Strategic Planning Questions Check List

Step by step, use the following questions or your variations on them.

Step 1. Capture the Past (The past year, or any previous period)
What were your ey !b"ectives#
What $o you consi$er your ey %ccomplishments#
What $i$ you $o that worke$#
What $i$ you $o that $i$n&t work#
What was missing, that if you ha$ it woul$ have contribute$ to achieving your
ob"ectives#
What are the key lessons#
What were the important tren$s#
What were the big surprises#
Step 2. Intending the Future (This coming year or any future period)
What are the %nticipate$ 'ren$s#
What are the Potential opportunities (which you $on&t yet know how to e)ploit*#
What are the Potential threats (which you $on&t yet know how to $efen$ against*#
Where $o you want to be at the en$ of this planning perio$#
('he answer to this is a general statement which shoul$ inclu$e qualitative an$
quantitative elements.*
Strategic Planning Questions Check List
What are your ey !b"ectives#
(+ach ey !b"ective is a specific statement which supports the previous ,where $o you
want to be, question.*
For each ey !"#ective$
What is the -esire$ !utcome of this ob"ective# (.n other wor$s, why $o it / what will this
provi$e us*
What are the Con$itions of satisfaction# (C!S*
(What are the measurements of success, both qualitative an$ quantitative*
What .nitiatives can you un$ertake to accomplish the ob"ective an$ $eliver on the
C!Ss#
For each Initiative$
What is the -esire$ !utcome of this initiative#
What are the C!Ss for this initiative#
What are the 0equire$ 0esources (human, informational, financial, material*#
Who will be accountable# (by name or "ob function1 name is preferable*#
What are the obstacles to this initiative, an$ how can you overcome, circumvent or
minimi2e the impact of this obstacle#
For each %e&uire %esource$
3ow will you acquire or $evelop the particular resource#
Strategic Planning Questions Check List
%s part of your planning process, you can apply these questions to various
organi2ational units an$ also to these nine critical focus areas4
revenue an$ profit
pro$uct $evelopment
customer satisfaction
software5technology quality
intellectual capital
pro$uctivity
strategic relationships
new customer growth
employee retention.