FastTrack™ Strategic Planning System

Enter information about your organization and the plan you are creating.

Your strategy for attaining your Vision should address the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives: Financial, Customer, Internal Processes, and People/Organizational Capacity. These perspectives are often called Strategy Areas or Pillars.

Each template below adapts the Balanced Scorecard perspectives to different organization types. Choose a template that best fits your organization type. Then you can customize the Strategy Area names to match your organization's specific needs.

Rate your business on key aspects to identify areas needing attention and inform your strategic planning.

How to use your ratings:

• Good areas represent your strengths - build on these in your strategy
• So-So areas need improvement - consider enhancements in your planning
• Not Good areas are critical weaknesses - prioritize these for remediation

Identify key trends and forecasts in each category that are important to the future of your organization.

Consider both defensive purposes (e.g., threats to mitigate) and offensive purposes (e.g., opportunities to leverage).

Tag important factors as Opportunities or Threats to include them in your SWOT analysis.

Consider gathering input from key stakeholders when creating your strategic plan.

Key stakeholder groups include:

• Employees
• Clients
• Board members
• Partners and Suppliers
• Investors and Donors (for non-profits)

Analyze your key competitors to understand your competitive positioning. You can analyze up to five key competitors or competitor types.

For each competitor, evaluate their characteristics and identify their advantages and vulnerabilities relative to your organization.

💡 Competition exists in all sectors - businesses compete for customers, non-profits compete for donors and attention, and government agencies compete for resources and talent.

The SWOT Analysis is a critical tool in strategic planning. Enter the most important factors that will shape your strategic decisions.

Strengths & Weaknesses are internal to your organization.

- Use insights from your Business Assessment and Stakeholder Input to identify them.

Opportunities & Threats are external factors that impact your organization.

- Use insights from the Environmental Scan and Competitive Analysis to identify them.

Setting Strategic Goals by Strategy Area

For each of your strategy areas, define 1-3 strategic goals that will move your organization toward your vision of great success. These goals should address the gaps between your current state and desired future.

Effective strategic goals:

• Are aligned with your vision and values
• Address critical gaps identified in your SWOT analysis
• Provide clear direction for strategy development
• Are ambitious but achievable within your planning period

Example: For a Financial strategy area, a goal might be: "Achieve financial sustainability through diversified revenue streams by the end of the planning period."

Set your goals! The following process will help you draft, rate, and adopt strategic goals for each strategy area.

Your Vision:

Not set

Keep your vision in mind as you develop strategic goals that will help your organization achieve this future state.

Developing Strategies by Area

For each strategy area, develop specific strategies that will help you achieve your strategic goals. Effective strategies are major planned actions that will move your organization from its current state toward your vision of success.

Winning strategies should meet these benchmarks:

1. Contribution: They contribute directly to vision achievement
2. Intentionality: They focus the organization on a clear plan of action
3. Importance: They address significant organizational needs
4. Impact: They achieve meaningful results
5. Challenge: They push the organization to perform better
6. Specificity: They are well articulated and easily understood
7. Time: They fit within an appropriate time frame
8. Measurability: Their results can be monitored and assessed
9. Realism: They can be achieved within your time frame
10. Limitation: They focus resources on high-impact activities

Remember: "Go wide, go narrow, then decide." First brainstorm many options, then filter them down to the most powerful strategies. It's better to have one or a few strategies for each strategy area than to be trying to pursue many strategies.

Develop your strategies! The following process will help you draft, rate, and adopt strategies for each strategy area.

Your Vision:

Not set

Keep your vision in mind as you develop powerful strategies that will drive your organization toward this desired future.

Developing Your Objectives by Strategy Area

Objectives are the key outcomes your organization must achieve within each Strategy Area to realize your Strategic Goals and, ultimately, fulfill your Vision. They act as a vital bridge, translating your broader goals into more focused statements of achievement. These objectives will later guide the development of your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and form the building blocks of your Strategy Map (Logic Model).

