Operational Plan

Operational Planning What is it? The organisation has an operational plan that clearly states the actions to implement goals and strategies identified in the strategic plan. Your organisation has completed the strategic planning process. An operational plan details the actions required to implement each strategy, assigning responsibilities, setting timeframes, identifying resources required and indicating what difference the specific actions will make. When developing your operational plan, ensure it is clear and able to be understood by all members of your organisationDeveloping the Operational Plan· You will need to have at least one workshop to develop your operational plan with someone who will drive the process. This person is called a facilitator. · A facilitator is a person who has experience or training in running work groups. He or she guides the operational planning process, ensuring the actions and timeframes are pitched at the appropriate level.· Your facilitator could be: (1) an outside specialist facilitator (2) a prominent member from your community who has experience facilitating developing plans in the past, or (3) a member of the Management Committee or staff member to facilitate the process.· It is very important the facilitator is trusted by the group. Each participant must feel comfortable to express their opinions. The most successful plans are those where all participants feel they have fully participated in the planning sessions and own the actions. Picking a good facilitator is the first step in successful planning.· The organisational plan is primarily the responsibility of staff, representatives from the Management Committee and community will help ensure it reflects the intent of the Strategic Plan. Goals and strategies from Strategic Plan to action · Goals and strategies that were identified in the strategic planning process will now be used for the operational or action planning process. Who is going to do what?

References: Business Plans for Dummies – Paul Tiffany & Steven Peterson IDG Books World Wide Inc 1997 Developing Your Organisation For Queensland Incorporated Associations Queensland University of Technology, 2005