Strategy Survival Guide

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1 Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit home | strategy development | strategy skills | site index Strategy Development > Strategic Direction Setting > Tasks Defining strategic aims and objectives As the desired state of the future is described in the vision, strategic aims and objectives are needed to define those things that need to be achieved in order to bring it about. A small number of broad aims need to be supported by a range of more specific objectives defined over the short, medium and long term. At this stage the primary concern is ‘what’ needs to be achieved rather than ‘how’ – which will be more fully addressed through policy design – however some broad appreciation of the policy packages that might deliver each objective will help to ensure that realistic objectives are set. In addition, some sense of the likely level of support for each idea will provide an indication of its chances of success. In summary, it is important to set objectives that are: • Suitable – addressing key issues and able to deliver desired outcomes • Feasible – achievable with potential organisational and system resources • Acceptable – with the support of those with the authority and influence to legitimise action. The process of defining alternative aims and objectives will highlight the choices and trade-offs that will need to be made. These will need to be considered together with the emerging vision, to select those that best describe and are able to deliver the desired future. Generating Alternatives In addition to a structured consideration of the problem, the evidence and stakeholder perspectives as discussed in Articulating a vision, a creative approach to generating possible alternative objectives may be helpful. For example, brainstorming potential objectives in terms of radical, medium and cautious change may help to generate fresh insights. Scenarios can also be a useful tool to help identify potential opportunities and envisage preferred futures. A range of alternative objectives should be sought over the short, medium and long term as milestones towards the desired future expressed in the vision. Selecting Objectives The crystallisation of strategic direction occurs with the selection of the preferred set of aims and objectives. The alternatives should be subject to scrutiny with regards to their suitability, feasibility and acceptability. It may be beneficial to have a two-stage selection process, allowing alternatives short-listed to be worked up in more detail before the final selection is made. Involving stakeholders in the generation and selection of alternative objectives will help to ensure buy-in to the resulting strategic direction, reducing the risk of dissent in the longer-term. Useful links: > creativity techniques > developing scenarios Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Development Page 32
Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1 Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit home | strategy development | strategy skills | site index Strategy Development > Strategic Direction Setting > Output Preferred strategic direction The primary output from this phase will be the definition of the new strategic direction, which as far as possible will have the support of the project’s sponsor and all key stakeholders. However, a degree of judgement and discernment will be needed to know when is it right to set a new course despite opposition. Even the most successful reform programmes may start life as controversial proposals, and take leadership and commitment from government to set the strategic direction and see it through to fruition. The strategic direction will be expressed through: • A vision describing the desired state of the future • A number of aims and short, medium and long term objectives that need to be achieved in order to bring it about. Although it is unlikely that a formal written document will be appropriate at this stage, a working document describing the preferred strategic direction will help to ensure common understanding. Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Development Page 33
Page 1: Strategy Strategy Survival Survival
Page 4 and 5: Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1
Page 6 and 7: Building an Evidence Base 113 Data
Page 8 and 9: A Framework for Strategic Direction
Page 10 and 11: These four components need to be co
Page 50 and 51: Recruiting a team In Practice: SU G
Page 52 and 53: • Commitment to a common purpose
Page 54 and 55: Away-days A project away-day is ano
Page 56 and 57: WHY ...are you telling me this? SO
Page 60 and 61: Try to put into practice the princi
Page 62 and 63: Encouraging creativity In Practice:
Page 64 and 65: There are clear differences between
Page 80 and 81: Identifying key stakeholders and th
Page 82 and 83: Engaging with stakeholders Having i
Page 84 and 85:
Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1
Page 86 and 87:
• What channels do we know don’
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Preparing the Story Once you have a
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
development process include brainst
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Reinforcing Loops A + Balancing Loo
Page 102 and 103:
Structuring the thinking - Systems
Page 104 and 105:
Opportunities • Where are the goo
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Structuring the thinking - PESTLE I
Page 110 and 111:
Revolution This is creativity at it
Page 112 and 113:
For example, Sub-problem: My collea
Page 114 and 115:
Structuring the thinking - Creativi
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
in The Magenta Book) are rigorous m
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
• Avoid asking the same question
Page 124 and 125:
Expectations can be shaped by a num
Page 126 and 127:
Collecting data - Surveys In Practi
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Collecting data - Interviews & focu
Page 132 and 133:
Step One: Define the problem explic
Page 134 and 135:
• Are the units correct? Step Sev
Page 136 and 137:
Analysing data - Modelling In Pract
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
The Five Forces Framework can be us
Page 142 and 143:
References Structure, Conduct, Perf
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Symbols • What language and jargo
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
• Put a contact name, telephone n
Page 152 and 153:
Learning from others - Internationa
Page 154 and 155:
4. Functional Benchmarking or Gener
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Strengths • Quantitative forecast
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
3. Bring drivers together into a vi
Page 164 and 165:
Scenario development In Practice 1:
Page 166 and 167:
Scenarios used in the Strategy Unit
Page 168 and 169:
groups at random. In other words, t
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
events. There are a number of diffe
Page 174 and 175:
Multi-criteria analysis In Practice
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Cost-benefit & cost-effectiveness a
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
For further material, see the Ratio
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Compelling vision for action - the
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Designing an implementation plan In
Page 194 and 195:
Creating Public Value http://www.nu
Page 196 and 197:
National Statistics http://www.stat
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Driver trees 97 Econometric modelli
Page 206 and 207:
management 17, 20, 27, 34, 45 outpu
Page 208:
Strategy Unit, Admiralty Arch, The
show all

Strategy Survival Guide

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?