Planning Facilitation

KappaWest undertook its first strategic planning facilitation project in the mid 1970s, shortly after the company was formed. Since then, it has continued to expand the range of its planning-related concepts, models, tools and experience. It has now assisted more than 100 companies to increase the effectiveness of their plans, and the planning skills of their own staffs.

Although it has continued to work extensively in the area of strategic planning, Kappa has also broadened its services to assist clients in the critical fields of operational and tactical level planning as well.

This Service Profile outlines KappaWest’s capabilities and services in the preparation, facilitation and documentation of planning workshops at all three levels.

Strategic
This level is usually aimed at developing and evaluating high level strategies. It should focus on determining what an organization should be doing and ensuring that it is aiming to be effective, i.e.. to “do the right things”. By its very nature, it has a big picture, long term view and should involve the organization’s more senior line and staff executives. Planning at this level might deal with, for example:

• What new markets should we enter?
• What acquisitions should we make?
• What new ventures should we undertake?
• What existing lines of business should we abandon?

Operational
Planning at this level is often undertaken to convert higher level strategies into executable projects and programs. It will usually begin with the basic goals and direction set at the higher level, and involve functional level executives and managers... those who are likely to be responsible for supervising the execution of their own plans. Operational level planning is frequently a weak or missing link in many organizations. To be effective, it often crosses existing silos of responsibility and authority in an organization.

Planning workshops at the operational level might deal with, for example:

• Development of marketing plans
• Creating a sales operations plan
• Preparing for the launch of a major new product or service
• Creating a customer service program
• Building a technology roadmap for Engineering

Tactical
At the tactical level of planning, an organization should focus its efforts on determining how to best accomplish a particular goal or objective, often one set at the higher levels. Its concern should be on developing an approach that is efficient. It usually involves both line and staff management ... those who are responsible for actually doing much of the work involved in the execution of the plan.

Tactical level planning workshops might be focused on:

• Developing a plan to close a “must win” sales opportunity
• Preparing a response to an RFP
• Building a plan for a major customer “event”
• Implementing a new compensation or incentiveplan.

Kappa’s well-qualified professionals can accelerate the pace of the planning process and increase the quality of plans developed by almost any type of organization and at any level. They can do so by providing any mix of the following services requested by a client:

• Preparing a client-specific Planning Guide outlining all relevant planning concepts, models and tools
• Providing planning-related training prior to, or during workshops
• Organizing and scheduling planning workshops
• Acting as facilitators during planning workshops to help maintain focus, structure and discipline
• When appropriate, acting as “lightning rods” and “rock turners” during workshops
• Undertaking selected intelligence gathering and other staff work prior to the planning process, or between workshops
• Providing administrative and logistical support for workshops
• Assuming responsibility for documenting each workshop

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