Next Steps: For each of your defined Strategy Areas, define its key objectives:

1. Review Context: Carefully consider your organization's Vision, the adopted Strategic Goals for the current Strategy Area, and any relevant adopted Strategies for this area. These elements provide the primary inspiration for your objectives.
2. Derive Key Outcomes: Based on this context, ask:
   • "What absolutely must be true or achieved within this Strategy Area for its Strategic Goals to be met?"
   • "What are the most critical results that will demonstrate progress towards the Vision through this area?"
3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Actions: Objectives describe what will be achieved (the desired state), not how it will be done.
   • Example: Instead of "Implement a new outreach program," an objective is "Expanded community engagement."
4. State Objectives as Achieved Results: Write your objectives as if they are already accomplished.
   • Example: Instead of "To create a welcoming facility," your objective is "A welcoming facility."
5. Aim for Clarity and Impact (4-6 per Strategy Area): Define a focused set of powerful objectives.
6. Initial Measure of Success: For each objective, briefly note how you might measure its achievement. This is a preliminary thought for KPIs.
7. Save Your Objectives: Once an objective and its measure are entered and saved, they are part of your plan for this area. You can edit or delete them.

See Examples of Objectives

Your Vision:

Not set. Please define your Vision first.

Defining Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures that help your organization track progress towards achieving its strategic objectives and, ultimately, its vision. Think of KPIs as the vital signs or mileposts that tell you if you're on course and how far you have come.

To develop effective KPIs:

1. Review Your Objectives: Each KPI should directly support one of your defined strategic objectives for a specific Strategy Area. The objective and its preliminary measure (if defined) will be shown as context.
2. Define the KPI Details: For each objective you want to measure, define one or more KPIs by specifying:
   • KPI Name: A clear, descriptive name for the measure (e.g., "Monthly New Client Acquisition Rate," "Average Project Completion Time").
   • Unit of Measure: How the KPI will be quantified (e.g., %, $, Number, Days, Score out of 10).
   • Target: The specific, desired level of performance you aim to achieve (e.g., "15%", "$50,000", "250 new clients").
   • Baseline: The historical level, level at the start of the measurement period, or the current performance level before improvements are made. This helps in setting realistic targets and measuring progress.
   • Benchmark: Optional. A reference point or standard used to compare your organization's performance against others—such as competitors, industry averages, or best-in-class performers (e.g., American Productivity & Quality Center - 15% or lower hospital readmission rate standard, Construction Industry Institute -top-quartile construction firms complete 80% or more of projects on or ahead of schedule.
   • Person Responsible: The individual or team accountable for this KPI's performance.
   • Data Source: Where the data to calculate the KPI will be obtained (e.g., "CRM System," "Financial Statements," "Customer Surveys").
   • Reporting Frequency: How often the KPI will be tracked and reported (e.g., "Monthly," "Quarterly," "Annually").
3. Focus on What Matters: Don't create too many KPIs. Focus on the critical few that truly indicate success for each objective. Consider *leading indicators* (which measure activities driving future success) where possible, not just *lagging indicators* (which measure past results).
4. Adopt Your KPIs: Once a KPI is defined and you're satisfied with it, "Adopt" it to include it in your formal strategic plan. You can edit or unadopt KPIs later.

These KPIs will form the basis of your implementation dashboard and regular progress reviews, helping you stay on track and make informed decisions.

See Examples of KPIs

Your Vision:

Not set. Please define your Vision first.

Keep your vision in mind as you develop KPIs that will measure progress toward this future state.

Transforming Strategies into Action: Your 12-Month Action Steps

This is where your strategic plan meets the pavement. Effective strategies are only as good as their execution, and execution hinges on well-defined, actionable steps. Planning without a clear path to implementation is a common pitfall. This section helps you avoid that by breaking down your adopted strategies into concrete 12-Month Action Steps.

