Strategic Plan Template

Template Version 1.0

Welcome to the Strategic Plan Templa

This workbook has been created to provide a generic and custo

tool for performing strategic planning with the intention of prod
strategic plan, including a roadmap.

This workbook contains strategic planning process instructions

information and, as such, can be used by novices through expe

This workbook has been created specifically for the Project

Management Institute (PMI) by Marcia Mitchell, PMP, and can b
located on ProjectManagement.com. It is intended for persona
only by members of PMI and premium members of
ProjectManagement.com. It cannot be resold or used for comm
purposes/profit.

Proceed to the Overview

Worksheet

gic Plan Template!

vide a generic and customizable

with the intention of producing a

ng process instructions and

by novices through experts.

cally for the Project

Mitchell, PMP, and can be
is intended for personal use
members of
esold or used for commercial

Overview
eet

Template Goal

Use strategic planning to create a roadmap to grow your bu

Template Purpose

Build a strategic plan in 10 steps

Template Users

Portfolio Managers, Program Managers, Project Managers

Strategic Planning Guiding

Principles

Strategic Planning Process

Strategic Plans Enable

Identification of 1, 3 and 5 Year
Goals
SAMPLE SCHEDULE ->

Basic Tenets of Strategic

Planning

Role of Strategic Planning in an

Organization

True strategy is about placing bets and making difficult ch

Strategy does not equal perfection; it is impacted by intern
Globalization and technology innovation are drivers of the
"Simplest techniques are often the best" - Occam's razor
2. Create the Plan
1. Assess the Possibilities

3. Execute the Plan

4. Sustain the Plan (not included in this template, this is the
YEAR 0
YEAR 1
YEAR 2
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2
ASSESS
CREATE
EXECUTE
SUSTAIN

SAMPL

Objective is to increase the odds of success for the organi

Assess the big picture and chart the smartest possible pat
Ensure goal alignment across senior executive team
Inclusion of stakeholders in the strategic planning process
Organization identity provides direction and focuses atten

admap to grow your business

ers, Project Managers

and making difficult choices

it is impacted by internal & external forces
ation are drivers of the need for strategic planning
best" - Occam's razor

his template, this is the ongoing maintenance of the plan)

YEAR 2
YEAR 3
YEAR 4
YEAR 5
Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

SAMPLE

success for the organization over time

smartest possible path to growth
or executive team
tegic planning process produces buy-in
ction and focuses attention on opportunities/threats

Proceed to Next Workshe

After Reading This
Overview & Follow
Instructions in Blue Shad
Columns

ext Worksheet
ading This
w & Follow
n Blue Shaded
umns

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Read the Overview worksheet. It contains basic information about

strategic planning and usage of this template.

These columns can be deleted if you do not need them.

1. Replace the "YEAR" labels with the actual fiscal years for your business
2. Replace the "Qx" labels with the actual fiscal quarters for your business
3. Choose a unique color to represent each stage of the strategic planning
process (Assess, Create, Execute, Sustain)
Capture Your Strategic
4. Shade the timescales for each strategic planning stage with the colors
Planning Schedule
you have chosen.

Capture Your
Organization's Identity

1. Record the EXISTING REPUTATION that your organization has.

2. If a different reputation is desired, record the NEW REPUTATION.
3. Record the MISSION of your organization - this is the organization's
purpose or reason for existence.
4. Record the VALUES that the organization possesses, communicates
and demonstrates.
5. Record the stated GOALS of the organization - this is what the
organization is trying to achieve and/or solve as it drives toward growth
and increased revenue. It is common to see at least one goal that focuses
on the experience or satisfaction of the organization's customer.

1. Record the CHALLENGE, selected TOPIC or SITUATION that you are

Identify the Problem to trying to solve.

Be Solved Before Solving 2. Identify what is NOT WORKING related to the challenge.
3. Identify the KEY THEMES in the NOT WORKING list.
It
4.Create your "how can we" PROPOSITION question.

Follow the Strategic

Planning Process in
Remaining Tabs

1-Assess
2-Create
3-Execute

"Driving a car without knowing the rules of the road would be an ill-advised
strategy." - Marcia Mitchell, PMP
YEAR 0
YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
YEAR 4
YEAR 5
Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx Qx
ASSESS
CREATE
EXECUTE
SUSTAIN

EXISTING REPUTATION
NEW REPUTATION
MISSION
VALUES

GOALS

CHALLENGE / TOPIC / SITUATION

NOT WORKING

KEY THEMES

" How can we?" PROPOSITION

"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the
strategy out of which victory is evolved." - Sun Tzu

advised
YEAR 5
Qx

see is the

These columns can be deleted if you do not need them.

Within the context of the
PROPOSITION, determine and record
the organization's STRENGTHS and
WEAKNESSES.

Assess Strengths &

Weaknesses

STRENGTHS = Have
WEAKNESSES = Don't Have
A starter list of areas to consider is
provided in the table to the right.
You may customize this table to
include other factors that are
meaningful in your industry/sector.

