Transcript Information Services Department Strategic Planning Process

ISD
Strategic Planning
Process
Lori Ostapowicz Critz
Bruce Henson
5/19/04
Getting Started
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Goals
Expectations
Parameters
Background for Process (Change
Diagram, Systems Approach)
Ground Rules
Meeting Guides – agenda, notetaking, minutes, roles,…
Ensuring Participation
Goals
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To define a departmental structure that
involved a more participatory decision
making model
To discuss, as a group, the Department’s
function, direction, and organization
To develop shared values and purpose
To align our work with the mission and
strategic plans of the Library and the
Institute (e.g. retention, life-long
learning)
To understand the interdependencies
within the Department, Library, campus
Goals
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To develop a more systems-oriented
approach to our work
To engage all staff in challenging and
satisfying work
To prioritize and guide our work
To maximize shared decision making and
individual accountability
To improve communication & interactions
within the Department
TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
USERS!
Expectations
Assume Self-Responsibility
Focus on the Needs and Interests of our Users
Participate & Contribute
Practice Active Listening
Expect & Respect Differences
Question & Test Assumptions
Expect & Accept that the ‘Total is Greater than the
Sum of the Parts’
ED = Q x A
(Effective Decisions are the result of Quality
Information times Acceptance!) -- William Maier
Parameters
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The process would be
‘departmental’ only – other desk
workers would not be part of the
process
All discussions would be
confidential – not shared outside
Department
The meetings would be a ‘priority’
– scheduling of other events
would be kept to a minimum
Background
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Change Diagram
Systems Approach
What is Strategic Planning?
Others ….
CHANGE: “OLD WEST” STYLE
% of
People
Settlers
Pioneers
Stragglers
Urbanites
High
resistance
to change
Explorers
% Change
Embraces
change
Adapted from Peter Scholtes ”The Leader’s Handbook
SYSTEMS APPROACH
TO A
LIBRARY ORGANIZATION
ENVIRONMENT
INPUTS
Feedback
Structure
People/Skills
HUMAN ASPECTS
Systems
Culture
OUTCOMES
Suppliers
WORK
PROCESSES
OUTPUTS
ORGANIZATION
USERS
Feedback
Library
Missions
and Values
Ground Rules
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Provided a template to begin discussion
We went through several iterations
(including off-line wordsmithing)
Started with MANY very specific rules
Ended with just a FEW all-encompassing
rules (record keeping; interpersonal
actions, meeting parameters)
Fairly easy to reach agreement in all areas
EXCEPT Decision-Making
Ground Rules
- Decision-Making
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Presented “options”
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Went through several rounds of discussion without
agreement
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Utilized additional tools
 “Dangerous Jobs” and reflection exercise
 ISD Decisions Exercise – highly effective,
engendered EXCELLENT, eye-opening discussions
Finally agreed to a Modified Consensus approach
during the Planning process
Meeting Guides
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Effective Meeting Guidelines
 Agendas & Minutes
 Meeting Roles
 Meeting Assessment
 Team Lifecycle
 Others ….
Techniques to Get Input
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Brainstorming
Round Robin
Think-Pair-Share
Small Group Discussions
BrainWrite Technique
Affinity Grouping
Multi-Voting
Flowcharts
Retreat – a 2 day focused event geared towards reenergizing the effort
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IceBreakers
Socializing (catered lunches, breaks)
Concentrated discussions, exercises
The Planning Process
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Initiate and agree on a strategic planning process.
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Identify organizational mandates and clarify
organizational mission and values.
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Gather and interpret information and data on both
external and internal environments – by identifying
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
[Note: Steps 2 & 3 were done simultaneously.]
Identify and frame the strategic goals and/or key
issues facing the organization. [Note: This was looked
at for the upcoming 2 years.]
Formulate possible strategies for ‘managing’ these
issues/meeting these goals. [Note: This included
team/group work and individual work.]
The Planning Process
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Determine which strategies will be adopted.
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Review and adopt the strategic plan.
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Establish an organizational vision. [Note: This step
was delayed for several years as we ‘learn’.]
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Develop and adopt effective implementation plans to
turn each strategy into action. [Note: This includes
development of groups/teams to accomplish this
work, and ‘charges’ for the groups/teams with
timelines and a framework for meeting objectives.]
Reassess strategies and the strategic planning
process at regular intervals.
The Planning Process
The ‘Nuts & Bolts’
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CSA
Defining Strategic Issues
Writing GOALS for the Issues
Developing Objectives
Creating Action Plans, as
appropriate
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Steps
Milestones/’deadlines’
Deliverables
The Beginning …
Current Situation Analysis
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The process of collecting, analyzing, and
reporting information that describes the
current situation of the (departmental)
environment, as well as anticipated changes in
the future environment
Consists of an environmental scan
(opportunities and threats) and an internal
assessment (strengths and weaknesses)
Help determine strategic goals and a path
for action
The Beginning …
Current Situation Analysis
Step 1: Soliciting input from ‘stakeholders’
and seeking answers to the following types
of questions:
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Who are our primary (and secondary) ‘customers’?