Why Action Steps Matter:

• Clarity & Focus: They translate broader strategies into specific tasks.
• Accountability: Assigning responsibility ensures ownership. (Responsibility and Timeline fields will be available for adopted action steps).
• Momentum: They create a rhythm of progress, preventing your plan from becoming a static document.
• Adaptability: While the vision and core strategies might be long-term, 12-month action steps allow for agility and adjustment as circumstances change.

Developing Your Action Steps:

For each adopted Strategy within every Strategy Area, define the key Action Steps needed over the next 12 months to move that strategy forward. Think SMART:

1. Specific: What exactly needs to be done? Who is involved?
2. Measurable: How will you know it's complete or successful? What does "done" look like?
3. Achievable: Is it realistic given your resources and constraints?
4. Relevant: Does this action step directly support the parent Strategy and, ultimately, your Vision?
5. Time-bound: What is the target completion timeframe (e.g., Q1, by end of June)?

Use the checkboxes provided for each draft action step to self-assess its SMARTness. A higher score indicates a more robust and implementable action step.

Next Steps:

• Review each adopted Strategy under its Strategy Area.
• For each Strategy, click the "+ Add Action Step" button.
• Define the action step clearly and concisely.
• Use the SMART criteria checkboxes to evaluate and refine your action step. Aim for a high SMART score.
• Once satisfied, "Adopt" the action step. You can then assign responsibility and set a timeline for adopted steps.

Remember, the key is not just setting goals (or in this case, action steps) but having a system for their implementation and tracking. This section is the first crucial part of that system.

Your Vision:

Not set

Keep your vision in mind as you draft action steps that will move each strategy forward this year.

Developing Your Implementation Plan

With your Vision, Goals, Strategies, Objectives, KPIs, and 12-Month Action Steps defined, the next critical phase is to detail *how* this plan will be brought to life. An Implementation Plan serves as the operational roadmap for executing your strategy, ensuring accountability, and managing resources effectively.

Simply having a strategic plan is not enough; success hinges on a disciplined execution process. Planning is not an event—it’s an ongoing process.

Key Components of Your Implementation Plan:

• Detailed Action Steps: While you've outlined 12-month action steps, this plan might break them down further into specific tasks, especially for the immediate quarter.
• Resource Allocation: Explicitly state the resources (people, budget, time, technology) required for each major action step or strategic initiative. Failing to allocate resources is a common cause of implementation failure.
• Roles & Responsibilities: Clearly assign ownership for each action step and KPI. Who is accountable for delivery? Who needs to be consulted or informed? Lack of clear accountability can lead to steps not being my job.
• Timelines & Milestones: Establish realistic deadlines for your action steps and key milestones for your strategies and objectives. This creates a sense of urgency and allows for progress tracking.
• Communication Plan: How will progress, challenges, and changes be communicated across the organization? Regular communication is vital for maintaining alignment and commitment.
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation: Identify potential risks or obstacles to implementation and outline contingency plans. What could go wrong, and how will you address it?
• Dependency Mapping: Understand how different action steps or initiatives depend on each other. This helps in sequencing activities correctly.
• Change Management Strategy: Recognize that implementing a strategic plan is a large-scale organizational change process. Outline how you will gain and maintain commitment from stakeholders, addressing potential resistance.
  • Address that people may see change as discomforting, requiring new mindsets, or unnecessary.
  • Leverage leadership, engagement, clear messaging, and incentives to foster commitment.

Your Implementation Plan translates strategic thought into focused action, creating a bridge between your aspirations and your day-to-day operations.

Creating Your Implementation Dashboard

An Implementation Dashboard is a visual tool that provides an at-a-glance overview of your strategic plan's execution. It helps keep the leadership and implementation teams informed, focused, and accountable by tracking progress against key metrics and milestones. This is crucial because, without clear metrics and reporting, organizations can get off track during implementation.

