The Operational
Planning Process
THE PLANNING PROCESS
Top
Mgt.
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STRATEGIC
Mid-Mgt.
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TACTICAL
First-Line Mgt.
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OPERATIONAL
Planning Dimensions
Planning
Determining what you want to accomplish and developing
approaches to achieving your objectives.
Planning Dimensions:
Basic Operational Plan Requirements
Like a strategic plan, an
operational plan addresses four questions:
Where are we now?
Where / What do we want to be?
How do we get there?
How do we measure our
progress?
Planning Process
The work plan process or cycle can be reduced to five
essential questions:
1. Where are we now? (management assessment)
2. Where do we want to be? (goals, objectives)
3. Generally, how will we get there? (strategies)
4. Specifically, what will we do? (activities, outputs,
resources, time)
5. How will we know if we are making progress?
(support, monitoring, evaluation)
Perhaps more than a cycle, planning is a continuum
made up of a series of whats and hows.
What are you going to do? Create a vision, identify goals,
establish objectives, and program outputs.
How are you going to do this? By drafting a mission, selecting
strategies, and scheduling activities.
Planning Process (cont’d)
A Strategic Plan helps identify, in
general terms, how we will get Operational Plans, which translate
where we want to go by the general strategies outlined in
identifying the general method the strategic plan into a
(Question #3) the organization will comprehensive package of specific
apply to progress from the activities (Question #4) that will
current situation (Question #1) to best help us to implement the
the desired situation (Question strategies.
#2).
Strategic and Operational Planning
(by. Robert N Lussier)
Strategic Planning
The process of developing a mission and long-range objectives and
determining in advance how they will be accomplished.
Operational Planning
The process of setting short-range objectives and determining in
advance how they will be accomplished.
Strategy
A plan for pursuing the mission and achieving objectives.
Strategic and Operational Levels
Operational Planning
([Link] AFRICA)
This is more routine to ensure daily
operations are running
It focuses on the day-to-day operations
with no more than a 12 month cycle
This is an annual work plan explaining
how the goals of the strategic plan will be
implemented and what budget and
processes are required
Operational planning cont—
Focuseson adjusting and developing
controls, increasing efficiencies and
reducing time and costs
The purpose of an operational plan is to
effectively execute the goals identified in
the strategic plan
An operational plan shows where to focus
attention
Operational planning cont—
Operational plans answer key questions
like who is doing what? What are the day
to day activities? What are the labor
requirements? What are the sources of raw
materials?
The Development of the
Operational Plan
A. The Process
B. Tools
C. Planning Worksheets
The Process of
the Operational
Plan
The proposed operational planning process consists of 4 steps:
1. Select Activities
Activities are the specific tasks needed
to fulfill the objectives, and implement
the strategies.
2. Project Outputs
Outputs should provide clear evidence
of the successful execution of the
activity or cluster of activities.
3. Assign Responsibilities and
Resources
Determine the person(s) who will be
responsible for executing each
activity or cluster of activities.
4. Schedule Activities
The activity time line, also known as the
Gantt Chart, is an essential tool for
developing an operational plan. The Gantt
Chart is used to display the major activities in
their planned chronological sequence.
Tools of the
Operational Plan
The Activity Feasibility Checklist
The Activity Feasibility Checklist this is a
reality check, which helps to make sure you
select those activities which have the
greatest possibility for successful execution.
Example: The Feasibility Checklist
Planning Worksheets
Objectives Objectives are specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic and time-bound achievements
you hope to realize. Each strategy should have a corresponding set of 1-2 objectives
Activities Activities are the tasks needed to fulfill the objectives. Activities should be expressed in
clear, concrete terms, and in chronological order. Each objective should have 1-3
corresponding activity
Outputs Outputs are the end results that are expected from the successful implementation of
the activities. They should be expressed in absolute terms, so that there is clear
evidence of their existence. Each activity or cluster of activities should have a
corresponding output
Responsible Here is where note the name(s) of the person(s) assigned to execute each activity or
cluster
of activities. When assigning a person to the activity, it is important to be as specific as
possible to ensure accountability, follow-up and support to that individual
Time line The Time line, or Gantt Chart, is used to display the major activities in their planned
chronological sequence. The Chart shows the month or quarter in which each activity, or
cluster of activities, will be carried out
Planning Worksheets
Operational Plan Format
Support and Monitoring of
Operational Plans
Support is provided by the higher levels of the system
to the lower tiers of the
Monitoring is done to assess the degree to which
outputs have been produced and to reveal and resolve
any problems impeding progress.
The results of the monitoring visits are used to identify
the support required during the next implementation
interval.
Supporting the Implementation of the Operational Plan
Supporting the Implementation of the Operational Plan
cont—
Monitoring the Implementation
of the Operational Plan
Monitoring is the process of measuring, coordinating,
collecting, processing, and communicating information of
assistance to managers and decision-makers.
It is a critical part of the implementation phase of an
operational plan, since it provides feedback that can be
used to modify the plan and identify areas in which
additional support is required.
SELECTED REFERENCES
Robert N Lussier, 2006, Management
Fundamental, University Of Alabama,
Thomson Business And Economics.
Corat Africa, Strategic Planning, Operational
Planning And Business Planning, Module 5
Judith B. Seltzer, Peter N. Cross, Jan Hoey,
Handbook for Strategic and Operational
Planning
Thank You!