With whom did we spend the most time in terms of service delivery (instruction, indepth reference, ready reference) over the past year?
What benefits or capabilities do our customers acquire as a result of their interactions
with us?
With whom do we routinely communicate?
What have we learned about our users over the past year?
If you have conducted user surveys or collected other user data over the last 12 months,
either formally or informally, what are the key findings?
Based on the feedback, what are you doing to meet users’ needs? (e.g., projects created,
services initiated, …)
What products and services have been requested – by students, faculty, or others - that
you have not been able to provide? (e.g., access to ALL full-text journals online)
What would need to change to be able to provide these products or services?
Looking to the environment beyond the library, list forces that will change the way we
serve our users. (e.g., electronic publishing, copyright laws, …)
The Beginning …
Current Situation Analysis
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Step 2:
 Identify predominant/strategic issues and/or
forces that play a role in the life of the
Georgia Tech Library. (e.g. education,
information access, outreach, …).
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For each of these, DEFINE the current
environment, and then DESCRIBE the issue in
terms of: STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES,
OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS
The Beginning …
Current Situation Analysis
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Initially we identified 12 Strategic issues
Utilizing affinity grouping, then several rounds
of multi-voting we ‘whittled’ it down to 4
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Customer Service
Education/Training
Information Access
PR/Marketing
Most identified issues were important, but as this was
a learning process we wanted a limited ‘universe’
Goal Writing
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Individually, each person wrote a goal statement for the
strategic/key issue for the ISD. (Instructions given: This
should be a statement indicating what we are ‘aiming’ for!
This statement will not describe HOW to get there! As an
example, my goal statement for PR/marketing would be
something like – “Intensify communications and public relation
efforts to raise on and off campus awareness of the Library’s
services and resources.”)
Passed the statements around a predetermined small group.
Everyone read the other group members’ statements, and
then UNDERLINED the words/phrases they wanted to see
incorporated in the group goal statement.
As a group, they developed ONE goal statement - using the
underlined parts as a guide but including other ideas, if
appropriate - to share with the ISD.
As a whole, we then determined which goal statement or
statements to adopt.
Developing Objectives
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Used SMART objective method (Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, TimeFramed)
Individually, we wrote 2 objectives that will help the
ISD achieve the specified goal
In small groups, we selected and refined 2 – 4
objectives to present to the ISD
As a whole, the ISD decided which objectives to
adopt
Creating Action Plans
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The Action Plan is simply the list of steps that
will get you from the current situation to the
ideal (the goal and/or objective).
For a given objective, we often devised a ‘flow
chart’ of action; include alternative ‘avenues’ and
outcomes/products; and an assessment
component (if possible) and a reporting/feedback
component for each avenue.
From the flowchart or notes, we mapped our
steps, milestones, and deliverables
The ISD will develop, advertise, and implement 3 library
programs/events (lectures, films, student presentations, etc.) for
faculty/graduate students during the Spring ’03 semester that will
have a total attendance of at least 50.
FLOW CHART
Contact all grad students in the school
of Public Policy – ask for expressions
of interest
Do a catalog search to find
2 sci/tech films of interest to
students
Choose 9 – 12 students to give a
20 min. presentation
Select 2 films
Determine 3 dates for
programs
Arrange dates/venues
Develop flyer to advertise
events
Schedule room
Develop flyer to advertise
programs
Place notice on website and
in Technique
HOLD FILM EVENTS
Distribute flyers; add to
library News on
webpage
HOLD PROGRAMS
Record
attendance
(ASSESSMENT?)
Report to ISD – attendance stats
and lessons learned (after each
program)
Benefits/Results
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We have a ‘blueprint’ for action – a shared direction in
several strategic areas – that is helping to ensure that
we move toward our goals
We believe that our ‘unified voice’ can make a
difference (e.g. recommendations may carry more
weight)
We have an increased level of commitment to shared
goals/objectives
We have a better distribution of ‘power’ and
responsibility throughout the Department
We are developing an environment of support,
collaboration, and interdependence (Trust? Respect?)
We have learned how to work together
We have developed an appreciation for
‘documentation’
Still to Come …
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Develop a true vision and/or mission statement for
the Department
For 2005, be more ‘inclusive’ - add more of our work
to the Plan
Develop an ‘institutionalized’ reporting system (e.g.
Team Reports notion)
Develop Performance Measures and/or Quality
Standards to help monitor progress (accountability)
Determine how/when to update/revise the Plan
Challenges
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Maintaining momentum as we
‘enact’ the Plan and look to the
future
Developing better lines of
communication in Department
and with others
Time!
Lack of ‘buy-in’ from
newcomers
Questions?