What Your Dashboard Should Track:

• KPI Status:
  • Display each Key Performance Indicator (KPI).
  • Show the current performance against its target and baseline.
  • Use visual cues (e.g., color-coding like red, yellow, green) to indicate status (e.g., on track, at risk, off track).
  • Include the person responsible for each KPI.
• 12-Month Action Step Progress:
  • List key action steps, particularly those for the current quarter.
  • Show their status (e.g., not started, in progress, completed, overdue).
  • Indicate the person responsible and the deadline.
• Strategic Initiative/Project Progress (from Implementation Plan):
  • Track major projects or initiatives derived from your strategies.
  • Show overall progress, upcoming milestones, and any critical issues or blockers.
• Resource Utilization (Optional but Recommended):
  • Brief overview of budget spend versus allocation for key initiatives.
  • Highlight any resource constraints impacting progress.

Tips for an Effective Dashboard:

• Keep it Simple & Visual: Focus on the most critical information. Use charts, graphs, and clear status indicators. The goal is quick comprehension.
• Timely & Accurate Data: Ensure the data feeding the dashboard is regularly updated and reliable.
• Accessible: Make the dashboard easily accessible to all relevant stakeholders.
• Action-Oriented: The dashboard should facilitate discussions and drive action, not just report numbers. It should help answer, "What do we need to do next?"

Your dashboard is a key component of your strategy management rhythm, enabling proactive decision-making and keeping your plan alive and dynamic.

Conducting Effective Monthly Check-Ins

Monthly Check-Ins are vital for maintaining momentum and ensuring your strategic plan stays on track. These are shorter, more frequent meetings than quarterly reviews, designed for rapid assessment and minor course corrections. They help prevent plan implementation from fizzling out after initial efforts. [cite: 10152]

Purpose of Monthly Check-Ins:

• Monitor Short-Term Progress: Review progress on 12-Month Action Steps due or in focus for the current/upcoming month.
• Track Key KPIs: Discuss any significant changes or trends in your leading Key Performance Indicators.
• Identify & Resolve Obstacles: Quickly surface any roadblocks or challenges teams are facing and brainstorm immediate solutions.
• Foster Accountability: Reinforce ownership of action steps and KPIs.
• Maintain Communication: Ensure information flows among those involved in execution. [cite: 10152]
• Celebrate Quick Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate successes to maintain morale and commitment. [cite: 10152]

Suggested Agenda for Monthly Check-Ins:

1. Review Priorities: Briefly reiterate the key strategic priorities for the current quarter.
2. Action Step Updates:
   • Status of action steps due this month.
   • Progress on ongoing critical action steps.
   • Identify any steps at risk.
3. KPI Snapshot:
   • Review select KPIs that are monitored monthly or show early trends.
   • Discuss any KPIs that are significantly off target.
4. Roadblocks & Challenges: Open discussion on any issues hindering progress.
5. Resource Check: Are teams adequately resourced for the upcoming month's tasks?
6. Decisions & Next Steps: Document any decisions made and new actions required before the next check-in.

These check-ins should be focused and action-oriented. They are not meant for deep strategic dives (that's for quarterly/annual reviews) but for ensuring consistent operational progress towards strategic objectives.

Conducting Your Quarterly Progress Assessment

The Quarterly Progress Assessment is a more in-depth review of your strategic plan's performance than the monthly check-in. It's an opportunity to step back, evaluate progress against your objectives and KPIs over the past three months, and make more significant adjustments to your action plans if needed.

