Strategy Survival Guide

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Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1 Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit home | strategy development | strategy skills | site index Strategy Development > Research & Analysis Phase Tasks Output Research & Analysis • Gathering knowledge • Analysing knowledge • Reviewing delivery capability Interim analytical report > typical management issues in this phase > key questions to ask in this phase Once the project has been agreed and a project plan is in place, the team can start to lay the foundations for developing evidence-based strategy and policy by: • identifying and gathering all relevant available qualitative & quantitative knowledge • analysing it to generate understanding and insights. This phase is concerned with developing an accurate understanding of the issues in hand and accessing the best available knowledge for how to respond to them. In practice, this will lead to an iterative process with new data requirements arising as the team’s thinking evolves. Within the time scales of the project it is also likely that judgements will need to be made to bridge gaps in the available knowledge, which should themselves be used to inform the priorities for ongoing research. There are a wide range of tools and techniques for gathering and analysing data. Links should be established with government specialists early in the process so that their expertise can be brought to bear with maximum effect. Understanding the dynamics of the delivery system, and the culture and available resources of organisations within it, will provide valuable context. It will help to highlight the degree of change required by the new strategy and identify any potential constraints to its successful delivery. The desired outcome is that the team develops a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the key facts that may have a bearing on the emerging strategy. The broader the reach of the analysis within the time available, the richer the picture that will emerge. It can be valuable to conclude this phase with the publication of an interim analytical report. This will focus the team’s efforts, invite challenge and feedback, and provide a common platform of understanding for developing strategic options in the next phase. Skills relevant to this phase include: > structuring the thinking > building an evidence base > managing people and the project Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Development Page 22
Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1 Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit home | strategy development | strategy skills | site index Strategy Development > Research & Analysis > Tasks Gathering knowledge The starting point for this phase of the project is to gather relevant data, information, and knowledge to build an accurate understanding of the issues in hand, and the effectiveness of past and present policy responses. There are many different data types & sources available, and also many methods for gathering new knowledge, including surveys and interviews and focus groups. The data, sources and methods used will depend very much on the nature of the project. Each type of knowledge has distinct sources, grammars, and appropriate methods of use and interpretation. The key challenge is to strike the right balance between quantitative and qualitative types of knowledge. Before initiating any new research effort it is important to identify existing data and critically appraise it to ensure it is of sufficient quality, perhaps using methods such as systematic reviews or meta-analysis as outlined in The Magenta Book. Early links should be established with the full range of government specialists (economists, scientists, social researchers, statisticians etc) as well as those in the wider academic and research community in order to seek advice and avoid duplication of effort. The design of this phase should be informed by the structure developed when clarifying the issues using techniques such as issue trees in the last phase. This will enable the data gathering and analysis process to be hypothesis led and avoid the need to ‘boil the ocean’ of all available sources. Although options should not be blocked off and the information gathering process unduly narrowed, the process will be more efficient if the team’s efforts are focused around its emerging notions of the way forward. It is important to regularly revisit the hypotheses in the light of the emerging evidence from the data. Gathering Sponsor & Stakeholder Perspectives Understanding the different perspectives of the sponsor and key stakeholders is a crucial part of the knowledge gathering process. Taking time to understand the sponsor's perspectives will make it easier to ensure that the project answers their key concerns. It will also provide understanding of the political context behind the issue or problem. Similarly, it is important to be fully informed about the perspectives of different stakeholders. Interviews with key stakeholders, including experts, practitioners and frontline staff – who often have a richer understanding of the position than managers or experts – will assist the stakeholder mapping process and should feed into the stakeholder engagement plan. Listening to different perspectives can provide new lenses for looking at the issues and suggest alternative solutions. Managing the Knowledge Gathering Process It is crucial to factor in sufficient time for the knowledge gathering process. New sources will undoubtedly emerge as the process proceeds, which will require additional time to investigate – for example, interviewees may suggest other people to interview. However, it is also important that the team is not distracted by areas that are not the core focus of the project. Where significant data and knowledge do not currently exist, new research may need to be commissioned. The conclusions of this research may not be available within the time scales of the project, however strategies need to be designed to be flexible enough to respond to new knowledge as it emerges. Useful links: > data types & sources > surveys > interviews and focus groups > The Magenta Book Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Development Page 23
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Page 6 and 7: Building an Evidence Base 113 Data
Page 8 and 9: A Framework for Strategic Direction
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Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1
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Identifying key stakeholders and th
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Engaging with stakeholders Having i
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• What channels do we know don’
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Preparing the Story Once you have a
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development process include brainst
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Reinforcing Loops A + Balancing Loo
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Structuring the thinking - Systems
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Opportunities • Where are the goo
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Structuring the thinking - PESTLE I
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Revolution This is creativity at it
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For example, Sub-problem: My collea
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Structuring the thinking - Creativi
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in The Magenta Book) are rigorous m
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• Avoid asking the same question
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Expectations can be shaped by a num
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Collecting data - Surveys In Practi
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Collecting data - Interviews & focu
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Step One: Define the problem explic
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• Are the units correct? Step Sev
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Analysing data - Modelling In Pract
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The Five Forces Framework can be us
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References Structure, Conduct, Perf
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Symbols • What language and jargo
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• Put a contact name, telephone n
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Learning from others - Internationa
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4. Functional Benchmarking or Gener
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Strengths • Quantitative forecast
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3. Bring drivers together into a vi
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Scenario development In Practice 1:
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Scenarios used in the Strategy Unit
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groups at random. In other words, t
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events. There are a number of diffe
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Multi-criteria analysis In Practice
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Cost-benefit & cost-effectiveness a
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For further material, see the Ratio
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Compelling vision for action - the
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Designing an implementation plan In
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Creating Public Value http://www.nu
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Driver trees 97 Econometric modelli
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management 17, 20, 27, 34, 45 outpu
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Strategy Survival Guide

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