Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ABCDE Model
The ABCDE Model* to be a very useful model for understanding the flow of
strategy from the beginning to the end of a cycle of strategic planning/execution
activities:
A Assessment of current situation. This element involves scanning the external
environment, competitive scanning, assessing the current situation; and
clarifying perceptions of problems, needs, and opportunities.
B Baseline the gap. This element involves identifying performance gaps, and
evaluating trends.
C Components of strategy. Include common concepts like core competencies,
values, mission, vision, metrics, goals and objectives, portfolios, and processes.
D Delivery of component. This is the delivery of the strategic initiative, as well as
other programs, projects, and operational work. Executives will formulate
action plans; benefits capture plans, targets, standards, and metrics.
E Evaluation of progress. This includes review of progress, reporting, tweaking of
goals, corrective actions, and learning.
Environment
1. Political Environment Strategic initiatives are often international in scope, and they
can be affected by local politics. Director of Strategic Initiatives has an important
responsibility to interacting with local politicians as the company makes capital
improvement investments in new rail terminals
2. Economic Environment Here we would look at macroeconomic factors such as GDP,
inflation, and industry growth rates.
3. Social Environment There are differences in generations that have far-ranging affects
upon the organization and its strategy. This contextual factor might affect HR strategic
initiatives or marketing strategic initiatives.
4. Technical Environment The technical environment gives us constraints, as well as
new tools and capabilities. Many companies have launched initiatives involving social
networking and mobile computing.
5. Legal Environment The legal environment is closely associated with the political
environment when we are considering the impact of new regulations or mergers and
acquisitions.
6. Earth Climate, earthquakes, are just a few of the concerns that can affect an
organizations strategy, hence its strategic initiatives.
The organizational goal is to stay in the upper half of the polarity map. Recognize that there
will be tension between the two poles. Sometimes there will be more emphasis on operations
and sometimes more on strategy.
Be prepared to cycle back and forth.
Recognize, too, that the downsides are natural and unavoidable.
When the downsides of the polarity become noticeable, it is time to shift energy to the
opposite pole.
When you start to see the dysfunctions of the operational focus (too many projects and
conflicting priorities), it is time to invest more energy in discussions about strategic alignment.
The key, of course, is balance.
Strategy is not the solution to the problem of operations, and operations is not the solution to
the problem of strategy. Remember, there are few problems to solve. Rather, there are
tensions to manage.
Strategic Management
The process of identifying and
pursuing the organizations mission
by aligning the organizations
internal capabilities with the
external demands of its
environment
Long-Range Planning
Strategic Planning
Assessment
Where we want to be
Baseline
Components
How we will do it
Down to
Evaluate
Specifics
Environmental
Scan
Situation Past,
Present and Future
Performance
Measurement
Performance
Management
Background
Information
Significant Issues
Values / Guiding
Principles
Targets / Standards
of Performance
Review Progress
Balanced Scorecard
Situational
Analysis
Major Goals
Initiatives and
Projects
Gaps
Specific
Objectives
Action Plans
Take Corrective
Actions
Feedback
upstream revise
plans
SWOT
Strengths,
Weaknesses,
Opportunities,
Threats
Assessment Model:
SWOT
Internal Assessment: Organizational
assets, resources, people, culture,
systems, partnerships, suppliers, . . .
SWOT
SWOT
Good Points
Possible Pitfalls
Easy to Understand
Apply at any
organizational level
Needs to be
Analytical and
Specific
Be honest about your
weaknesses
Assessment
Gap Analysis
Baseline / Org Profile
Baseline
Challenges / SWOT
omponents
Strategic Plan
Mission
Vision
Objectives
Measures
Targets
AI1
M1 M2
T1
T1
Evaluate Progress
What we want to be
Goals
Initiatives
Action Plans
Why we exist
O1
AI2
M3
T1
O2
AI3
Down to
Specifics
2.
3.
4.
5.
Down to
Specifics
The Action Plan identifies the specific steps that will be taken to achieve the
initiatives and strategic objectives where the rubber meets the road
Each Initiative has a supporting Action Plan(s) attached to it
Action Plans are geared toward operations, procedures, and processes
They describe who does what, when it will be completed, and how the
organization knows when steps are completed
Like Initiatives, Action Plans require the monitoring of progress on
Objectives, for which measures are needed
Objectives
Initiatives
Action Plans
Evaluate
Strategic Alignment
Internal Business
Processes
Learning and
Growth
Financial
Customer
Measurement
Managed Achievement
28
Customers
IS&T contribution to initiatives of
corporate strategic importance
Overall ability to deliver
technical/business solutions and
services
Extent to which supports
government initiatives
Finance
IT Cost per user
IT Spending by portfolio category
Performance to spending targets
IS&T staff engagement score
IS&T capabilities vs. benchmarks
Price competitiveness of IT
services vs. external benchmark
Balanced Scorecard
Dimensions
Process
System downtime
Help desk first-call resolution rate
Tickets per registered user per month
Number of failure incidents with
business impact per quarter
Security audit results