Objectives of the Quarterly Assessment:

• Comprehensive KPI Review: Analyze performance for all relevant KPIs. Understand the story behind the numbers – what drove successes or shortfalls?
• Goal & Objective Progress: Assess overall progress towards achieving your Strategic Goals and Objectives for each Strategy Area.
• Strategy Effectiveness: Briefly consider if the current strategies are proving effective in closing strategic gaps and moving towards the vision.
• Review of 12-Month Action Steps: Evaluate the completion and impact of action steps from the past quarter. Identify priorities for the next quarter.
• Resource Review: Assess the adequacy of resource allocation (people, budget) and make adjustments for the upcoming quarter. [cite: 10152]
• Identify Key Learnings: What has the organization learned in the past quarter that could inform future actions?
• Address Systemic Issues: Unlike monthly check-ins that focus on immediate roadblocks, quarterly reviews can address more systemic problems hindering implementation.
• Maintain Commitment: Reaffirm the importance of the strategic plan and the collective effort required.

Key Questions for Your Quarterly Assessment (derived from "Questions to assess goal execution" [cite: 10152]):

• Are sufficient resources (people, time, money, etc.) allocated for successful execution of action plans and projects? [cite: 10152]
• Do teams have the skills and knowledge needed for current and upcoming tasks? [cite: 10152]
• Do those charged with execution "own" the strategies and action steps they are responsible for? [cite: 10152]
• Are decision parameters and performance targets still clear and relevant? [cite: 10152]
• Is our system to measure progress (e.g., the Dashboard) effective and providing the right insights? [cite: 10152]
• Is information flowing effectively among those involved in execution? [cite: 10152]
• Are teams spending inordinate time inventing how to do the work versus actually doing the work? [cite: 10152] This might indicate a need for better processes or support.

The quarterly assessment ensures that your strategic plan remains a living document, adapting to new information and realities while keeping the organization focused on its long-term Vision.

The Annual Assessment and Replanning Cycle

The Annual Assessment and Replanning process is the cornerstone of a dynamic strategic planning system. It acknowledges that strategy is not a "one and done" event but an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and refining. [cite: 10149, 10152] This yearly cycle ensures your organization remains agile and responsive to both internal performance and external changes, preventing the plan from becoming obsolete. [cite: 10152]

Key Activities in the Annual Cycle:

• Comprehensive Performance Review:
  • Evaluate progress against all Strategic Goals, Objectives, and KPIs over the past year.
  • Assess the overall success and impact of the 12-Month Action Steps undertaken.
  • Analyze what worked well, what didn't, and why.
• Revisit the Strategic Foundation (as needed):
  • Environmental Scan Refresh: Are there new trends, threats, or opportunities in the external environment? [cite: 10152]
  • SWOT Analysis Update: Have your internal strengths or weaknesses changed? Have new external opportunities or threats emerged?
  • Stakeholder Input: Consider gathering fresh input from key stakeholders.
  • Vision & Mission Review: While these are typically long-term, an annual check ensures they remain relevant and inspiring. Significant external or internal shifts might warrant a deeper review. [cite: 10152]
• Strategic Gap Reassessment: Based on the year's performance and any changes in the strategic foundation, are the previously identified strategic gaps still the most critical? Have new gaps emerged?
• Strategy Review & Refinement:
  • Are your current high-level Strategies still the right ones to achieve your Vision and address key gaps?
  • Do any strategies need to be modified, discontinued, or do new strategies need to be developed? [cite: 10152]
• Develop New 12-Month Action Steps: Based on the assessment and any strategic refinements, define a new set of prioritized action steps for the upcoming year. [cite: 10152]
• Resource Planning & Budget Alignment: Ensure that resources are allocated to support the new 12-Month Action Plan and strategic priorities. Link strategy execution to the annual budget. [cite: 10152]
• Communication & Re-commitment: Communicate the updated plan and priorities to the organization to renew focus and commitment. [cite: 10152]

Avoiding Planning Failure: The annual cycle helps mitigate risks such as plans becoming outdated, implementation fizzling out, or a disconnect between the plan and organizational reality. [cite: 10152] It reinforces that strategic planning and implementation are core organizational processes, not isolated events. [cite: 10152]

By embedding this annual rhythm, your organization embraces change as a motivator for progress [cite: 10152] and stays committed to the journey of achieving its Vision.