2nd chosen goal
• 1130 AM Lunch
• 1230 PM Report out, discussion feedback
• 200 PM Closing remarks by President

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Getting Everyone Involved

• Need college structure that encourages
  participation by all (Strategic Planning Council,
  Assessment Committee)
• People need to feel that their input is valued
• Be sensitive to power dynamics (remind
  administrators to actively listen, use faculty
  and staff as facilitators)
• Involve all groups in the writing of the
  Strategic Plan

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Tips from others

• Now its your turn