Strategic Planning

 

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Strategic Planning FAQ

What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning determines where your organization should be going so that all organizational efforts can be pointed in that direction.

 

What is a Strategic Plan?

A strategic plan is a framework for carrying out strategic thinking, direction, and action leading to the achievement of consistent and planned results.  The plan is comprised of the following key sections:

• Mission
• Analysis of current state
• Identification of future state
• Strategies and goals to achieve future state
• Financial projections
• Implementation and action plans
• Linkage and review procedures and processes

How is this different from what Evanston has done before?

Before: Independent long-term thinking and goal setting processes for council and staff
Strategic Planning Today:

• A data and analytically based process
• Utilization of several input tools - Citizens - Employees - Managers and supervisors - Senior staff - Council
• Comprehensive direction setting process with both council and staff together
• Financial analysis of optimal strategies and direction identification of success measures
• An implementation/action planning process with specific departmental action plans
• Design of integration tools and monitoring processes

What is the opportunity in Strategic Planning?

• An alignment and focus of the council and staff
• Identification of how resources should be allocated
• A road map for achieving that direction – the plan
• Engagement and energizing the leadership of the city
• Thought provoking discussion and new ideas
• Linkage to existing systems and processes within the city

Council's Role in Strategic Planning:

• Listening
• Think about the City of Evanston as a whole
• Sharing your ideas – constructively
• Being open to diverse perspectives and patient with the value they might bring
• Share the citizens/community perspective
• Engage and empower the staff as equal partners
• Set the broad direction for the City of Evanston and the deployment of its resources (financial and human)

Staff's Role in Strategic Planning:

• Listening
• Sharing your ideas – constructively
• Being open to diverse perspectives and patient with the value they might bring
• Provide advice and expertise on specific issues
• Share the employee’s perspective
• Engage as an equal partner with the council
• Provide input on direction
• Create implementation and action plans to ultimately produce the direction