Within the context of the

PROPOSITION, determine and record
the organization's OPPORTUNITIES
and THREATS. These are
circumstances external to the
organization.

Assess Opportunities OPPORTUNITIES = Advantages

& Threats
THREATS = Disadvantages
A starter list of areas to consider is
provided in the table to the right. You
may customize this table to include
other factors that are meaningful in
your industry/sector.

STRENGTHS
Experience
Knowledge
Competencies
Capabilities
Key Staff
Reliability
Trust
Quality
Reputation
Customer Relationship
Financial Position
Regulatory/Compliance
Geography/Location
Other

OPPORTUNITIES
Alliances
Partnerships
Product Development
Import
Export
Innovation
Technology
Competition
Currency
Customer Relationship
Financial Position
Regulatory/Compliance
Geography/Location
Other

WEAKNESSES

THREATS

These columns can be deleted if you do not need them.

Enter the Time

1. Establish a TIMEFRAME in which to

achive the desired future state, for
example, 3 years or 36 months. Shade
the selected timeframe. You may
customize the timeframe provided if
needed.
2. Describe what it looks like in the
FUTURE. You can use any type of
Machine brainstorming technique to generate a
list of characteristics/events that would
embody successful achievement of the
PROPOSITION.
3. Select 3-5 KEY ELEMENTS from
the list above; these should be the
most important things for the
organization in that desired FUTURE.

Know What Obstacles

Exist

TIMEFRAME to Ac

12 Months / 1 Year 24 Months / 2 Years

The FUTURE (After Succe

INTERNAL OBSTACLES

Before determining the strategies and

tactics to achieve the PROPOSITION,
you need to understand what internal
and external obstacles could derail
achivement. It is difficult to get past
obstacles if you don't know what they
are.

STRATE

STRATEGIES are statements of

intention to achieve the
PROPOSITION.
1. Identify the STRATEGIES - those
few core directional choices - that
outline the pathways to success.

Layout the Path to

Achieve the Desired
Future

2. For each STRATEGY, identify the

specific actions or TACTICS that must
be taken in order to achieve the
strategy.
3. For each TACTIC, identify the due
date for achievement of that specific
action.
Be explicit in your identification of
TACTICS. There are many models that
can be applied to ensure the TACTICS
are well written, for example, SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Relevant, Time Bound). Choose the
model that works best for your
organization.

STRATEGY #1
TACTIC #
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4

TA

STRATEGY #2
TACTIC #
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4

TA

STRATEGY #3
TACTIC #
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
STRATEGY #4

TA

can be applied to ensure the TACTICS

are well written, for example, SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Relevant, Time Bound). Choose the
model that works best for your
organization.

STRATEGY #4
TACTIC #
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4

TA

TIMEFRAME to Achieve the Desired Future State

24 Months / 2 Years 36 Months / 3 Years 48 Months / 4 Years 60 Months / 5 Years

The FUTURE (After Successfully Addressing the PROPOSITION)

KEY ELEMENTS

NAL OBSTACLES

EXTERNAL OBSTACLES

STRATEGIES (The Pathway)

TACTIC

DUE DATE

TACTIC

DUE DATE

TACTIC

DUE DATE

TACTIC

DUE DATE

STRATEGIC ROADMAP
ID # S / T

REVENUE TARGET

DESCRIPTION

OWNER

GOAL ALIGNMENT

DUE DATE

STRATEGY

<Revenue Target>

<Strategy #1 Description>

<Strategy Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

1.1

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #1 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

1.2

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #2 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

1.3

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #3 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

1.4

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #4 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

STRATEGY

<Revenue Target>

<Strategy #1 Description>

<Strategy Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

2.1

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #1 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

2.2

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #2 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

2.3

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #3 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

2.4

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #4 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

STRATEGY

<Revenue Target>

<Strategy #1 Description>

<Strategy Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

3.1

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #1 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

3.2

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #2 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

3.3

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #3 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

3.4

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #4 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

STRATEGY

<Revenue Target>

<Strategy #1 Description>

<Strategy Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

4.1

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #1 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

4.2

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #2 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

4.3

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #3 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

4.4

TACTIC

<Revenue Target>

<Tactic #4 Description>

<Tactic Owner Name>

<Organization Goal Strategy Aligns To>

<Achieve By>

YEAR 0
Qx Qx Qx Qx

Term
Fiscal Quarter
Fiscal Year
Goals
Mission
Opportunities
Proposition
Reputation
Strategic Plan
Strategic Planning
Strengths
Threats
Values
Weaknesses

Usage Within This Template

The quarterly (3 month) financial cycles of the organization
The annual financial cycle of the organization
The organization's stated goals, also known as "objectives"
The purpose of the organization or its reason for existing
External advantages that the organization can exploit
Identification of the challenge/topic/situation to be resolved
External perception of the organization and its value
Roadmap that accounts for the organization's identity, identifies future direction
alignment across the organization
Process by which a strategic plan is developed
Components that the organization possesses or has
External disadvantages that could impact the organization's efforts/success
Principles that the organization is built upon, abides by and demonstrates
Components that the organization does not possess or have